An Ocean of opportunities

Faroe Islands, 21 - 22 October 2025

As part of its 2025 NORA chairship, the Faroe Islands chose to host a conference dedicated to exploring the potential of marine and coastal tourism in the North Atlantic.

The background for selecting this theme was the belief that innovation and coastal tourism hold the key to unlocking sustainable growth across the NORA region.

Despite the ocean’s central role in the region – geographically, economically, and culturally – current tourism products and activities remain limited, often centered around fishing trips and traditional sightseeing.

The key questions were therefore: How can tourism providers and stakeholders across the region develop and expand innovative and regenerative marine and coastal tourism experiences? And how can we ensure that these create long-term value for local communities?

Over two days, the programme featured presentations workshops, and discussions highlighting new approaches to tourism that strengthen local communities and reconnect people with nature in a regenerative way. Laura Storm spoke about the importance of regenerative leadership, while Cillian Murphy emphasized that sustainable tourism must begin within the local community. Rasmus Johnsen shared how Cold Hawaii in Denmark has become an international example of place-based development.

Parallel sessions presented inspiring cases from across the North Atlantic — from sailing as cultural heritage to accessible coastal experiences and local food initiatives. Speakers from all the Nordic countries, as well as Orkney, shared how tourism can enhance both quality of life and economic resilience when rooted in local ownership, collaboration, and respect for nature.

The conference concluded with a forward-looking discussion on the future of blue tourism, calling for stronger coordination between research, business, and public authorities - and for putting community value ahead of volume growth.

The message from Tórshavn was clear: the future of tourism in the North Atlantic must be built on relationships rather than consumption. The ocean is not just a resource, but a story of identity, responsibility and opportunity - and the conference marked an important step in advancing sustainable and regenerative coastal tourism across the region.

An Ocean of Opportunities - final report, November 2025