Tourism-related businesses demonstrated in downtown Stavanger this week against the city’s decision to limit the number of cruiseships to 200 a year. They fear large revenue losses, while many local residents won’t miss the huge vessels at all.
“Residents have for a long time been very dissatisfied that huge floating residential buildings come sailing in and anchor up in Vågen (the central harbour), causing problems for those who live here,” local politician Mimir Kristjansson told state broadcaster NRK. He thinks 200 cruiseship visits a year are still “very many,” while souvenir shop owners and tour operators want as many visitors as possible.
Bergen has also been through the same debate, which ended with strict new climate and environmental demands that ships must meet, not least regarding their emissions. Oslo also is now restricting cruiseship calls and where they can tie up.
newsinenglish.no staff
