Development and wellbeing in the local community
Longyearbyen is a small and vulnerable community with a population of approx. 2,500. As it does not take many tourists before it’s felt in our small town, we want to give back to the local community. We are and must be perceived as one who pushes for development and wellbeing in the local community.
With our presence, we are a major part of the local value creation
Svalbard Adventures is a local tour operator that gives a lot back to the community we are fortunate to work in. If you compare Longyearbyen with any other settlement of the same size, we have many cultural offerings. Svalbard Adventures is co-organiser or co-owner of festivals such as Taste Svalbard, Dark Season Blues and the Arctic Chamber Music Festival. We host our own as well as external events at our departments, and we run several restaurants and bars. This all contributes to creating wellbeing and contentment in Longyearbyen. As an employer, we create jobs for the residents, also indirectly by using local contractors and service providers. With our presence, we are a major part of the local value creation.
Giving back to the community
Svalbard Adventures is also committed to giving back to the local community through sponsorship. We sponsor the annual Spitsbergen Marathon, contribute to the NRK Telethon and sponsor many local projects and events. We ensure that our support is aimed at both adults and children, so we contribute to Longyearbyen being a good place to live and grow up in.
We also try to use local suppliers of products and services to the extent possible, so we are perceived as a good partner for the local business community and community in general.
Sharing knowledge with the local community
Svalbard Adventures employs more than 100 people, and we are proud of the competence and expertise of each of our employees. Knowledge sharing is key to our work involving sustainable development. Consequently, we run annual events that are useful for the local community. We refer to this as “offers for residents”. Our guides arrange tours for residents during the winter to teach residents about safe travel by snowmobile in the Svalbard nature. In the summer, we offer residents discounted boat transport and we sponsor transport to beach clean-ups arranged by the school and local organisations.
Our snowmobile shop arranges popular evenings for locals which are referred to locally as “ladies’ night” and “gentlemen’s night”. During these events, our snowmobile mechanics and guides share knowledge on various topics ranging from how to do basic repairs to snowmobile in the field to how to pack a snowmobile sled. They also arrange snowmobile tours for women wishing to learn technical driving skills on a snowmobile. We also offer discounted residents’ rates for accommodation and arrange events at our restaurants year-round.
Our work involving development and wellbeing in the local community:
Measures we have already implemented:
- Offer a wide range of events, restaurants and activities, which creates meeting places and a cultural society
- Sponsor various local causes and measures to enhance wellbeing through sport, culture and outdoor life
- Arrange tours for permanent residents
- Give unsold places on tours to organisations such as Red Cross
- Purchase local products and services when justifiable in terms of quality and cost
- Preserve the local history
Measures we are working on:
- Offer the Svalbard Adventures Academy externally to local businesses
- Contribute to developing local products and services where these don’t currently exist
- Develop social accounts to show our contribution to value creation and wellbeing in the local community
- Inform guests about local accepted practices to avoid situations that create dissatisfaction in the local community. Cooperate with other tourism companies to develop and communicate such information.
- Systemise our sponsorship and community initiatives in new priority areas. This will involve the local community in the development of new products and services.
- Measure our reputation in the local community and measure the proportion of goods/services that are purchased locally vs imported