Commercial mountaineering, Norwegian friluftsliv and the gradual march of commodification

Nature based tourism is growing worldwide, but its specific expression varies according to geography, culture and socio-political history. The jet-boats of New Zealand or the heli-skiing of the Canadian Rockies cannot, for better or for worse, just be copied and pasted into any national setting. Commercial mountain guiding is a narrow niche of the adventure tourism industry of Norway. Through a qualitative approach, this chapter will look at how the niche is shaped by changes in outdoor cultures, by the ups- and downs of the national economy, and by the juridical framework regulating the industry. While commercial mountain guiding is taking place in mountain regions worldwide, it is argued that the role of national and regional conditions in product and practice development should not be underestimated.