Structure and geography of the inbound tourist flow distribution in Norway

Norway is a highly developed country with unique landscapes on a global scale and therefore very attractive for tourists. The aim of the study is to identify the geographical features of the distribution of the incoming tourist flow to Norway. The article examines the dynamics and structure of the inbound tourist flow to Norway for the period from 2005 to 2019. The study is based on statistics on tourism and population posted on the official website of the Central Bureau of Statistics of Norway. Cartographic analysis made it possible to identify the main countries from which tourists come to Norway and the proportion of these countries (both on a national scale and in the context of provinces), as well as to classify the provinces by the volume and share of inbound tourist traffic, tourist load. Most tourists to Norway come from Germany, Sweden and the North Sea countries, and recently the number of tourists from the USA and China has sharply increased. Among the provinces, Oslo, Hordaland and Akershus are the leaders in terms of incoming flow, and the tourist load per capita is highest in the Spitsbergen archipelago, the provinces of Western and Northern Norway. The role of cruise transportation of tourists is shown. The main development problems are highlighted. Based on the Norwegian experience, recommendations are given for the development of tourism in the Russian Arctic.

Ключевые слова

inbound tourism, tourist flow, Norway, tourism geography, Arctic tourism, cruises

Получено

19.05.2021

Дата публикации

19.05.2021

Кол-во символов

18442

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ГОСТ	Иванов И. А. , Михайлов Б. Structure and geography of the inbound tourist flow distribution in Norway // Псковский регионологический журнал – 2020. – Выпуск 4 (44) C. 107-118 [Электронный ресурс]. URL: https://prj.pskgu.ru/S221979310011436-2-1 (дата обращения: 03.05.2024). DOI: 10.37490/S221979310011436-2
MLA	Ivanov, Ivan, Mikhaylov, Bogdan "Structure and geography of the inbound tourist flow distribution in Norway." Pskov Journal of Regional Studies 44 (2020):107-118. DOI: 10.37490/S221979310011436-2
APA	Ivanov I., Mikhaylov B. (2020). Structure and geography of the inbound tourist flow distribution in Norway. Pskov Journal of Regional Studies (44), pp.107-118 DOI: 10.37490/S221979310011436-2


