Chinese tourism to Norway is booming

The number of tourist visas (ADS) issued at the Norwegian Consulate General in Shanghai reached a record high this summer, counting almost 2 000 in July. This is a year on year increase of more than 150 per cent since 2010.  

We are very happy that so many Chinese travelers want to visit Norway and explore our beautiful county” says Norwegian Consul General to Shanghai, Mr. Bjørn Blokhus.

The vast majority of Chinese tourists visit Norway in large group tours arranged by tour operators. The two most popular destinations are; Norway`s capital Oslo, where people can enjoy the urban city, cultural life and great shopping, as well as the fjords and the amazing scenery of western Norway.

While reaching a record high number in July 2011, Norway has had the pleasure of welcoming an increasing amount of Chinese tourists since the introduction of group tourist visas in 2004.

Chinese tourists have become an important target group when promoting Norway as a tourist destination. This large increase implies that Norway`s strategy for attracting Chinese tourists has been a success.

A total of 14,335 got a visa, almost 4,000 more than the same period last year. And the people who come, come to see the Norwegian fjords, mountains and waterfalls, according to the Directorate.

Since the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize two years ago, the relationship between China and Norway has been less friendly. But even if the Chinese authorities have given Norway a cold shoulder, tourists continue to visit.

Have been richer

"The Chinese have gotten more economically stable and travel more and most people in China are not as concerned with the peace prize, or how the relationship to Norway is," says China expert Halvor Eifring, professor of East Asian Studies at the University of Oslo.

"Shortly after the peace prize was given out, we had some cancellations, but there haven't been many. The Tourism Industry in Norway have been collaborating with other Nordic countries to promote Scandinavia as a destination, and it has paid off, says Hilde Charlotte Solheim who is working in the Directorate of Tourism.

Advised against traveling to Norway

Earlier this summer it became known that the provincial authorities in China had stated that Norway should not be marketed as a destination and travels there should be stopped.

Among other things, Hurtigruten campaigns were prohibited and two full charter flights that would land at Glasgow with guests to the famous voyage was canceled.

Despite this, the increase in visitors from China continued. Last year only , nearly 30,000 Chinese visited Norway as tourists and there was an increase of 10,000 from the previous year.

"We have not received any official boycott, but we got a warning shot in a province. Now we hope that the situation will normalize," says Solheim.