Oslo – is it even a city? Norway’s hilarious new tourism campaign tells travellers not to come

Visit Oslo’s latest tourism campaign comes in the way of a hilarious satirical take on life in the Norwegian Capital.
The video, which has gone viral follows a 31-year-old on a day around the city and opens with the line, ‘I wouldn’t come here’.
He carries on to tell you everything ‘wrong’ with Oslo, but in reality, he perfectly captures the charm of the city.
Littered with comedic takes on things like the ability to walk from one side of the city to the other in half an hour or not needing to wait in line for hours to get into a gallery, the ad is a classic example of dry Nordic humour.
“The inspiration for the ad is Oslo’s position as an underdog as far as city break destinations go, both in Europe and in the Nordics,” Visit Oslo marketing director Anne-Signe Fagereng told Skift.
“The fact that it’s not as famous and crowded as some other capital cities is something we should start highlighting as a benefit.
“Oslo has been through an incredibly positive transformation over the last few decades, so it’s time our confidence in our capital catches up with reality.”
In 2021 the Munch opened in Oslo, a museum dedicated to artist Edvard Munch who painted The Scream. 2022 saw the opening of Norway’s National Museum and in 2027 The Museum of the Viking Age will open.

The Munch Museum in the city of Oslo, the capital of Norway. (iStock – mikeuk)
Marketing win for Visit Oslo
Oslo’s new campaign has caught the eyes of the marketing world with many taking to Linkedin to praise the video which runs for just under two minutes.
“The thing is, there are many professional who can pursue such creative ideas but very few companies allow such creativity out of being in the ‘safe zone'” one commented.
“What a magnetizing mix of reverse psychology marketing and thinking, the forever touching movie “Elling” (2001) and my experience of swimming in Tromsø once in March. Thunderous applause VisitOSLO… I love this “grumbling Oslovian narrator / narrative,” said another.
Funny campaigns proving a success
When it comes to advertising a country or capital city destination marketers have countless resources at their fingertips.
But our favourite is fast becoming a satirical take.
Other advertising campaigns of similar fashion recent years include Visit Sweden’s campaign last year which reminded travellers that is has no affiliation with Switzerland.
Lithuania also poked fun at outdated stereotypes many have about life in the Vilnius with its own comedic video ‘Expectations VS. Reality’.
Feature image: Visit Oslo YouTube – ‘Is it even a city?’
Latest News

Salamander Voyages launches slow sailing itinerary in Türkiye
Salamander Voyages, a family-run gulet charter company, has launched ‘The Salamander Experience’, a brand-new slow sailing itinerary in Turkey for May 2025. The seven-night itinerary has been specifically designed for travellers seeking a deeper connection and redefines the traditional gulet sailing experience. Rather than covering vast distances, it focuses on a carefully selected area closer […]

EXCLUSIVE: Emirates’ top Captain Emily Sidoti on why gender disparity in aviation comes down to education
Emirates’ Captain, Emily Sidoti, talks to Travel Weekly about resilience, grit, and why gender disparity in the aviation industry comes down to education. Captain Sidoti is challenging stereotypes, and inspiring a generation of young women. As the highest-ranking Pilot on an aircraft, Dubai-based Emily Sidoti has earned her stripes (no pun intended), as one of […]

Tura Turizm joins World Travel & Trade Council to promote tourism in Türkiye
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is delighted to welcome Tura Turizm Holding as its newest Regional Member, adding their expertise on the powerful Turkish market to the global organisation’s membership. Decades of experience with deep-rooted industry expertise makes Tura Turizm a key player for both Türkiye and the global Travel & Tourism sector. Established […]

Can you guess the world’s top spa destination?
If they ever need anyone to come and try the facilities for them, we are free most weekdays and weekends.

Qatar Airways wins big at Cellars in the Sky Awards
Qatar Airways has once again been recognized for its outstanding onboard wine offering as it takes home eight honours at Business Traveller’s prestigious Cellars in the Sky Awards. The World’s Best Airline, as voted by Skytrax in 2024, won Gold for: Overall Cellar Best First Class Cellar Best-presented Business Class Wine List Best First Class […]

Klook hosts inaugural Partner Awards with Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison as special guest
Travel activities and experiences booking platform, Klook, held its inaugural Klook Partner Awards event in Sydney last night honouring its top-performing and best-loved merchant partners. Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison, who was invited to the event as the guest of honour, spoke about the importance of experiences. “I think that experiences are absolutely everything,” she said. […]

APT Travel Group launches early release of 2026 Canada and Alaska Holidays
For anyone with clients craving an icy getaway, APT is serving up some steals right now.

