Scandinavian appeal
TRAVELLERS can’t get enough of Scandinavia right now. Demand for 2017 tours is swelling right across Norway, Sweden, Demark, Finland and Iceland, with the latter’s tourism figures showing a massive 40% year-on-year increase in 2016. Europe specialist Beyond Travel is expanding its Scandinavian range this year and introducing Iceland in response to strong customer demand. Beyond Travel marketing manager Bryce Crampton said the “unique destination” of Iceland was fast becoming the place to visit for 2017. “It is known to be somewhat difficult to access but with our new product range including escorted touring, self-driving tailor-made tours and coastal voyages, we have made it more accessible to a range of Australian traveller markets,” Crampton said. A new option for Iceland is the eight-day coastal cruise, The Land of Fire & Ice. Sailing from Reykjavik to Akureyri or vice versa, the itinerary includes majestic coastal scenery with cruising through remote fjords, port visits to some of Iceland’s best kept secrets, picturesque fishing villages, volcanic landscapes and plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting. Meanwhile, Trafalgar’s managing director Matt Cameron-smith said while the volume people travelling to Scandinavia didn’t match traditional favourites such as Italy and the UK, it was still the region seeing the biggest increases in demand. Some of Trafalgar’s offerings to the area include the 14-day Scenic Scandinavia and its Fjords departure visiting Norway, Sweden and Denmark and the 10-day Ultimate Iceland Summer 2017.