As every traveller knows, even the best-planned journey can suddenly change its course. Back in 2021, Visit Norway began what it thought would be a simple refresh of its site’s font, logo and colour palette. But fast-forward two-and-a-half years and that journey has ended in an entirely different space, with VisitNorway.com — along with its channels sites of Meetings in Norway and Norway Lights — entirely redesigned using Simpleview’s new headless CMS technology. Undertaken with the future in mind, this newly redesigned site reflects Visit Norway’s onward journey as a DMO and, likewise, enables it to move forward as a destination into a tourism landscape where sustainability is of paramount importance.
Speaking at the Simpleview EMEA Summit in Liverpool earlier in September, Christine Baglo, the site’s editor-in-chief, explained that Norway’s National Tourism Strategy — which will see the country halve its carbon emissions by 2030 — is at the heart of the DMO’s future plans. Backed by Innovation Norway — the agency that supports and develops the country’s tourism sector — Visit Norway is rapidly moving into a future that emphasises great experiences and small footprints. From encouraging off-peak visits to urging travellers to explore lesser-known parts of the country and emphasising a greater focus on sustainable and responsible stays, Visit Norway is using multiple strategies to meet what it considers to be its metrics for growth and success: attracting exactly the right kind of traveller — which is exactly where Simpleview’s headless CMS technology comes into play.
Back in 2021, it was discovered that VisitNorway.com had not been updated since 2015 and so — with the country’s newly crafted brand in mind — it was decided that only a complete overhaul would offer an entirely fresh way to promote Norway and bring about the kind of user experience that would serve to attract just the right kind of visitors to the country. Available in nine different languages, VisitNorway.com features a mobile-first design to better reflect how today’s travellers are accessing and navigating the site. Additionally, Simpleview’s headless CMS technology — which separates content creation and management from presentation, all while ensuring that data is stored within Simpleview’s global CMS — allows the DMO greater flexibility in terms of how and where content is displayed. This agility means that content can be viewed across a variety of platforms, allowing Visit Norway to engage with its audience wherever they may be.
This robust system also showcases a faster and smoother editing experience, enabling Visit Norway to add and amend content to attract would-be travellers to the country. Additionally, the site also features a comprehensive trip planner and an immersive visual storytelling experience that combines striking imagery with thoughtful text to create a format that not only keeps visitors scrolling, but one that sparks inspiration among travellers eager to experience the country as it moves towards a more sustainable future. Offering his comments on the launch of the newly redesigned site, Jørgen Flo, Tech Lead at Innovation Norway said, “It feels incredible to share that after 2.5 years of work on design and development, the new design and tech stack of visitnorway.com are live! With over 5,500 editorial pages and over 46,000 product listings in 9 different languages, we have created a place for anyone seeking inspiration or planning an unforgettable Norwegian holiday.”
