- The Faroe Islands have launched a new tourism campaign featuring rental cars equipped with audio guides, and surprising itineraries that take you to less-known destinations.
- The program’s goal is to reduce overtourism in the world by encouraging travelers to avoid crowded tourist hot spots, and instead seek out more authentic local experiences.
- The cost of the self-guided trips is around $103 a day. They include curated route and local storytelling.
If you ever find yourself craving more from a trip—something real, something local, something beyond the guidebooks—don’t build your itinerary around the usual “must-see” spots. A 2024 study found that the majority of travelers will travel to Asia by 2024. McKinsey & Company report, around 80 percent of travelers visit just 10 percent of global attractions—leaving much of the world untouched and unexplored.
Faroe Islands are no exception. Danish archipelago The North Atlantic Ocean is located between Iceland, Norway and Iceland. In the Faroes, however, there are some interesting things happening.
Google Maps has recently been launched by Visit Faroe Islands, the official tourism board of Faroe Islands. a fleet of rental cars With a built-in guide. When you rent one of these vehicles, you agree to follow an itinerary that leads to some of the islands’ quieter, lesser-known corners—from roadside eateries to tiny villages tucked in spectacular fjords. It is a great way to avoid crowds and encourage visitors to visit less visited spots on the islands. The car rental agreement states that you will follow the step-by-step instructions of the vehicle, without knowing the destination for the day.
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“Algorithms and social media create a closed system where popular images attract more tourists to these locations. The result is overtourism—and predictable experiences,” Guðrið Højgaard, chief executive officer for Visit Faroe Islands, said in a press release obtained by Travel + Leisure. “Faroe Islands have experienced increasing pressure on selected sites themselves, and now we are trying to reverse the flow—quite literally.”
Book with 62N car rentalTravelers can scan a QR Code to get turn-by-turn instructions to the sites of the day. Along the route, local stories will be shared.
The itinerary not only takes travelers to places that are popular with locals, but also helps to disperse tourists who, traditionally, tend to stick to the “top three” sites of a destination. It is a first-of-its-kind approach to curbing overtourism, while giving travelers experiences they crave—those that are locally driven, authentic, and void of crowds.
“We set out to explore how technology and creativity could offer a new way for travelers to discover the Faroes—one that leads them into places they might never find on their own,” said Højgaard. “This is an intelligent journey designed to preserve what’s important and uncover spots that are often overlooked.” We hope that this initiative will set an example for other destinations, showing them how they can embrace innovation and spread tourism in a more responsible way.
The 30 itineraries have been curated by locals. They include activities such as visiting a roadside Fish-and-Chips stand, hiking in the Fjords and visiting historic sites. Europe’s tallest sea cliffs.
You can book the Faroe Islands self-navigating car on the Faroe Islands’ tourism site Starting July 8, rates start at around $103 per day. Rates start at around $103 a day and are no more expensive than a traditional rental car—even though they include the cost of the itinerary and audio guide.
