Bergen´S Host Port Bid for the Tall Ships Races 2019
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BERGEN´S HOST PORT BID FOR THE TALL SHIPS RACES 2019 1 2 BID | The Tall Ships Races 2019, Bergen 3 WELCOME TO BERGEN CONTENTS Bergen is an UNESCO World Heritage City, a European City of Culture and “The Gate- way to the Fjords of Norway”. The Bergen region has world leading business clusters within the energy sector; the maritime sector; the marine industry; the experience, culture and tourism sector; and the media and culture based sectors. The region plays WELCOME TO BERGEN a crucial role in the development of the Norwegian oil and gas industry. PART 1: BERGEN AS HOST PORT 7 Bergen’s location, surrounded by seven mountains, makes it strikingly attractive and PART 2: IN-PORT FACILITIES 11 provides an element of intimacy. Bergen is also surrounded by one of the worlds great- est tourist attractions, the Norwegian fjords. PART 3: IN-PORT PROGRAMME 17 PART 4: MARKETING OF THE EVENT 21 Bergen has a long tradition of hosting international and public events. This experience has given the city its splendid reputation as a festival city; combining the warm and PART 5: INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR VESSELS 25 friendly atmosphere with the most beautiful surroundings. The city is well known for its hospitality and its enthusiasm. PART 6: RACE COURSE 2019 27 Bergen has been the proud host city for The Tall Ships Races four times, the last time in 2014. The event has been a tremendous success and has been organized to the sat- isfaction of the visiting vessels and Sail Training International. The two last Tall Ships Races in Bergen had approximately a total of 500 000 – 600 000 visitors each during the four to five days in port. The Tall Ships Races has a very good standing amongst the citizens of Bergen and in the region, and there is a wish and even an expectation for this to be a regular happening in our port. We would be honoured to welcome the Tall Ships Races fleet to Bergen, proud to be chosen as an official host port for the fifth time, and will do our outmost to ensure that a Tall Ships Races in Bergen in 2019 will be memorable. Tor A. Woldseth Acting Mayor PART 1 BERGEN AS HOST PORT The City of Bergen submits this bid to be host port for the Tall Ships Races 2019. THE COUNTRY, THE COUNTY, CITY OF BERGEN AND ITS PORT BERGEN AND ITS PORT The City of Bergen was founded on an old Viking set- tlement in the year 1070 by King Olav Kyrre. Bergen NORWAY is an international city with a small-town charm at- Norway is known for natural attractions like fjords, mosphere. The city with 264 000 inhabitants is like mountains and the midnight sun. The country can a spectacular amphitheatre clambering up the moun- offer a broad variety of different experiences and has tainsides, overlooking the sea, embracing its visitors. many times been deemed the best travel destination The city offers a unique tour in the living history of Ber- by international travel agencies. No other country is gen and Norway, and is the Gateway to the wildest and powered by nature like Norway. loveliest fjords of Norway. The city is also a European City of Culture and a UNESCO World Heritage City. Tradition and history live side by side with a vibrant HORDALAND COUNTY cultural scene. The legacy of the Hanseatic period Hordaland is the third largest county in Norway with goes hand in hand with Bergen’s status as a European 484 000 inhabitants (almost 10% of the Norwegian City of Culture – both of which are highly visible on a population). Hordaland is a region of islands, small is- stroll around the city. lets and sheltered bays and fjords with steep mountain- Beautiful, rich in traditions and history, charming, sides, magnificent waterfalls, mountain plateaus, gla- lively – all these adjectives describe Bergen. Bergen is ciers and fertile valleys. The 179 km long Hardangerfjord Norway’s second largest city, with the facilities of a large almost splits the county in two. And resting above it we city, and the charm and atmosphere of a small city, with find the breathtaking glacier Folgefonna. its wooden houses and cobbled streets. Bryggen is the Hordaland boasts more than 100 National Parks. old trading warf that still looks the same as it did when The Hardanger mountain plateau is the largest in the town was in the Middle Age. Bryggen is the face Northern Europe. The county is also famous for its of Bergen, and part of our cultural heritage and has its fruit. More fruit is grown in Hordaland than in any place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The city is other county in Norway – the district of Hardanger in so delightfully compact; and you will quickly find your the Hardangerfjord