by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 11:25 AM ET, Tue August 5, 2025
Hurtigruten is launching a new concept in Norway to help combat overtourism.
Called “Open Village,” the program includes exclusive, community-led experiences to immerse guests in everyday life in three remote coastal villages: Træna, Bessaker and Sæbø.
Hurtigruten has collaborated closely with locals to create the concept, which includes an array of thoughtfully designed and sustainably managed experiences on its Signature Line voyages between May and September.
“As some of Europe’s best-known destinations struggle with the pressures of overtourism, our approach is deliberately different: slower, more meaningful travel rooted in genuine connection,” says Odd Tore Skildheim, head of product development at Hurtigruten. “These villages, with a combined population of fewer than 1,000, are not just points on a map.”
For example, in Bessaker, guests can enjoy a parade and access to historic buildings where hosts share personal stories and traditions, alongside live music, woodcarving and homemade treats like fresh cake, coffee and sodd, a traditional meat soup. In Sæbø, travelers can attend a live church concert featuring local musicians, explore the Avalanche Center and engage with guides about the area’s natural and cultural history. In Træna, passengers can tour the Træna Local Museum, Petter Dass Chapel and the village church.
Hurtigruten’s smaller ships are the only vessels that visit these remote coastal villages during the summer season, directly contributing approximately $23 per guest to each community every time they visit.
“There is no cost to our guests,” says Skildheim. “Instead, for every visit we make there is a direct financial contribution made by Hurtigruten to each community based on the number of guests onboard, ensuring the benefits are felt by the people who live there. Our aim is for guests to feel truly welcomed and for locals to feel genuinely supported.”
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