In case you missed it: The Vágur Formula PART I and The Vágur Formula PART II
Part III – The Vágur Formula continues: next focus is to attract Digital Nomads
The Faroe Islands Co-working Adventure was established, when Vágur became part of an an international collaboration called Arctic Digital Nomads, which was initiated by the Blue bank in Þingeyri in the Westfjords of Iceland. The objective is to promote the Arctic regions as a destination for digital nomads (people who travel working out of the laptops) in order to increase economic diversity in remote communities.
The project now includes four destinations:
- Þingeyri in the Westfjords of Iceland
- Vágur in the Faroe Islands
- Lofoten in Norway
- Narsaq in Greenland
Vagur needs to attract new residents with new skills and input. Those so-called digital nomads, floating around the world, can find attractive conditions to stay some time in Vágur! More information on the project website http://faroeislandscoworking.com/ .
Dennis: “We want digital nomads to give “something” to the community, while they are in residence. We don’t want them “just to be tourists!”. We see them as an opportunity to get new skilled residents to become part of our community — be it only for a period of time.
“We have opened our community to the world — and we are getting interest from all over — with the first digital nomads arriving”:
“The artist Ole Wich, a Dane living in Tórshavn, was our first nomad in residence in 2019— he created “artwork” in public spaces in the town with focus on local history. Another artist from Australia will be coming for one month in 2020 — to create art work in public domains.
Haukur Sigurdsson from Iceland gave a public speech about marketing, Instagram and tourism.
A Musician from Mexico / Spain is coming for two months in 2020 — to write music and teach at the local Music School
Photographers from Holland & Iceland are coming for one week in 2020 — giving us photos for marketing.
This is just the start of something! Knowledge exchange will be one important future reason to travel!
As Dennis concludes so far:
“On one side we have worked with on rebuilding the local confidence, “pride” and community spirit and creating an attractive and exiting community for ourselves — and thus attracting others.
And on the other hand we are trying to move from a community based on fisheries’ economy to a community based on tourism, adventure and sports — in the sense of the experience economy. So one of our focus points is trying to attract newcomers and back movers- as well as many “new” visitors in Vágur with a smile” (to see “smiles” is an important investment for the future!)! “
More information about the tourism infrastructure in Vàgur, Suduroy:
New tourist facilities are available. The growth in the tourist sector creates new jobs and opportunities to earn some money and to remain on Suduroy. The locals now see tourism as a real potential and more new investments in the tourist sector are already planned and started, new companies within tourism and new offers for tourists ad value to staying on the island.
These are new cafes and restaurants, a new adventure agency, new “high class” bed & breakfast and café which will open in town center in April 2020. AirBnB offers include new summerhouses / houses for tourists (2020), 10 cabins were built in 2015. In 2020 Vágur hosts approx. 170 beds for tourists, compared to 35 in 2013, or potentially 62.050 overnights per year in Vágur.
The Vágur Formula proves to be effective: Mind-changing projects – new spirit – new companies = healthy growth => more jobs
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More about the knowledge clusters on the LinkedIn company profile of Visit Faroe Islands Meetings and on www.tmf-dialogue.net
