The Faroe Islands are an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark that is growing in popularity among tourists at a rather rapid rate. An archipelago of 18 islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Faroe have the quaint charms of Iceland and rural Ireland mixed together. There are reputedly more sheep than people. The natural, scenic beauty combined with the laid back lifestyle is a huge draw to visitors. Well, that and the aforementioned sheep, which are basically everywhere.
Like many popular destinations, the Faroe Islands are dealing with all of the issues that come with overtourism. This is a place that saw its tourist numbers jump by 30% year over year between 2022 and 2023. That's a big deal, particularly considering the infrastructure to deal with those kind of numbers is still playing catch up. Plus, the extra humans around has to be stressful for the sheep.
The administration in charge of the Faroe are always keeping their heads on a swivel and and came up with a great idea. Since 2019, the Faroe Islands shut their doors to visitors for two days per year. A group of 80 volunteer applicants from outside of the islands are selected to help repair the damages caused by overtourism. In exchange for their help, the volunteers get to stay for free. That being said, the cost of getting to the Faroe is their problem.
Excluding the pandemic year, this effort has proven effective. The islands have been able to make repairs to roads, bridges, and other related infrastructure with the help of the extra laborers. Much of the work that needs to be done doesn't require any special skills, just elbow grease and muscle power. Plus, spending a couple of days in the tourist-free Faroe Islands doesn't sound too bad. Just keep in mind you'll have to plan for 2026 as the 2025 applications are already closed.