The guidelines, which provide travelers with useful dos and don’ts when visiting Arctic communities, were developed with the input of local stakeholders.
Included are pointers on everything from cultural considerations to recommendations on what kind of souvenirs to buy. For example, visitors are encouraged to talk to, and not about, the people they meet and to ask before taking photographs of people ('a hesitation means "no"').
'Think of yourself as an ambassador for your country and your culture, as the locals are for theirs. Politeness and good manners are always appreciated,' one guideline states.
Visitors are advised to respect privacy and private property, and places of religious or cultural significance. Children shouldn't be photographed or given gifts without their superiors' permission. Religious or cultural ceremonies shouldn't be disturbed or photographed without permission. People should avoid walking on graves.
The groups that teamed on the guidelines are the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO), Visit Greenland, Cruise Iceland, Visit Svalbard and the Northern Norway Tourist Board.
AECO executive director Frigg Jørgensen hopes the new tool will be a resource for everyone who wants Arctic tourism to leave a positive footprint.
'We are working to promote sustainable tourism in the Arctic, and social and cultural interactions between visitors and locals are an important part of that. We know that many Arctic communities welcome the economic opportunities associated with increased tourism. We want to educate tourists and tour operators on how they can make sure that their visit benefits the local community,' Jørgensen said.
Anders la Cour Vahl, deputy director of Visit Greenland, said one of the goals of the project is to make it easier for communities to share their knowledge with tour operators.
'Ultimately, it is the local communities in cooperation with tour operators that are best placed to advise tourists on what they should and shouldn’t do,' he said. The template for communities to create their own guidelines, la Cour Vahl added, is 'a starting point for communities that want to work with tour operators to educate visitors on how they can make a positive impact. Using a common format will make it easier for tourists and operators to quickly understand what they should keep in mind in each place they visit.'
The project is funded by the Nordic Fund.
The Community Guidelines are available here, and the template for Community Specific Guidelines here, as well as from all partners in the project.
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