At the farm hotel of Tone Rønning Vike in Aurland, we have recently been in full swing preparing for the reception of guests. This year’s season seems to be going better than expected.
She shows the flowering apricot tree she has growing in the yard at home, but it is not just fruit trees they have got here.
For several years, Tone and her husband have invested everything in farm tourism in beautiful Aurland in Sogn, and have created a tourist gem that attracts travelers from all over the world.
It should be the start of an adventure.
But then came the corona pandemic.
– GARD: The Gardshotellet is idyllically located. As many Norwegians travel here by electric car, chargers have now been set up in the parking lot. Photo: Sorosh Sadat / TV 2
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Took up a crisis loan
All bookings for the hotel 29 | 2 Aurland almost disappeared overnight on March 12, 2020, when it was clear that the community was closing.
– From then on, it has only been a ragnarok, because we lose bookings for 5.5 million kroner, says Tone Rønning Vike.
– It has now been our two tough years, which we have not finished yet, says the hotel owner.
NOK 15 million in expenses and debt rose to NOK 18 million during this uncertain period.
– We have taken out emergency loans. It had to me. So it was up to us this year that we had to repay that crisis loan. add ho.
– WAITING FOR VISITS: Tone Rønning Vike is already expecting the first tourists on 10 May. Photo: Sorosh Sadat / TV 2
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High booking numbers
Nevertheless, it is the optimism that is best seen when TV 2 visits her at the farm hotel in the first half of May.
One of the bright spots is that Tone has appointed Henny Tanberg as hotel manager in a full-time position. She has traveled all the way from Drammen to be on the team.
– The hotel has values I believe in and that I want to work with, says Tanberg.
Environmental issues and nature management are topics the hotel drivers are passionate about. They run one of the 18 activities that are certified for ecotourism in this country.
– NEW MANAGER: The new hotel manager, Henny Tanberg, has found himself at ease in the office. Soon the tourists come in turn and order. Photo: Sorosh Sadat / TV 2
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Now they are looking forward to welcoming nature-loving tourists from home and abroad. Wood-fired hot tub is new this year. Tone thinks this will be popular.
– The bookings are ticking in. They are far above what we had when the pandemic broke out, she explains.
Reports of full houses
A recent survey shows that tourists are now back in Norway.
Strong growth in booking numbers
Talk give an overview of hotel bookings collected for the summer months (June, July and August) per. April 3 this year versus April 3 last year:
- Stavanger: 150 percent higher booking level compared to last year
- Gardermoen: 144 percent higher
- Oslo: 142 percent higher
- Bergen: 86 percent higher
- Tromsø: 67 percent higher
- Trondheim: 66 percent higher
- Kristiansand: 46 percent higher
- In addition, there is data from a selection of hotels in small towns and cities in Western Norway. The corresponding growth is 92 percent.
Source: Benchmarking Alliance v. Peder Wiederstrøm / NHO Reiseliv
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Data from the Benchmarking Alliance, prepared by Peder Wiederstrøm for NHO Reiseliv, show that in the big cities one sees an increase of between 46 percent and 150 percent in booking numbers.
Towns and small towns in Western Norway have an increase of 92 percent.
– We see very high bookings from Norwegians, and together with European guests it means that we are far ahead of the level we were at last year, and it is very nice, says Kristin Krohn Devold, CEO of NHO Reiseliv.
– Cities that are traditionally dependent on foreign guests, such as Bergen and Oslo, have had a very large growth, of over 100 percent, she adds.
Some of NHO Reiseliv’s member activities report full houses already in some of the most important holiday weeks, according to Devold.
– FOREIGN TOURISTS: Usually, about one in three holidaymakers in Norway are from abroad, according to NHO Reiseliv. Photo: Arne Rovick / TV 2
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Reinforce the trend
During the pandemic, Norwegians vacationed in their own countries. This is how it is. Tourism has to a greater extent adapted to this target group.
– People are turning more to nature in their own country, and we also see an intensified trend now, says Devold.
She experiences that both tourists and industry have become more preoccupied with sustainable tourism and holidays in nature.
– POSITIVE: Kristin Krohn Devold CEO of NHO Reiseliv views the latest booking figures positively. Photo: Thomas Evensen / TV 2
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Calls for government assistance
But the economic trends are not quite so positive.
Devold tells that one has noticed that the money-saving activities before could be consumed in bad times are now empty. In addition, debt has increased through the pandemic.
Therefore, it is a consolation that one now sees an improvement in tourism, and that bookings are on the rise.
– It is clear that it is worrying if one then does not get a good season with good income. The same applies to the large debt one has to the state of taxes and fees, which one has been forced to defer because one has two years without income, says Devold.
– We hope you at the state. where there is a basis for it, can push a little further on the debt to help people over a bend. Ideally, one should also have a lower interest rate level on government debt than one has now. But this is something we continuously work for up against state authorities. And we certainly see that the companies will need a helping hand later this year as well.
– REPAYMENT: Many tourism businesses now have to pay down the emergency loan during the pandemic. Photo: Ingvild Gjerdsjø / TV 2
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Tourists from 40 countries
Now the cruise tourists are back again.
Nigel Gordon is among the first tourists to visit peaceful Flåm in Aurland this season. He has taken the trip from England.
– After the pandemic, it’s nice to get away, and without a face mask. It’s a wonderful feeling, says the cruise tourist.
– FJORD OG FJELL: Flåmsbana and the electric catamarans are among the attractions cruise tourists can explore the local nature with. Photo: Sorosh Sadat / TV 2
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In Flåm, a new uncertainty was feared when the War in Ukraine came abruptly after the pandemic.
– We now have orders from forty countries and markets, and so far see no direct consequences of what is happening in Ukraine, says Arve Tokvam, chief of staff in the tourism company Norway’s Best.
– Where do the majority of tourists come from?
– For our part, the USA and Norway make up the largest part of the market. Then there are also several countries in Europe that have a clear part of things so far, says Tokvam.
– HAVE MANY PEOPLE: – We estimate that there will be well over one million visitors to the area this season, says Arve Tokvam in Norway’s Best. Photo: Sorosh Sadat / TV 2
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Pure air and love
Back on the farm in Aurland, Tone Rønning Vike rejoices over the fresh asparagus that has been grown. The tourists have a lot to look forward to when they are served goodies directly from the field and food from the surrounding farms.
– Tourism is in a way about giving people a little love and attention, but also the clean air and the beautiful nature. Big impressions, small impressions, she says thoughtfully.
– We have debts to be paid and a crisis loan that lies in the back of our minds. We will not be rich from this, but we will at least have rich days, and I look forward to the future, Rønning Vike concludes.
