Accessibility & seasonality of tourism in the Geiranger/Trollstigen area

This report provides a written account of a study on the accessibility and seasonality of tourism in the Geiranger/Trollstigen area of Norway.

 

The findings show how the Geiranger/Trollstigen area is one of the most important areas in Norway for nature-based tourism. It is estimated that over 550 000 visitors entered the Geiranger/Trollstigen area in 2006, generating over 350 million NOK in visitor expenditure. The demand for tourism is highly seasonal and the ability to generate additional demand during peak periods is limited by capacity constraints and concerns about social and environmental implications.

 

The current season runs from around mid-May to mid-September. Lengthening the season would allow the area to generate additional demand, making use of existing resources. It is estimated that lengthening the season so that it runs from the start of May to the end of September would provide over 22 000 additional visitors and additional expenditure of almost 14 million NOK in 2008 compared to 2006.

 

Estimates are also made for lengthening the season so that it runs from mid-April to mid-October. Lengthening the season in September and/or October should be possible because access to the area is generally available during these periods. Road access via Trollstigen and Geiranger- Langvatn is rarely available during the start of May or the end of April so this would affect any lengthening of the season into these periods.

 

The report provides a number of recommendations for future work.