FAMtrip at SKREI

18 February 2025

SKREI is increasingly appearing to tour operators/tour operators. We think this is a lot of fun, and it is also an important marketing initiative.

First – what is a FAMtrip?

To give tour operators the best possible chance to choose to visit one or more of our museums, we accept viewing tours. In fact, viewing trips are one of the very best tools we have. On a viewing tour, we show the museum. A viewing tour is a professional visit from tour operators.

They want to see the museum with their own eyes, get an overview of the logistics, time spent, available products/experiences and to get a “feel” of whether the museum is suitable for them or not. Viewing trips are met by an employee who is briefed on the purpose of the visit so that it is efficient and valuable. Often viewing trips to us are part of a tight program where the tour operators must visit many in a short time.

Viewing tours are booked in advance and preferably through our preferred partners, e.g. Visit Vesterålen, Visit Narvik or Destination Lofoten. Sometimes it is the tour operator himself who books directly with us, in agreement with our marketing manager. Sometimes the visit is by one person, other times a group. Those who come on a viewing trip must be “approved” and have a relevant reason for the visit.

This time it was a small group of tour operators from Japan, accompanied by a representative from Nord-Norsk Reiseliv and Destination Lofoten. The group arrived around 4 pm, in beautiful weather and with beautiful afternoon light.

Program for the FAMtrip

A FAMtrip is thus a “quick visit” where highlights are highlighted that may be suitable for the target groups that the participants work with.

This day we had chosen to visit the great boat collection of the Lofoten Museum and on to the Alperosen rorbu. The purpose was to show the guests tangible objects and buildings to focus on the “old days” – old days that are still close to our days. Barbara talked about traditional boats, areas of use, construction techniques, bad weather and good catches. In the fisherman’s cabin, we talked about where the fishermen came from, that they lived close together and why the fisherman’s cabins are so close to the shore. We talked about stockfish and certainly got to taste a little too. The beautiful light and a recent sprinkling of fresh snow made the visit extra nice for us; Many pictures were taken both indoors and outdoors.

At Galleri Espolin, curator Malin welcomed us, with both refreshments and warm stories. She selected a few works by the artist and talked about them. In this way, too, attention was drawn to what we like to think of as the “traditional” Lofoten fishery in the “old days”. Malin touched on both the artist’s style, his inspiration and also about boats and equipment that we saw in the pictures. The participants greatly appreciated the visit to the gallery and not least, the contact with Malin.

Sindre from the Lofoten Aquarium stood ready on the hilltop at the Lofoten Aquarium. He took the group with him on a great journey; From life on the shore, fish under the quays, flat fish and strange fish – to the encounter with large cod and cod. The participants both heard about spawning and were lucky and got a glimpse of the “sea dance” of mature cod in the aquarium.

SKREI – what is it exactly?

After the participants in the viewing trip had experienced parts of the Lofoten Museum, Gallery Espolin and the Lofoten Aquarium, SKREI was presented.

SKREI will be like a destination with exciting experiences and activities all year round. Both the Lofoten Aquarium, Gallery Espolin, the Lofoten Museum and the Otolith will be part of SKREI. We had prepared a presentation about SKREI as an experience place, with a focus on both history and the future. Sketches of the upcoming new building Otoliten, both building and content, were shown. We talked about the purely practical aspects of a visit: parking, tickets, prices, commissions and so on.

It is important for us to get the message across that SKREI is suitable for everyone, whether you have little or a lot of time, and almost regardless of interests. It’s about the Lofoten fishery, the cod and the values. If you have a special interest in traditional crafts, the Lofoten Museum is a must. If you are particularly interested in art, Otolitten and Galleri Espolin are a good combination – if you choose not to visit all the parts of SKREI.

We take this opportunity to say thank you to Destination Lofoten and Nordnorsk Reiseliv who chose to arrange a famtrip for us and let important operators visit us to both see what we have – and to talk about what is coming in the summer of 2026!

The Northern Lights fluttered above us when the seals were fed. A double the experience!