Only a couple of hours from continental Europe, yet far enough away to provide a sense of refuge from the stresses of metropolitan life, the Faroe Islands are, quite literally, a natural destination for meetings and incentive trips.
Not too many people are acquainted with the fresh and beautiful setting the Faroe Islands offer for meetings and incentive trips; but that could be about to change as the country appears more and more often on international meeting schedules. One probable reason: tourism marketers are out to attract business travellers to the enchanting islands in the North Atlantic.
During the past year or so, the Faroe Islands Tourist Board has been running campaigns in Germany and the United Kingdom to convey their message of enticement; adding Sweden to the list, the Tourist Board will continue campaigning during 2005.
“We are addressing the growing conference and incentive industry by promoting the Faroe Islands as an ideal venue in stimulating surroundings,” said the Tourist Board’s Director, Heri Niclasen. “The Faroe Islands can serve as the perfect meeting point, in a sense far flung, yet at the same time only two hours away from Copenhagen Airport and other key hubs in Northern Europe. We have a unique combination of peace, quiet and stunning natural beauty, with modern accomodation and high-tech conferencing facilities.”
The elements can at times turn too rough for some during the winter half of the year, which of course makes the summer-half generally preferable. However, for the Faroe-bound business traveller, or anyone looking for the special kind of adventure that is so easily available there, a memorable and refreshing experience is surely in store, whatever the season.
With dramatic land- and seascapes in an atmosphere of overwhelming harmony around the rocky islands: awesome bird cliffs rising straight out of the ocean; fjords and grottoes outline striking green pastures dotted with shaggy sheep, steep mountains and valleys, at times under a clear blue sky but just as often covered with thick, magical mist. The bright and beautiful light illuminates the islands and plays in fantastic ways on the hillsides and fjords.
“Some absolutely amazing lighting—it’s almost unreal,” as one tourist noted, realising it didn’t get dark in the night during summer. “You forget the weather was rainy quite often, because it changed so quickly back to nice and sunny.”
One feature of the Faroe Islands much appreciated by visitors is the fact that things generally feel very compact and intimate , as if everything is just around the corner which in most cases it is. Some say the Faroese people are like that, too; hierarchies are kept to a minimum, perhaps because with such a small population, many people know each other. No exception, the Faroese capital, Tórshavn, is both small and compact; virtually everything a conference delegate might need is situated within a ten-minute radius of the major hotels. And of course the stunning natural environment is literally on the doorstep.
“People are friendly and easy to talk to, and some of them are great storytellers,” Mr Niclasen added. “In between working days at the conference or whatever you’re doing, you’ll be pleasantly distracted just by talking to locals or taking some of the tours on offer.”
You don’t necessarily need to take a whole day off to experience nature at play first hand in the Faroe Islands. Just taking a short stroll and filling your lungs with the cool, fresh ocean air of the Faroes will envigorate even the hardiest of travellers.
“Whether you go trekking over a mountain in an organized group, or just take it easy walking up a hill by yourself, it will of course make a difference… You can fish trout in a lake, a perfect thing to do for a few hours; or you might prefer to discover the islands up close from the water, exploring grottoes and viewing bird cliffs along the coast line on a schooner; or you can even take a helicopter ride to see some of the spectacular sites from a bird’s eye view.”
Mr Niclasen said the Faroe Islands Tourist Board is expecting the number of visitors to rise as marketing activities continue and happy customers hopefully spread the word.
“We offer a range of conference services to high international standards, with friendly personnel and excellent communications facilities; we also have tour operators who organize corporate meetings, conferences and incentive trips, and provide information on hotels, facilities and flights. As people find out what it is that makes it worthwhile visiting the Faroes, we’ll see increasing numbers coming in; many are returning customers and they give recommendations to others. Quite simply, the Faroes strike a perfect balance between a stimulating natural experience and excellent conference facilities.”
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