Ecotourism in Norway: non-existence or co-existence?

This chapter shows that ecotourism is a non-existent phenomenon in Norway, at least in terms of an intended business activity. There are different reasons for this, even though the traditionally close relationship of Norwegians with nature is the most important one. Nature is the core element of national identity, and the discursive space for ecotourism had already been occupied. Nevertheless, Norwegian tourism operators have many of the characteristics of ecotourism, and the country might be as good an ecotourism destination as those with a strong ecotourism profile. In presenting the case of Svalbard, tourism-related development processes in an environmentally conscious destination are evaluated.