Aktiviteter
Parallel sessions
In addition to keynotes and presentations, the conference will also give insight into specific, hands-on examples from tourism providers in the Nordics through parallel afternoon sessions.
- Benjamin Donner, Archipelago National Park, Finland
- Karolina Martinson, Algblomman AB, Sweden
- Lofoten Beach Camp, Norway
- Emma Arenshøj, Havdypp, Faroe Islands
- Kyrre Evjenth Slind, Vegaøyan Verdensarv, Norway
- Belén García Ovide, Tilvera Expeditions, Iceland
- Samson Højgaard, boat.fo, Faroe Islands
- Heimir Hardarson, North Sailing, Iceland
- Karen Boswarva, Stromness Museum, Orkney
- Salik Parbst Frederiksen, Greenland
Benjamin Donner
Archipelago National Park, Finland
Architect of Regenerative Archipelago Tourism
Benjamin Donner has spent his entire career shaping sustainable tourism in Finland’s vast and fragile archipelago. From his roles as Tourism Director in the Finnish Archipelago, leading his company Aavameri Sea Kayaking, and helping other companies locally, nationally and internationally, he has become a recognized voice in sustainable product development that supports local growth. Benjamin lectures internationally and is widely awarded — both nationally and across the Baltic Sea region — for his innovative, authentic, and sustainability-driven tourism concepts. Through his “Tourism with a Purpose” philosophy, he has shown that tourism can do more than sustain — it can regenerate. His approach attracts a growing community of travellers who seek deep, meaningful experiences and actively contribute to the places they visit—culturally, ecologically, and economically.
In this presentation, Benjamin explores the complex interplay between opportunity and risk in the Finnish Archipelago Sea—a globally unique landscape of over 20,000 islands, home to the Archipelago National Park and the UNESCO Archipelago Sea Biosphere Reserve. With only about 150 islands inhabited year-round, the region’s future depends heavily on tourism, which is at once its largest employer and most visible risk factor. How can tourism avoid draining life from the places it claims to support? Benjamin shares lessons from decades of experience, demonstrating how inviting visitors into authentic encounters with people, landscapes, and local realities can help reshape tourism into a force that strengthens—not threatens—fragile communities. His presentation offers practical insights and real-world examples of how to turn tourism into a place-positive force — a source of belonging, continuity, and hope for coastal and island communities.
Karolina Martinson
Karolina Martinson has been running the company Algblomman for 5 years, based on Styrsö in Gothenburg's southern archipelago. With a background as a professional craftsman, and with many years in restaurants with destination development and sustainable meal experiences, she is building up a business bit by bit where seaweed can be an important part of the solution to how we can make longer-term choices for healthier seas. Seeing and learning from nature, taking advantage of and creating ecosystems and symbioses in the place where you live and work, lifting the people and materials that others look down on or throw away, and digging where you stand has been a large part of her inspiration and working method. With experiences below the surface and at the shoreline, she brings the story of the place to life from both a contemporary and historical perspective, while becoming a co-creator of the future she wants to see.
“We all experience more than we understand. Therefore it is experience, not understanding that shapes our behaviour” - Marschall Mc Lahall
In its business, Algblomman works closely with universities and researchers, schools and young people, accommodation and conference facilities on the surrounding islands, trains chefs and collaborates with food artisans and local food producers to show the possibilities of seaweed in as many different ways as possible and create a range of sustainable experiences by the sea all year round.
Storytelling - storyfeeling - storydoing
The seaweed, and what began as a curious exploration, has led to a year-round activity with a range of experiences where participants get to taste, feel, smell and see seaweed and the sea in new ways. In this way, Algblomman hopes to contribute to a greater understanding and strengthened relationship with the ecosystems we are a part of, and a love that inspires new, more humble choices. On the sea's terms.
Lofoten Beach Camp
Inclusive tourism doesn't have to be that difficult
Driven by passion and creativity, the Benjaminsen family transformed a local campsite into a year-round destination, offering unforgettable ocean experiences to over 60.000 annual visitors. What truly sets them apart is their commitment to accessibility: from adaptive surfing programmes for people with disabilities to barrier-free infrastructure, they ensure that everyone can feel the thrill of the waves – regardless of physical ability.
Emma Arenshøj
It all started with an ocean dip
Havdypp is a wellness brand, born from a single, transformative moment: a dip in the Atlantic Ocean. What began as a personal ritual became the foundation for a regenerative tourism experience rooted in the raw beauty and healing power of the Faroese sea and landscape.
Today, Havdypp offers immersive ocean-based experiences. Handmade sea and land inspired soap bars and oils. We offer the best rated wellness space in Faroe Islands by the water with two spa, sauna & cold plunge – all designed to reconnect people with nature and themselves. We invited people from all over the world to get the ocean dip experience by hosting retreats.
With a deep commitment to nature, every element of Havdypp is shaped in harmony with the environment and the local community. From small-batch production to locally sourced ingredients in our soap bars and other wellness products. We want you to Feel The Nature.
