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Sustainability a focus as Svalbard continues to grow tourism

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More than 40,000 tourists visited Svalbard last year by cruise ship. Pictured: G Adventures' Expedition (Photo: AECO)
Tourism in Svalbard is functioning responsibly so far but must be vigilant to potential negative impacts as the sector is targeted for significant growth.

So heard more than 100 participants gathered at a conference in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, to discuss the future of tourism and how to develop sustainable tourism in a vulnerable Arctic environment.

'The potential for conflicts is large, but the conflict level is low,' according to Anders Anundsen, Norway's minister of industry and fisheries, who opened the conference.

Anundesen also stated the Norwegian government has a clear vision and policy for the further growth and development of tourism in Svalbard.

Svalbard Gov. Kjerstin Askholt expressed satisfaction with the good and responsible tourism industry in the archipelago, but also pointed to missed opportunities as well as reasons to be vigilant of the potential for increased negative impacts as tourism grows.

Tourism in Svalbard gained increasing attention after a major decline in Norwegian coal mining there. Approximately 60,000 tourists visited by airplane last year, and an additional 40,000 arrived by cruise ships. The objective for Longyearbyen is to double the number of tourism workers, which may involve tripling the number of tourists.

The conference showed a remarkable level of agreement about the need for sustainable development, and also acknowledged the unused potential for marketing national parks and the interesting cultural history.

The two-day event was organized in cooperation between the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators, Visit Svalbard, Svalbard Business Council and the University Centre in Svalbard, with funding from Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund. Participants represented government, the tourism industry, researchers, universities. NGOs and others.