Norway - Northern Norway

The regional tourism industry in Northern Norway highlights increased and facilitated cross-border cooperation within the Barents Region as an important priority in order to further develop the industry. There is already cross-border cooperation within the Barents Region and it is seen a great potential and many possibilities in developing and further developing cooperation. An increased cooperation between tourism companies in all Barents countries would make it easier to sell the region as a whole, and fully exploit it's possibilities.

"I think the market is interested in experiencing the whole Barents Region"

Tourism companies highlighted increased and facilitated cooperation with the public sector and especially with regional development organizations as an important priority in order to develop to further develop this industry. The regional  development organizations have a very important role in tourism development. It has been mentioned that "the municipalities have a huge responsibility" and that "cooperation with the public sector is an absolutely necessity". It is mentioned that  the current actions of the public sector in regards of tourism are not good enough.

"There are no municipalities today that have a real strategy for tourism development and this is alarming"

A better cooperation with the public sector is very important for small tourism companies that are in vulnerable position, especially from an economic point of view. It is mentioned that they need financial backing.

"in fact no one, neither the couny nor the municipality, is backing us financially"