Northern Norway Tourist Board: Finnmarksløpet - a tourist magnet

Finnmarksløpet is a fairy tale in white, blue and auroral green for dogs, mushers, people of Finnmark as well as TV- viewers across the country. To Northern Norway Tourist Board, that works to attract more visitors to Northern Norway during the winter season, the race is a gift wrapped in gold. 

 

Images out of this world

 Photo: Terje Rakke / Nordic Life/Visitnorway.com

Dog teams in full speed across white expanses, dogs feeding and resting at the checkpoints, mushers sharing their passion straight into the camera and of course the breathless excitement around the lead; Finnmarksløpet speaks to every sense and keeps the spectators glued to the TV screens. The Finnmark landscape and the strong and visible popular support create a frame that could not have been made anywhere else. 

 

"Real people, real nature and real exhaustion"

- were the words of  Kristin Skogen Lunds, director of NHO (The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise),  to describe Finnmarksløpet when she officially opened the race in 2012. "The unique excitement and strength in such a tough competition is a source of inspiration for us all." - she says, and also points out that Finnmark still has a potential to provide more winter adventures for even more winter tourists. At the doorstep to the 2013 season, she observes that both Finnmarksløpet and winter tourism in Finnmark have expanded and improved. "Finnmarksløpet shows the way" Kristin Skogen Lund states satisfied. 

 

Inspiration

Photo: Terje Rakke / Nordic Life/Visitnorway.com

The number of winter adventures on offer across Finnmark is already impressive; including short and long dog sledding trips, snowmobile rides, cross-country skiing, off-piste, ice fishing, king crab safaris and snow kiting. The rich cultural heritages of the three ethnic groups in Finnmark, a cuisine of pure tastes from fresh and local produce and the beauty in the untamed scenery all complete the picture. Finnmark is a travel destination as nowhere else, and Finnmarksløpet represents the best of it all.

 

Perfect timing

The timing could not have been better; just when you feel the warmth of the sun at daytime, and the Northern Lights still illuminate cold winter nights. Finnmarksløpet is a prologue to what is called spring elsewhere.  In Finnmark it is a long, bright, mild and sunny late winter, perfect for fun snow activities.

 

Crave for travel

NordNorsk Reiseliv AS, owned by the Northern Norwegian counties and the northern travel industry, is there to spur interest for travelling to the north. Northern Norway Tourist Board is proud of the guts and energy of Finnmarksløpet, and cannot wait for it to begin.