Kyrre Evjenth Slind
An eider duck’s guide to growing your tourism business
In 2004, the Vega Archipelago was granted Unesco World Heritage status as a cultural landscape, with a particular emphasis on the eider duck caretaking practice and women’s crucial role in carrying on the tradition.
Over the next 20 years, the visitor tally to the small Vega community, hosting 1200 residents, doubled tenfold from 4000 to 40 000 pr. year, with the eider duck as a show star. Although only a few bird guardians invite visitors onto their tiny islets to partake in the actual eider duck work, spin off products like a 5 million € visitor’s center, outdoor activities, books, music, and cruise visits speak of a successful tourism business build on the charisma of a nesting bird.
In this presentation, Kyrre Evjenth Slind, speaks on how the common eider duck became a tourist magnet in the Vega Archipelago, and how the Vega society works and strives to benefit and develop as a tourism centered community.
Belén García Ovide
Belén García Ovide is a Spanish marine biologist who has dedicated the last 14 years of her life on studying and exploring the oceans. Leading several projects in ocean conservation, her work focuses on whale research, underwater acoustic, plastic pollution, environmental DNA and citizen science. Belén also works as a first officer and wildlife guide in remote places around the world, including both Arctic and Antarctic regions. In 2019, she founded Ocean Missions, a non-profit organization in Húsavík, Iceland, that aims to inspire people to protect the oceans by a combination of science, education and sailing. Currently, she is co-owner of the sailing vessel “Tilvera”, leading the Tilvera Project with his partner Heimir Hardarson and doing her PhD at the University of Iceland, and as part of the eWHALE international project.
Samson Højgaard
For the past seven years, boat.fo has been doing authentic boat tours with traditional Faroese boats. The tours offer fishing, wildlife, landscape, mindful exploration and stories.
Growing up in the Faroe Islands, Samson Højgaard had a keen interest in fishing, wildlife and the outdoors. For his holidays, he visited his grandparents in Árnafjørður. Some of the best memories are excursions out on the fiord with the family’s traditional Faroese boat. These experiences became the inspiration behind boat.fo.
Samson is a Candidate of Fisheries Science and has work experience from fisheries and teaching. A few years ago, he signed up for a course to become an authorized tour guide. He found it very rewarding, meeting people from many places and showing them around the Faroe Islands.
It was at this point that the idea to establish boat.fo was conceived. Samson asked himself: Could the traditional Faroese boat be used for tours with visitors? Would they enjoy exploring the fiords the same way he did? Could the cultural heritage of the Faroese boat be communicated to outsiders? He has since learned that the answer is “yes”.
boat.fo do tours in several fiords including Árnafjørður. There are different tour variations, all of which have fishing as one of the elements: “Guided boat tour”, “Fishing trip”, “Family tour”, and “Fish, Visit & Dine”.
“On our authentic boat tours we take notice of the marine life. We observe the seabirds, the fish, the seals, and other aquatic life. We try to learn how it all is connected, and in turn, to understand how important the marine environment is to us all.” Samson relates.
Heimir Hardarson
Heimir Hardarson is from Húsavík, Iceland. He is an explorer by heart and sailor by soul. Since a very young age, he has been travelling and exploring all over the world, always seeking for new adventures. His main passions are wildlife, photography and sailing. He has been working as a captain for more than 20 years on whale watching trips, pioneering and leading inspiring expeditions, primarily in the Arctic regions. Since 2013, he has been the main captain of the beautiful hybrid electric Schooner Opal, sailing in Iceland, Greenland and Svalbard, through his family company North Sailing, following the steps of his father and inspiring hearts worldwide. His passion for sailing, animals and nature is undeniable. Currently, he is co-owner of the sailing vessel “Tilvera” together with her partner Belén G. Ovide and his captain license allows him to sail around the world.
Karen Boswarva
From Shoreline to Seabed: Stromness's Museum Without Walls
In 2019, Stromness Museum launched its first-ever Snorkel Safari, inviting the public to connect with Orkney’s rich marine life. Then during the challenges of COVID-19, the museum adopted a “Museum Without Walls” approach—taking collections outdoors and giving historical artefacts a living context by hosting outdoor events and digital trails. Since then, in partnership with Seasearch (a UK-wide citizen science project) and a local dive school, the Snorkel Safari has become an annual event. Karen Boswarva, a resident of Stromness is a marine ecologist and science communicator who coordinates Seasearch activities throughout Orkney. She is an advocate for ocean literacy, local stewardship, and positive mental health and wellbeing through connections with nature and the marine environment.
In this session, Karen will share how this innovative collaboration bridges natural history, marine tourism, heritage, and hands-on conservation to breathe new life into our local history.
Salik Parbst Frederiksen
Tourism Shaped by Local Voices
At Local Greenland, we believe the future of tourism should be locally driven. Real experiences come from the people who know the culture, the traditions, and the everyday life of our communities.
That’s why we hire locally. Each individual brings knowledge and perspective that can’t be taught elsewhere. They shape how visitors experience Greenland, making it more authentic and meaningful.
Over time, this has become part of our identity. In Local Greenland we’re amplifying local voices and showing that the most sustainable future in tourism is one built by the people who live here.