Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1951-01-11
Introducing Scandinavia
Norway.
Foreign Tourists

Foreign Tourists
Figures just released by the
Norwegian National Travel Asso-
citation show an impressive in
crease in the influx of foreign
tourists. During the months Of
May, June, July and August of
this year, no less than 346,247 for
eigners visited Norway, compared
with 246, 166 in the same period
of 1949. In other words, the tour
list traffic rose by about 400 over
last year. Most of the increase
occurred in the category of road
travel which rose from 112,569
tourists in 1949 to 202,s29 this past
summer or an increase of 81
per cent.
A breakdown of the figures show
that Americans, too, are becoming
more interested in Norway as a
tourist country. Visitors from the
U. S. this summer came to a total
of 17,427, an increase of nearly
5000 over last years influx of H.
642 Americans.
Statistics on tourists from other
nations are as follows:
1850 1949
Sweden 216,466 148,O57
Denmark 6O,S44 51,965
England 22,331 1892
Finland 10,997 $3.50
More Tourist Accommodations
After a busy summer, the Nor
wegian tourist trade is now get
ting ready for the influx of skiing
enthusiasts and other admirers of
Norway's magnificent winter. New
hotels are rising in various parts
of the country, while others are
being enlarged and modernized.
The addition of 1915 new hotel
beds and nearly 900 beds in Youth
Hostels will help quite bit to
remedy the shortage of tourist ac-
commodations, which is felt par
ticularly in Bergen and Oslo.
According to reports now avail
able, the following new hotels will
be opened in 1851, with bedding as
shown in parenthesis: Hotel Vik-
ing, Oslo abb; Stefan Hotel, Os-
10 (179); Rores Tourist Hotel, Ro-
ros (160); Hotel Gyldenlove,
Kongsberg (71; Vossevangen Ho-
tel, Voss on the Bergen railway
5000; Brakanes Tourist Hotel, Ul-
vik, Hardanger Fjord (1OO); Sol
fonn Tourist Hotel, Seljestad, Har-
danger Fjord (7O; Fossheam Ho-
tel, LON. Gudbrandsdal valley 1927.
The following hotels will be con-
siderably enlarged, with addition
al beds as Indicated r. A. C. Hotel
Oslo, (6O); Meyergaarden Hotel,
Mo Rama (75), and Forde Hotel,
Sum Fjord (25).
The younger generation of would
be tourists might be interested to
know that Norwegian towns are
staging a virtual competition to pro-
vide fine Youth Hostels. A new So
bed Hostel, beautifully situated in
the hills, has just been opened in
Nordfjord, on the west coast. In
central Norway the town of Lille
hammer is hard at work to get a
Youth Hostel for $50 guests ready
for the winter season. Nearby,
Hamar and Gjovik are following
suit, building Hostels which will
accommodate 60-70 guests each.
And way in the south, Kristiansand
is planning the erection of a 60
bed Hostel. The most interesting
project, however, is the new Oslo
Youth Hostel. Scheduled for COM
pletion sometime next year, its 200
beds will be a welcome addition to
tourist facilities in the nations
capital.
Going to Norway in the fall and
winter offers many advantages.
Rates are reduced on trans-atlan.-
ic transportation. Minimum rates
are in effect at Norwegian hotels,
too, and accommodations are cas-
Ter to get than in the summer.
Morse Savings Deposits