Home-grown approach

The Faroe Islands are being heralded as the next great Nordic destination for business events. This cluster of 18 rocky islands in the North Atlantic, midway between Iceland, Norway and Scotland, is a self-governing nation under the external sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, over 1,000 km away to the south-east, and has its own language and currency.

Their history and culture have shaped the islands as a place where sustainable, traditional crafts and industries are valued today. They also form the crux of Visit Faroe Islands’ events marketing strategy.
“In general, we’ve been targeting association meetings since 2015 with an ambassador programme comprising about 150 members,” explains Brim Hildardóttir Hoydal, meetings project manager. “Our recently launched ‘Heim’ (‘Home’) strategy, part of the tourism strategy for 2030, embodies a ‘local community and environment first’ approach. We aim to focus on how association congresses contribute to local development as well as leave a lasting impact.

“We offer cross-disciplinary support in our strategic development sectors: marine and agriculture, medical and mental health, tunnelling, green energy, information and communication technology, sports events, music and culture, ensuring prudent use of resources and maximising our impact on the global stage. We prioritise creating authentic and lasting engagement, forming the foundation of our ‘Unordinary Meetings’ brand. Here the Faroe Islands offer a unique advantage – a serene and inspiring natural environment that fosters meaningful connections away from the noise and stress of urban settings.”

So far these enviable aspirations have translated into some niche meetings triggered by host ambassadors.

One is Professor Magni Mohr, head of the faculty of health science at the University of the Faroe Islands. He was instrumental in organising Football is Medicine 2020 at the University in the capital Tórshavn, attended by global experts in sport medicine. Not only did it have an immense impact on Faroese society, he said, but the concept can impact global health promotion and well-being. It went on receive an Incredible Impacts award from ICCA (International Congress & Convention Association) and Best Cities Global.

In 2022, the Faroes Aquaculture Research Station welcomed leading fish health scientists to the 13th International Sea Lice Conference. Fish and fish products are vital to the islands’ GDP and sea lice are a concern in salmon aquaculture worldwide. The event was held in the Nordic House and included visits to land-based and offshore sites related to salmon farming.

Coming up in June in the Nordic House, Seagriculture EU 24, the 13th International Seaweed Conference, will feature a visit to Ocean Rainforest, one of the largest seaweed cultivators in Europe. In September, the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) will hold the 1st Islands Water Congress at the University, hosted by the Faroese Geological Survey.

The grass-covered Nordic House, created to showcase Nordic culture and art, is currently the main venue for larger conferences. It has seven meeting spaces and the two largest combined can seat 600 people.

Other options include the University’s Kongsholl in the multifunctional Silo venue, hotels with meeting rooms for up to 400 people and unusual venues such as the fish cellars of Café Fiskastykkid.

Next year the meeting facilities will increase considerably with the completion of the new 4,600 sqm Tjarnir Arena in Tórshavn, designed to accommodate a range of sports and double up as a flexible meeting venue.