The Quiet Revolution of Nature-Based Tourism

Tourism isn’t what it looks like, it’s what it does.

On the surface, it’s a traveler entering a park, snapping photos, and leaving footprints on a trail. But beneath the surface, something transformative is happening. In the Nordics, you can walk wherever you want without paying. I love this model, but as volumes rise, I’m not sure it’s sustainable anymore. Maybe it’s time to consider small entrance fees to certain areas or even a broader tax to visit our endless nature. After all, those of us that often go out are used to contribute by paying toll-roads to get up in the mountains, taking a boat to small islands, for being allowed to fish in certain lakes.. So why not a small entrance fee to protect nature?

When I ran my adventure company, Norwegian Goosebumps, years ago, we could take people, groups out into nature, earn money on the experience, and never pay a dime for using that nature. There is a cognitive dissonance here. We benefited from the natural beauty and accessibility, but did we contribute enough to preserve it for future generations? Perhaps not. And as tourism grows, this dissonance only deepens.

That entrance fee? It’s not about greed. It’s more than a ticket. It’s a thread in a much larger web. It funds rangers to guard endangered species and maintain ecosystems. It ensures trails remain open, pristine, and thriving for generations. It creates jobs that empower families and preserve traditions.

But that’s just a fragment of the bigger picture. The traveler doesn’t just explore, they connect. A guide’s voice brings the land to life, a home-cooked meal tells a story of resilience, a handcrafted souvenir becomes a bridge between worlds. Every moment, every interaction, fuels a ripple that spreads across the community.

Tourism taxes rebuild schools. Local farmers sell more produce. Teachers, builders, and nurses find security in the ripples of spending. What began as a single step into a park becomes a chain reaction of growth and opportunity.

Nature-based tourism isn’t just about the places we visit. It’s about the impact we leave behind, not on the trails, but in the communities and ecosystems we touch.

Every journey can spark change, for people, for nature, for the future.

How will your next trip make a difference?