It’s dark all day and numbingly cold … come to our islands for a holiday

It’s dark all day long and it’s bone chillingly cold. Oh, and you might get eaten by a polar bear. Does that sound like the perfect place to take a holiday? According to the powers-that-be in one Norwegian chain of Arctic islands it could prove a major draw for thousands of visitors. They are launching a tourism drive to lure people to the Svalbard archipelago, which is 1,200km (750 miles) from the North Pole. It is hoped a stream of winter visitors, lured by its gloomy delights, will revitalise an economy after a century of dependence on now-failing coal mines.

We’re advertising the exotic side of being in the dark

Arild Olsen, mayor of main town Longyearbyen

Norway mothballed the main coalmine on Svalbard last year because of mounting losses. Now, winter tourism, complete with night-time dogsled rides, visits to ice caves or cross-country skiing, is seen as a better bet. Another major draw, the northern lights – flickering colors in the sky generated by charged particles from the sun – are only visible in the dark so it’s probably good the sun never comes up. The only drawback - you may need a gun to protect against polar bears. Other initiatives include encouraging more environmental researchers to look at Arctic ice –  in the main town of Ny-Alesund, scientists from 11 nations including China, India, South Korea, Norway, Germany, France, Britain and Norway have research stations.

svalbard