The Faroe Islands Will Temporarily Close to Everyone Except 80 Volunteers—You Could Join Them

Renowned for having more sheep than inhabitants, the Faroe Islands welcomed 100,000 international tourists in 2022, far surpassing the roughly 53,000 local residents. It's understandable that the government is more focused on managing tourist numbers than on sheep.

To promote sustainable tourism, the Faroe Islands will again close some of its most visited sites from May 2 to 4, 2024, allowing access only for 80 voluntourists. In return for their efforts on various maintenance projects, they will receive complimentary local accommodation and meals.

Since the launch of the pilot program Closed for Maintenance, Open for Voluntourism in 2019, over 400 volunteers from 40 different countries have participated in 36 projects across 10 islands.

According to Jóhan Pauli Helgason, development manager at Visit Faroe Islands, “The initiative is vital for creating paths, viewpoints, and other essential facilities to preserve the islands’ natural beauty. It helps us stay proactive in environmental conservation. We take pride in this program, which resonates with the growing movement toward responsible travel, allowing travelers to contribute meaningfully.”

How to apply

Beginning at 11 a.m. GMT on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, prospective volunteers will have 48 hours to enter their details at visitfaroeislands.com. After the registration period ends on January 11, 2024, at 11 a.m. GMT, 50 participants will be randomly selected from the pool of applicants, and an additional 30 will be chosen based on relevant experience that aligns with the 2024 projects. Since the program's inception in 2019, over 13,000 individuals have applied, leading to an acceptance rate of about 3 percent—comparable to getting into Harvard.

On January 24, 2024, Visit Faroe Islands will reach out to the fortunate 80 volunteers via email, providing a personal promo code for discounted flights on Atlantic Airways, the national airline. While volunteers will need to cover their own airfare, the promo code will offer a price reduction. For example, discounted round-trip tickets from Copenhagen to the Faroe Islands are anticipated to cost around 2,500 Danish kroner (approximately US$367). If any selected individual fails to book their flight within 48 hours of the notification, another volunteer will be randomly chosen to fill the spot until all 80 positions are occupied.

Volunteers should be prepared to navigate uneven terrain and will be tasked with using tools like hammers, wheelbarrows, and shovels during the projects, although no specialized skills are required. Participants must be at least 18 years old by the first workday and available for three consecutive days from May 2 to 4, 2024, meaning they should arrive by May 1 and depart on or after May 5. Volunteers are also encouraged to explore the country independently before and after the official program dates.

Besides the flight with Atlantic Airways, volunteers will need to arrange their own travel to a city served by the airline, including Copenhagen, Paris, Edinburgh, Oslo, and Reykjavík in May 2024. As of now, a search on Google Flights indicates that nonstop flights on Scandinavian Airlines from New York to Copenhagen during the week of the volunteer program start at mid-$400s.

What Volunteers Will Do

Those chosen for the upcoming 2024 trip will engage in one of eight diverse projects across the islands. For instance, volunteers may assist in making the trail to Tjørnuvík's black-sand beach accessible for wheelchair users and families with strollers. Other initiatives include restoring the historic village pathway, constructing a bridge between Fuglafjørður and Kambsdalur, and installing signs while repairing a walking path that leads to a viewpoint over Vágur town on Suðuroy Island.

In previous years, volunteers have contributed at locations such as Slættaratindur, the tallest mountain in the Faroe Islands, enhancing the final segment of the hiking trail for greater safety. They have also constructed new paths for hikers and improved the infrastructure and signage at popular sites like the “hanging lake” in Miðvágur and Mykines Island, home to puffin colonies.

Participants selected for the 2024 program will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Faroese culture while collaborating with local volunteers and project leaders, with each maintenance crew featuring an equal mix of foreigners and locals.

This article was first published online in 2019 and was most recently updated on January 8, 2024, to reflect the latest information.