Scammers Are Hitting a Popular Northern Country

As tourists flock to see the northern lights, scams are popping up in Norway.

Tromsø, Norway, is a town of about 80,000 well north of the Arctic Circle. In the winter months, it’s prime turf for viewing the aurora borealis, but local law enforcement is grappling with bigger problems than tourists getting lost or getting frostbite, according to the New York Times.

Tourists, drawn to the city’s fairytale winter landscapes and the landmark Arctic Cathedral by social media posts, are likely to get scammed by unlicensed aurora-viewing tours. The New York Times notes that the majority of unlicensed tour operators are Chinese and often target Chinese-speaking visitors, but the advent of aurora-tracking mobile apps has made it possible for anyone with a car and a little marketing savvy to target tourists with scam tours. 

Having an aurora guide who isn’t Norwegian isn’t a red flag, either. Norway has a small population, and it’s not uncommon for many of the country’s tourism workers to come from other parts of Europe. Tom Kerss, the chief aurora chaser for the Norwegian cruise and ferry company Hurtigruten, is British, but holds a degree in astrophysics and has published several books on the northern lights. 

City officials in Tromsø are more worried about unlicensed operators not following local regulations, not paying local taxes, and providing a poor experience—ultimately degrading the destination’s appeal to visitors who return home and write bad reviews. City officials noted that nearly half the operators in the city were unlicensed, putting strain on roads and emergency response infrastructure without contributing meaningfully to the local economy. 

The local police have spent significant time chasing unlicensed operators and impounding their vehicles, then referring foreign nationals to Norway’s immigration authorities for deportation. Tourists accompanied by an unlicensed guide at the time of the impound can also be held by police for multi-hour interviews—law enforcement in Norway can generally hold individuals without a charge for up to two days. Norway deported 12 nationals of China and Malaysia earlier this year for running unlicensed tours. 

Ensuring Operators Are Licensed

So, how can visitors to Norway ensure their tours are run by legit operators? For one, they can book a cruise. Both Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages offer combination cruise/ferry expeditions up Norway’s coast, where the northern lights are often visible on clear winter evenings. The ships also operate away from the light pollution of larger communities, making the views particularly spectacular. 

Booking excursions through these cruises or via well-established global or Norwegian tour companies is another way to ensure your excursions are above board. Alternatively, travelers who prefer to arrive without pre-set plans (what if it’s cloudy?) can typically make arrangements locally with staff at their accommodations or with Tromsø’s own local tourism board, which operates visitor information centers right in the city’s main shopping street and near the port.  

Try Other Destinations

Norway isn’t the only place to see the northern lights. They’re often visible in Alaska during the winter months, particularly in Fairbanks in the state’s interior. There’s little issue with unlicensed tour operators in Alaska, because the state doesn’t require any specific credentials for tour guides unless they’re operating a commercial-rated vehicle. Some companies also offer aurora-viewing tours from Anchorage. 

Although known for polar bear sightings in the autumn months, the city of Churchill in Manitoba, Canada, is also a hot spot (or cold spot) for aurora viewing. Churchill is so remote and difficult to access that scam operators have a hard time operating, but it’s also worth noting that Manitoba similarly doesn’t require specialized licensing for tour guides. My recent trip to Churchill with Natural Habitat Adventures yielded northern lights views on five out of five nights, from venues as diverse as a two-story glass-domed home, a glass-ceilinged, heated trailer, planetarium-like plastic bubbles, and a cabin on pontoons nestled on a frozen riverbed. 

It’s worth noting, however, that part of what draws so many visitors to Tromsø is the comparatively mild weather for such northerly latitudes. It’s farther north than either Fairbanks or Churchill, but, warmed by the Gulf Stream, winter temperatures there are typically warmer.