Tourism Seasonality on the Island of Senja: Adaptation of Local Businesses to Seasonal Variations.

Abstract

A growing interest among Norwegian and international tourists in visiting the island of Senja has been leading to a rapid development of the tourism industry on the island. Breath-taking nature and remote location are motivating travellers to visit Senja and have a far-from-civilisation experience. Increasing the number of visitors is beneficial for economic development of the area and entrepreneurial thriving activity. However, it is challenging for the private sector to avoid the negative impact of the flourishing tourism industry. Local businesses focusing on tourism are dependent on the level of demand and thus face various challenges when this level reduces. In Norway, the issue of unbalanced tourism activity is quite common. The problem of high seasonality is usually aggravated in remote, rural, and coastal destinations and Senja is not an exception. This research is aimed to analyse the adaptation to seasonal variations on Senja from the perspective of local businesses and detect common methods and solutions to maintain economic balance. Furthermore, this study evaluates the degree of seasonal variations, examines main tendencies of seasonal patterns, and inspects major causes and effects of tourism fluctuations on Senja. Existing policy implications are discussed in the research along with the recommendations for further actions and consecutive tackling of seasonality.