Tourists can randomly choose one of the 30 authentic routes recommended by local residents.
The Faroe Islands have introduced a fleet of autonomous vehicles with voice guidance to introduce tourists to the unexplored places of the archipelago.
A video demonstrating the traffic pattern shows how tourists rent a car and then follow the navigation instructions to reach lesser-known destinations. Along the way, the car “tells” them information about the unexpected route.
A statement from the Faroese tourism authorities explains that the tendency of tourists to congregate around “the same iconic places” creates a “closed ecosystem where images of popular places attract even more people to those same places.”
This results in excessive tourism and “predictable experiences”.
By booking a car with 62N Car Rental, a partner of Visit Faroe Islands, travelers can scan a QR code that activates one of 30 routes designed with the input of local residents.
These include visiting the highest sea cliffs in Europe, hiking to breathtaking fjords, and stopping at a roadside tent for fish and chips.
“There’s just one catch: you’ll have to give up control. By renting one of these cars, you’re signing an agreement to follow its instructions without having any idea where you’re going,” the statement for tourists reads.
Gudrid Heigur, CEO of Visit Faroe Islands, said: “We have decided to explore how technology and creativity can offer travelers a new way to discover the Faroe Islands – a way that will take them to places they might never find on their own.
The authors of the idea noted that they hope to show with this initiative “how tourist destinations can use innovation for more responsible and meaningful tourism development.”
The new fleet can be booked on the Visit Faroe Islands website for a minimum of $100 per day.
