What's new

News from Visit Svalbard

• Information about Barentsburg and Pyramiden on visitsvalbard.com
  The war that Russia is waging in Ukraine is also affecting life in Svalbard through our proximity to the Russian settlements of Barentsburg and Pyramiden. The Russian tourism company Arctic Travel Company Grumant in Barentsburg is wholly owned by the state-owned mining company Trust Arcticugol and is hence an extended arm of the Russian state in Svalbard. Consequently, most of Longyearbyen’s tourism companies have decided that further cooperation and trade with the state-owned company is incompatible with the ethical and moral norms and standards our industry represents.

  The decision to end this cooperation has not been an easy one. Although there are no winners in such a situation, the local tourism industry believes that this is the right thing to do. Consequently, we no longer offer ordinary tours to either Barentsburg or Pyramiden during winter or summer through the joint body Visit Svalbard. It’s uncertain how long this will last as it’s dependent on many factors, not least the situation in Ukraine. The Svalbard Tourism Council will continuously assess the situation.

  In the meantime, we kindly ask for your understanding of our position and the fact that Visit Svalbard is not currently marketing trips to Barentsburg and Pyramiden through our channels. Nevertheless, we would like to emphasise that Svalbard’s attractiveness lies primarily in the wonderful nature-based experiences available here, which are not affected by the war. Fortunately, we remain confident that you will find alternative, unique and memorable experiences during your time in Svalbard – on the snow and ice during winter or the bare land and at sea during summer. We can assure you that there are still many wonderful  experiences to choose between here in the High Arctic. Feel free to navigate your way around our comprehensive website to find inspiration and specific offers.
  For more information about the exclution of Trust Arcticugol from the Svalbard Toursism Council, please see the media release from Svalbard Tourism Council and Visit Svalbard.

• Svalbard as a MICE destination
  We've now created a separate version of visitsvalbard.com for the MICE market, featuring local venues for meetings and events to better communicate the possibilities for MICE in Svalbard. The MICE pages are in a startup phase and will be continually updated with new content moving forwards.
  For more information, see our MICE pages on visitsvalbard.com.

Activity providers and activities
 

New activity providers:

• Longyearbyen Guiding is now a part of Visit Svalbard!
  An activity provider organising daily sightseeing trips around Longyearbyen and its vicinity by minibus, both in the morning and afternoon. Their local guide who grew up in Longyearbyen tells guests stories and facts throughout the sightseeing trips about life in Longyearbyen from the 60's up to present time, as well as covering historical events in town. Longyearbyen Guiding also offers northern lights trips by minibus starting in October until the end of the northern lights season.
  Read more about Longyearbyen Guiding and their trips here.

• Svalbard Photography is now a part of Visit Svalbard!
  An activity provider focused on sightseeing trips in Longyearbyen, private guiding and organising photography expeditions in Svalbard.
  Read more about Svalbard Photography and their trips here.

• Snowfox Travel is now a part of Visit Svalbard!
  They're a local family-owned travel agent offering travel packages covering everything from private transfers, accommodation, dining and activities. Snowfox Travel also organise activities themselves, having a range of guided day trips as well as offering private guiding in Svalbard.
  Read more about Snowfox Travel and their activities here.

New activity offers:

• Basecamp Explorer Spitsbergen have launched several new multi-day expeditions for 2024. See their updated overview of expeditions, other multi-day trips and day trips here.

• The floating sauna SvalBad in Longyearbyen will re-open again for bookings in October 2023 after having been moved and upgraded.
  Read more about Svalbad here.

• Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions has launched a new guided hike to Nordenskiöldfjellet close to Longyearbyen, read more about it here.

• Henningsen Transport & Guiding has launched a new afternoon and evening glacier safari day trip for the summer season, read more about it here.

• Hurtigruten Svalbard has launched two new boat trips for the Polar Summer season.
  - Read more about "Glacier Safari to Tempelfjorden and Tunabreen" here
  -  Read more about "Isfjord Safari to the Puffins" here. 

Accommodation

• Coal Miners’ Cabins in Longyearbyen will be temporarily closed from September 2023 to February 2024.
  Read more about Coal Miners' Cabins here.

Food and drink

• Stationen is now a part of Visit Svalbard!
  Their menu is based on traditional Norwegian food, and there is always a whale dish or two on the menu! The name "Stationen" was taken from an important part of the archipelago's history, the whale hunting period from the early 17th- to the late 18th-century. All eyes in Europe were on Svalbard and the values marine mammals could offer then. Whale hunting stations were established in large parts of Svalbard, and that's from where they've taken the name Stationen. Read more here.

• Together with the re-opening of Coal Miners' Cabins as accommodation for guests in Longyearbyen, Coal Miners' Bar & Grill also re-opened!
  Coal Miners' Bar & Grill will also be closed from September 2023 until February 2024 together with Coal Miners' Cabins.
  Read more about Coal Miners' Bar & Grill here.

Attractions

• The world's northernmost art centre, Nordover, opened in november 2022 in the centre of Longyearbyen!
  Nordover puts on temporary art exhibitions and programmed events by Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, and is also the permanent home of the Kåre Tveter Collection. In addition to art exhibitions and high-quality events, Nordover will also house a state-of-the-art cinema with 32 seats, a shop with work by artists and craftspeople from Svalbard and the polar regions, as well as a café. 
  Read more about Nordover here!

• Svalbard Museum will for the first time in 15 years update and remodel their main exhibition!
  As a result of this, they'll be closed as of 1. November 2023 until 1. February 2024. Their official re-opening will be held in collaboration with the Arctic Chamber Music Festival.
  Read more about the temporary closing of Svalbard Museum and their plans to come here.