Where mountains, fjords and future visions converge
By Robbie Hodges
We’d snaked through tunneled mountains, held together by the gnarled fingers of ancient tree roots, and skirted lapping waters where wetsuit-clad swimmers braved the recalcitrant, icy fjords. We’d been told that this region of Norway, Møre og Romsdal, sings between June and October. It was April, and the symphonious naturescape already had us enraptured.
We – myself and three colleagues from travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender – had ventured here to host an exclusive travel industry retreat, themed ‘brave new world’. Our quest was simple but ambitious: to give shape to the future of travel. As trend forecasters, we’d left our crystal balls at home and instead gathered experts in hospitality, aviation, technology, even psychedelic therapy, to help us make sense of it all in the calm desolation of the Nordics.
Never mind that our destination, the Juvet Landscape Hotel, took two flights (London-Oslo, Oslo-Arlesund) and a two-hour car journey to reach. Encouraged by its cultish following, we trusted that the outcome would be worth the schlep. We wanted a place that cut through the fashionable noise of our East London office – somewhere vast and unencumbered, where minds and bodies could roam freely. A place with a long, wide view of the future, unimpeded by billboards and skyscrapers.
After a few more twists in the road, the mountains swallowed us whole and released us into a valley of bucolic bliss: a rustic farmhouse and barn presiding over a glacial river, boulders furred with iridescent moss, and tall feathery pines. Among them stood Juvet’s glass-fronted cuboids on stilts and wooden treehouses suspended in the canopy.
Low season is almost a permanent state in this remote corner of Norway, where capricious Nordic gods still seem to reign – blasting the land with rain, wind, sun and snow in a single day, each moment shot through with blinding chiaroscuro light that softens into milky, cloud-filtered fog.
“There’s an old Norwegian saying,” explains Torunn Tronsvang, CEO of Up Norway, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes”. She’s right. As we looped the property on trails that passed gleeful sheep, crunching fresh snow in one kilometre and brushing green shoots the next, it was impossible not to feel galvanised by the region’s sheer textural beauty.
‘Epic’ isn’t a word to be used lightly, but Juvet has earned it. The setting has starred in the movie Ex Machina and HBO TV show Succession, yet the hotel itself hums with a far more familial spirit. Built by Knut Slinning and now run by his daughter Kristina and her open-hearted team, it feels most authentic outside the crowded summer months.
“It’s a chance to experience the destination surrounded by locals,” says Tronsvang, “to make deeper, real connections with hosts and guides.” For our part, Juvet’s head chef, Christopher Schonefeld, nourished us with wisdom as well as food, pointing out the edible delights at our fingertips on foraging excursions; a grounding contrast to our workshops on space tourism and the whims of ultra-high-net-worth travellers.
One evening, he treated us to an exclusive tour of Juvet’s pickling cellar – an underground jewellery vault in which backlit jars of multicoloured vegetables from summers’ past glisten from every direction. It was a reminder that this destination may sing in high summer but roars in the in-between, cultivating a resilience that offers richer lessons on future-proofing than any presentation deck could hope to.
So what’s in store for the future of travel? AI-powered booking and hyper-personalised itineraries, certainly. But as for the world we wanted to create? We’d found it here, where innovation finds both its rival and its muse.
Tourism in numbers – Norway
- 38.6 million – tourism bookings in 2024, a record number
- 12 million – tourism bookings from foreign visitors in 2024
- 4.2% – percentage increase in tourism bookings between 2023 and 2024
High season for tourism to Norway is mid-June to mid-August. In summer 2025, it was announced that Norway will introduce a 3% tourist tax on overnight stays in areas such as the Lofoten Islands and Tromsø that are struggling with the impact of mass tourism. The Norwegian government is also considering applying the tax to cruise ships.
Where to explore in Møre og Romsdal
Trollstigen
So picturesque is this snaking mountainside road pass, otherwise known as ‘The Troll Road’, that it’s alternately closed during high-season to prevent rockfall from selfie stick-wielding tourists. While sometimes closed due to icy conditions, low-season visitors can appreciate it without interruption – better still in a light dusting of snow.
Mefjellet mountain
To reach the region’s more adventurous and lesser-trodden outposts,you’ll want the guidance of seasoned mountain folk who know the land like an old friend. The guide company Utegeiden leads an excursion up to the Mefjellet mountain with views of the Tafjord. Zig-zag up shingle paths until you reach a sublime viewpoint amid a scattering of typical Norwegian farmer’s huts, their roofs carpeted in sprouting turf.
Romsdalen gondola
This cable car soars from sea level up to the heady summit of the Nesaksla mountain from which point the region’s titanic fjords spill out like mere puddles. It’s the stuff of billionaires’ dreams – floating far above civilization with exquisite vistas in all directions. TV fans might recognise it as one of the filming locations of HBO’s Succession.
Eggen restaurant
Awaiting gondoliers upon arrival is Eggen restaurant, perched dramatically above a cavernous fjord. This much-fêted dining spot is breathtaking even before the first plate arrives. The views are wild and untamed; the dishes, by contrast, are exquisitely composed – local vegetables, meat and fish served in bold, high-impact flavours.
Insider Tips from Torunn Tronsvang, CEO of travel curator Up Norway
What to pack: “In April, you’ll need all bases covered – long-sleeves and light layers that can be peeled off in moments of sun and thin waterproof coveralls from head to toe for rain and/or snow. Don’t forget swimwear, too. Sauna is a cultural touchstone for Norwegians. Ice-cold plunges in the fjords are optional!”
Low-season highlight: “Snowsports enthusiasts who usually hit the Alps in the new year should consider diverting their attention to Stranda Ski Festival which takes place in February. It’s an intimate gathering with serious intent. No mindless aprés-ski. Instead, intrepid summits in thick powder and workshops on everything from avalanche training to freeskiing.”
Forager’s Bounty: “Møre og Romsdal invites you to look up to the towering rockfaces and cascading waterfalls that dwarf you in scale. Yet looking down can be just as rewarding, if you know what to seek. From March, the ground stirs with life: tender sorrels, dandelion leaves, chickweed, birch shoots and goodefoots pushing up in tufts.”