1	Introduction. Norway is one of the richest countries of the world with a share of tourism in its gross domestic product being 9%. The main tourist resource of Norway is unique fiord coastal landscapes. The cost of services in the country is also one of the highest in the world that to a large extent predefines the structure of tourist flow. The article uses administrative and territorial division of Norway as in 2019. This year predated the beginning of world tourism crisis connected with pandemic of COVID-19, that allowed us to examine tourism geography in Norway from its height and to the steep downfall of the scale of inbound tourism.
2	The goal of the research is to identify the geographical features of the distribution of the incoming tourist flow to Norway.
3	Informational basis and level of prior studies of the problem. There are rather few studies dealing with geography of international tourism in Norway. Analysis of publications on this topic revealed several main lines of the research. One of them is dedicated to the duration of tourists stay in Norway [12]. The other relates to the research of an image of the country by international visitors [10]. As Norway is a country with the highly developed tourist sector, it faces the problem of “extra-tourism” that means an excess amount tourist causing deterioration of the tourist center. This problem is dealt by a large group of researchers [16]. As well, the target of research can be the whole tourist sector of economy of Norway in the context of innovation development of tourism as in studies by Zakharov A.N. and Ignatyeva A.A. [2], and the strategies of its development as in the article by Mosalyov A.I. [8].
4	Geographical aspects of tourism in Norway are mentioned in works on features of tourism development for certain territories (e.g. on Lofoten Islands [3] or Finnmark province [11]) or on different kinds of tourism (in particular, to ecological [1; 4] or ethnic one, which includes Saami [9]). Generally, we must admit that geography of touristic flows in Norway is insufficiently researched.
5	Previously we conducted a research of geography of inbound tourism flow in Finland [7]. It was identified that the territories which are the part of transboundary touristic recreational regions (TTRR) [5; 13–15], as a rule, have higher tourist flow and larger share of tourists from neighboring country. Norway has an extended land border with Sweden, Finland and a small part of the border with Russia, where we identified Russian-Finnish-Norwegian TTRR of microlevel with a small annual tourist flow [6]. Tourist flow from Russia to Norway is small and decreased considerably since 2013.
6	Methodology and novelty of the research. As an informational basis of the research there was used the official statistics on tourism in Norway, which is in open access at the site of the Central Bureau of Statistics of Norway. The peculiarities of Norwegian statistics are that the amount of inbound international tourists is not divided by the countries of arrival¹. For that reason, to examine the structure of international tourist flow at countries level we used the statistics of overnights staying of international tourists². The article as well used statistics on number of passengers of cruises, which is recently published in annual reports on tourism³. To evaluate the load of international tourist flow on 1 resident we additionally used the data on number of residents in provinces⁴. As a result of the conducted cartographic analysis we classified provinces of Norway on value of tourist flow, a share of tourists from some specific countries and tourist load (a ration of number of tourists to number of people living in a province). There was also a typology of provinces developed at the basis of leadership of specific countries in general number of international tourists.	1. Statistisk sentralbyrå. Statistics Norway. Hotels and similar establishments. Arrivals, by guests' country of residence [Электронный ресурс]: URL: >>>> (дата обращения: 15.08.2020). 2. Statistisk sentralbyrå. Statistics Norway. Accommodation establishments total. Guest nights, by guests' country of residence [Электронный ресурс]: URL: >>>> (дата обращения: 15.08.2020). 3. Key Figures for Norwegian Travel and Tourism 2019. [Электронный ресурс]: URL: >>>> (дата обращения: 15.08.2020). 4. Statistisk sentralbyrå. Statistics Norway. Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year [Электронный ресурс]: URL: >>>> (дата обращения: 15.08.2020).
7	Results of the research. Counting of arriving from abroad tourists to Norway is done in two ways. The first one is a traditional: number of arriving tourists based on statistics from places of accommodation (hotels, camping etc.). This allows to count the number of tourists used their services, but there is no published date on countries of their arrival. Pic.1 presents the dynamics of inbound tourist flow to Norway in 2004-2019 based upon the statistics on number of inbound tourists and their use of accommodation facilities.
8	Подпись к рисунку/медиа Pic. 1. Dynamics of inbound tourist flow to Norway in 2004–2019, thsnd people Pic. 1. Dynamics of inbound tourist flow to Norway in 2004–2019, thsnd people
9	Statistics on inbound international tourists to Norway divided up by the countries is available for the other index that is several overnight staying of tourists in accommodation facilities. Recording of the indicator started since 2005. Unfortunately, it does not allow to see the number of tourists from certain countries but let us examine their share and relation between the countries. Pic.2 shows the distribution of tourist flow between counties of arrival.
10	Подпись к рисунку/медиа Pic. 2. Dynamics of number of overnight staying by international tourists in Norway Pic. 2. Dynamics of number of overnight staying by international tourists in Norway
11	Throughout the study period, Germany is the leader in the number of overnight stayings in Norway - the number of overnight stayings in 2019 compared to 2005 increased by 12% and increased to 1.96 million, and in total, the share of tourists from Germany in the structure of overnight stays is 18 %. Its leadership is due to three reasons: the geographical proximity of Germany and Norway, the visa-free regime (both countries are part of the Schengen area) and the high average income of residents of Germany.

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Динамика въездного туристского потока в Норвегию в 2004–2019 гг., тыс. чел. (Ivanov_I_A_Ris_1.png, 15 Kb) [Скачать]

Динамика количества ночёвок иностранных туристов в Норвегии. (Ivanov_I_A_Ris_2.png, 12 Kb) [Скачать]

Рис. 3. Величина въездного туристского потока в 2019 г. и доля иностранных туристов в общем количестве туристов по губерниям Норвегии (Ivanov_I_A_Ris_3.png, 846 Kb) [Скачать]

Отношение количества иностранных туристов к численности населения губерний Норвегии в 2019 г. (Ivanov_I_A_Ris_4.png, 739 Kb) [Скачать]

Распределение губерний Норвегии по лидерству стран — главных поставщиков иностранных туристов в 2019 г. (Ivanov_I_A_Ris_5.png, 965 Kb) [Скачать]