is fantastic during the apple and way around, thanks to the varied landscape that makes cherry blossom in May. Hordaland is also Norway’s Western Norway’s capital so charmingly unpredictable. leading fish farming county. Traveling to Bergen can be done in numerous Hordaland enjoys a unique position in the Norwe- ways. By car, by bus, by train, by sea and by air. Ber- gian energy market with the big oil and gas facilities at gen is easily accessible with the international Airport Mongstad, Kollsnes and Sture located in the county. Flesland only 18 km from the city, with direct flights to The crude oil and gas from the North Sea platforms over 70 destinations. are processed at these facilities. Bergen is one of the world’s most beautiful natural The Bergen region is the collaboration of munic- harbours. Sailing into and away from the city one sails ipalities surrounding Bergen. The region comprises easily past islands and archipelagos, through sea pas- myriad of islands, islets and skerries where the sea sages and smaller fjords until suddenly the water opens meets the coastal landscape. into the broad and sheltered “Byfjorden” (“town fjord”). 6 BID | The Tall Ships Races 2019, Bergen 7 teers, many income opportunities for the vessels and business sector joined together and again provided strong involvement by port and city. The events were support for 25 youngsters on board Statsraad Lehm- popular with the general public with packed quays and kuhl for the Tall Ships Races. The work was continued happy crowds for the crew and cultural activities. and restructured from 2011, a memorial fund in the Bergen is an experienced organiser of international name of Per Langhelle, the former Director of Stats- events and of public events with over 500 000 attend- raad Lehmkuhl, was set up to support young people’s ants. The city enjoys excellent relations procedures and participation in The Tall Ships Races for the coming cooperation between local and regional authorities, years. The Tall Ships Races 2014 funded 142 young cultural partners, sports organisations and the busi- people from Hordaland County to take part in that ness and tourism sector. year’s race. Bergen has four times been the host for The Tall Ships Races. Bergen has amongst many other events also been a successful European City of Culture in THE BID 2000, will be hosting the Hanseatic Days in June 2016, The City of Bergen and major partners are highly moti- and be the host for UCI Road World Championships in vated and committed to once again welcome the fleet 2017. Bergen offers the security of an organiser that is of Tall Ships to Bergen. The suitability of Bergen as a experienced, successful, resourceful and well organized. port, the experience and liability of Bergen as a host Bergen offers to build on previous successes and port, the popularity of Bergen for the participating to be an even better host port in 2019. vessels, the Tall Ships Races’ standing as an attractive event for Bergen, should all be a recipe for renewed success also in 2019. INVOLVEMENT IN SAIL TRAINING The City of Bergen has already set aside sufficient fi- FOR YOUNG PEOPLE nancial resources to be a high quality host port in 2019. The City of Bergen is a member of the Norwegian Sail In the following parts of our bid we will explain into Training Association. The city supports organisations some more practical detail how the event in 2019 will and projects connected with the preservation of tradi- be set up should we be given the possibility to be host tional wooden sailing boats and sail training for young port yet again. Much of this will be based on the expe- people. The sail programmes are at a coastal culture rience from previous events, particularly The Tall Ships centre located just north of the city centre. The city has Races 2014, but also the experience in hosting other started the work on a major strengthening of these big events in 2016 and 2017 as the Hanseatic Days and programmes in the heritage plan for 2011 to 2021. UCI Road World Championship; Bergen2017. Bergen then appears between seven mountains and the ing port of Bergen. Europe´s third largest in terms The city also supports sail training for young peo- sea on a varied coastline of inlets, bays and peninsulas, of volume, northern Europe´s most important cruise ple in modern sailing boats as part of our sports budget the city running steeply up from harbours to crown hills port, the Norwegian Navy´s home port and the hub of connected to the different sailboat clubs. and mountainsides. local boat routes to the communities of Western Nor- The major element in the city of Bergen’s support Bergen is a city of long maritime history, history way and the famous Hurtigruten to Northern Norway.