Scandinavia Tours works with tour operators and travel planners on itineraries that showcase its native Norway, as well as neighboring Sweden and Denmark. Group packages can cover a range of themes, and Managing Director Monique van Dijk-Seppola cites a choir tour she put together for NTA-member Travel to Remember in 2018 as an example of a typical customized program.
“When we organize the performances, we involve church members and local choirs,” says van Dijk-Seppola, who mixes in sightseeing around the cities where concerts take place. “That helps our North American guests experience the authentic Norwegian culture, hospitality, and history.”
The 11-day itinerary included performances in Norway at Oslo’s International United Methodist Church, St. John’s Church in Bergen, and at Sør-Fron Church, which dates back to the 1700s. Two of the stops included fellowship time between the guest singers and local parishoners, which van Dijk-Seppola says was a highlight.
“One church had organized supper for the entire visiting group of 110 people,” she says. “This hospitality is very typical for the Norwegian countryside, and we noticed that this gave tremendous joy to both the North American guests and to the local hosts.”
“On all tours, we give guests sufficient time to adapt, to breath in the fresh and clean Norwegian air, and to be able to connect with people,” says van Dijk-Seppola. “We try to avoid rushing people from A to B on a tight time schedule, and we try to take them off the beaten track.”
Email van Dijk-Seppola or visit scandinaviatours.no to learn more.
Top photo: Choir performing at International United Methodist Church in Oslo
Photo by Scandinavia Tours
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