Why sell it
David Attenborough’s inspirational BBC series Frozen Planet showed off the vastness and beauty of the Arctic and for the adventurers and wildlife lovers who were inspired by it, Svalbard is a dream come true. This remote and rugged Norwegian archipelago is located about 1,200 miles north of its capital, Oslo, and well within the Arctic Circle.
Who to sell to
Sell to outdoorsy and adventurous types primarily - it's rugged and there are no Michelin-star restaurants or luxury spas around the corner!
Animal lovers will be in their element and have the chance to spot white beluga whales, orca, minke whales, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic foxes, seals and walruses, not to mention polar bears.
For active types, winter is an optimum time to trek over glaciers, snowmobile, kayak, enjoy dogsledding, experience caving and try out snow shoeing. Skiing expeditions, four-day trekking and camping expeditions and short cruises are popular during the summer months. archipelago’s largest island, Spitsbergen. Lying alongside the enormous Isfjorden, this former coal mining town has a bit of a wild west feel about it. There is only one main street and here you will find a cinema, shops, and cafes. It is from Longyearbyen that trekking, snowmobiling, dogsledding, skiing trips and mini-cruises depart.
Though a protectorate of Norway, the archipelago is an International Zone and also has Russian settlements. Pyramiden is a fascinating abandoned Russian mining town that can be visited on a cruise.
The settlement is still owned by a soviet mining company and there is an archive of over 1,000 well-preserved soviet films on site and a fully functional theatre where visitors can request a screening.
Ny Ålesund claims it's the world's northernmost permanently inhabited civilian community and is home to 30 to 130 scientists, depending on the season. caving excursions, snowmobiling trips and dog sledding, plus the polar nights means Northern Lights viewing is at its optimum.
Late spring into summer is the best time for birdwatching, when sea cliffs are full of gannets, northern fulmars, Atlantic puffins and many other bird species.
How to sell it
Throughout the year Norwegian offers weekly flights to Longyearbyen from Oslo and SAS has daily flights to Longyearbyen via Tromsø. In peak season, March to August, the number of flights increases.
Cruises are the easiest way to visit the archipelago and operators offering one include Audley Travel, Azamara, Fred Olsen Cruises, G Adventures, Hapag Lloyd Cruises, Hurtigruten and Ponant.