“Tourism in Norway is perceived as an important diversification industry and an excellent vehicle for generating economic benefits from the sustainable management of the rich natural resources of the country.”
Situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula, Norway is often described by tourist guidebooks as one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is home to dramatic and diverse landscapes, the world-famous fjords, stunning arctic areas and a rich cultural life. It is also one of the countries with the lowest population density in Europe. Norway is known for the Fjords, endless outdoor activities and well-preserved wildlife. It is also known as one of the most expensive destinations in Europe and the world. A significant share of visitors often resort to eating fast food at least once a day to save themselves from the prohibitively high prices of food in regular restaurants.
With its high living standard and healthy economy, Norway has become an attractive immigration destination. According to the most recent census, 13% of its current population of a little over 5 million are non-native (compared to just 1.5% in 1970). Rising immigration has been an issue, stirring controversy in society. It has also led to the biggest tragedy in Norway’s contemporary history – the mass killing of 77 people in July 2011. The perpetrator, now in jail with the maximum possible sentence of 21 years, was a right-wing extremist expressing anger with the increasing multiculturalism in the country. The tragedy drew the attention of the world to Norway and disturbed the image of the country as one of the safest and most tolerant places in the world.
Norway’s economy thrives on its oil reserves in the offshore waters of the country. It ranks high on both economic and non-economic indicators, and scores very highly on many of the 11 indicators in the OECD Better Life Index: 7.7/10 on Life Satisfaction (second highest after Switzerland), Jobs and Earnings, Household Income (third after US and Luxemburg), and Work-life Balance.
One of Norway’s weakly performing areas has been education, especially compared to some of its neighbours, such as Finland. Improving education is one of the top government priorities in most recent years. Norway is a very safe country with very low murder rates. Average assault rates, however, bring the overall safety scores of the country lower.
| Life satisfaction | Jobs and earnings | Household income (€) | Work/life balance | Health | Safety | Education | |
| Norway (rank among 36 countries) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 17 |
| Maximum score | 10.0 | 8.9 | 38,001 | 9.8 | 9.4 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| Minimum score | 0.0 | 2.3 | 11,039 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Average score | 6.2 | 6.2 | 23,047 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 8.3 | 6.3 |
| Norway | 9.7 | 8.6 | 31,458 | 9.1 | 8.1 | 9.1 | 7.2 |
Norway is a member of the European Economic Area but is not a member of the EU. A national referendum held in 1994 rejected the joining of the Union on the grounds of fears that EU membership would have negative impact on the fishing and small-scale farming industries.
This report looks at the following areas:
What are the current developments for tourism in Norway?
Who travels to and within Norway, why and for how long?
How do they travel and where do they stay?
How much has inbound tourism to Norway been affected by external events?
What does the future of tourism look like in Norway?
