Explore and Preserve: Watch the Film "Svalbard - Adventure Close to the North Pole"

How can we contribute to preserving Svalbard's fragile nature for future generations? How can we experience and explore one of the world's most unique natural areas without disturbing it? Be inspired by the film "Svalbard - Adventure Close to the North Pole," and learn more about how we in Longyearbyen are working with sustainable tourism.

The film, financed by the Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund, is shown at the bottom of the article.

In the Arctic, climate change is experienced up close. Global warming has a frighteningly large impact on nature, animals, and people. The local community in Longyearbyen experiences shorter winters, extreme weather, and more frequent avalanches. Svalbard is a "climate hotspot," with the polar bear as the symbol of the climate crisis.

The destination company Visit Svalbard aims to steer development in the right direction through long-term and dedicated work. But how can one work in a market-oriented way to attract guests year-round whilst protecting a fragile nature that is changing so rapidly? How can tourism be profitable without compromising nature and local communities?

Despite Longyearbyen being a charming small Arctic metropolis filled with experiences and offerings year-round, it is the raw Svalbard nature that constitutes the core of the tourism product. Sustainable management, both now and in the future, is a fundamental prerequisite for all nature-based tourism.

In the film "Svalbard - Adventures Close to the North Pole," we meet guides, visitors, a researcher at UNIS, and the tourism manager from Visit Svalbard. They offer advice and tips on how guests and the local population can help preserve and protect Svalbard's nature, and how we can raise awareness about these topics.

City-Near Activities and Organised Tours with Local Guides

A key concept in tourism development is city-near activity. You don't have to travel far from Longyearbyen to experience deep valleys, high mountains, and countless glaciers. The feeling of being alone in a magnificent landscape sneaks up on you right outside the town centre. By choosing a city-near activity, the need for transportation to remote areas is reduced, minimising the carbon footprint and protecting vulnerable ecosystems. City-near activities also helps preserve and keep the areas that are still 100% untouched.

Non-motorised activities like dog sledding and hiking are both great ways to explore Svalbard. You leave minimal traces, do not disturb wildlife, and will find that the special Arctic silence has a therapeutic effect.

You can also make a difference by participating in organised activities. In this way, safety, nature, and good storytelling are maintained by a competent local guide. You also contribute to important value creation for local operators in Longyearbyen.

Not More Guests, but the Right Guests

This film's goal is not to attract more visitors to Svalbard but to appeal to the right kind of guests. We want visitors who are committed to exploring responsibly and making environmentally friendly choices.

A big thank you to the Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund for providing funds for the production and preparation of the film.

Enjoy, and welcome to Longyearbyen and Svalbard!