The Director of Destination Diskobay, Gerth P. Olsen, participated in the An Ocean of Opportunities conference in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, where the focus was on sustainable tourism and development in coastal and island communities across the North Atlantic. The conference brought together experts and stakeholders from the entire NORA region for two days of inspiring presentations, knowledge sharing, and networking.
A particular focus for Destination Diskobay was the theme of seaweed – as a new, sustainable business sector with great potential in Kommune Qeqertalik. The presentation by Karolina Martinson (Algblomman AB, Sweden) demonstrated how seaweed can form the basis for local experiences, culinary initiatives, and nature interpretation, enhancing understanding of marine ecosystems.
In some settlements in the region, there has previously been activity and utilization of seaweed as a resource, and we would very much like to see such initiatives revived by local enthusiasts and new actors. Seaweed offers opportunities both as food, an experience product, and as part of green business development rooted in local communities.
Likewise, Benjamin Donner (Archipelago National Park, Finland) gave a presentation on regenerative tourism in the Finnish archipelago, where tourism is developed in balance with local communities and nature. His experiences provide valuable perspectives for future initiatives in Disko Bay, where authenticity, local ownership, and environmental awareness can form the core of new types of experiences.
As a destination management organization, we find it highly relevant that Aasiaat positions itself as an ideal archipelago environment for kayaking – with its many islands, varied coastlines, and calm waters that together provide an exceptional setting for both experienced paddlers and beginners seeking authentic nature experiences in Qeqertalik.
The conference confirmed that the ocean holds vast opportunities – both as a resource and as a source of new narratives about sustainable development in Disko Bay. Destination Diskobay will continue to build on the inspiration from the Faroe Islands to develop projects where seaweed and regenerative principles can contribute to local employment, education, and nature-based tourism in Kommune Qeqertalik.
For more information about the program and content, please visit NORA’s website here.