Film, photography and so much more to explore this year in Berlin
Often known for its grungy aesthetics, or perhaps a currywurst stall, there's so much more on offer this year in Berlin.

TravelManagers welcomes two new directors to HOTA Board
We wish Narendra and Judith the best of luck in trying to remember the rest of the Boards' names.

Tauck celebrates 100 years of hosting travellers around the globe
Tauck would only ever celebrate its 100th birthday in pure style - and Italy is just that!

Travelglobe unveils exclusive food tour with MasterChef’s Kirsten Tibballs
Fancy brushing up on your skills making delicious chocolate and pastry-based treats? Meet us on this tour!

Fiji Airways to bring South Australians closer to paradise with third weekly flight from Adelaide in April
South Australians might say they're already in Paradise, but how can they be sure without checking Fiji out?

Bookings for Vanuatu surge with Aussies ready to support earthquake-struck tourism hotspot
In times like those Vanuatu is surfacing from, the tourism dollar goes a long way and Aussies aren't holding back.

Bullo River Station shares its first ever sustainability report
If you would like to be inspired to be a little more green, then check out what Bullo River Station is up to.

‘Fortune favours the bold’: luxury brand leader Anna Burgdorf departs Flight Centre after 6 years
Time for a pop quiz - who first came up with above quote? Was it A) Virgil B) Shakespeare or C) Aristotle?

Cruise Guru unveils Channel Nine show featuring Ponant, Viking, NCL and more
A little offended that we weren't invited on as the 'Cruise Guru' ourselves, but we'll be tuning in regardless.

Explore Worldwide gives agents a chance to win an exclusive Sri Lanka famil
It's like finding a ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! And the prize is even better than unlimited sweets.

Heathrow Airport to upgrade operations as part of multi-billion-pound cash injection
We're usually a bit scared of injections, however a 'cash injection' is one we would welcome with both arms (literally).

Club Med announces Manveer Ramdhian as new MICE manager in Pacific
Rest-assured, being a MICE manager has nothing to do with our furry little friends.

Sydney Airport welcomes daily flights from Hong Kong Airlines
To top it all off, it looks like the representatives scored a cracker of a day for the celebratory photo!

Collette’s Karen Deveson on what Aussies really want from luxury
For Aussies, we're a little bit more laid back when it comes to luxury. No gold-plated cars for us, thanks!

Intrepid Travel partners with Helloworld Travel for exclusive food tour with Luke Nguyen
Vietnamese is one of our favourite cuisines, so we're headed to the Bánh mì shop for lunch in celebration.

Quark Expeditions opens its Antarctic 2026/27 season
You'd have to be Quarking mad to not have a trip like this on your bucket list.

Federal government to purchase REX Airlines if no buyers arise, Albanese says
News that is sure to ruffle some feathers in the offices of competing airlines this morning, but we're all for it!

Topdeck discounts select 2025-26 trips with up to $1,000 off
Knowing my Gen Z sister, that $1,000 saved would be headed straight to the shopping fund.

Windstar Cruises unveils ‘Basil + Bamboo’ on Star Seeker yacht
Don't worry, we're talking about a restaurant here, not the materials used to build the stunning yacht.

Captain Cook Cruises celebrates 55 years of excellence on the water in the habour city
With a view like Sydney Harbour as your office this would be a hard job to leave.

TravelManagers’ Michael Gazal: ‘Agents are spending a lot of time on bespoke trips’
If you haven't already thrown out your cookie cutter mentality, please do so now.

JP Morgan Chase grows travel offering with tech partnership
Our inner bohemian spirit strongly objects to buying travel from an investment bank. #sorrynotsorry

Helloworld celebrates Valentines Day with Air Ticket sale
Nothing gets travel agents' hearts fluttering more than discounted air fares. It is a love language.

Agents return from Sno’n’Ski Whistler and Vancouver famil
If you want to be really jealous this lunchtime, check out what these four agents got up to in Vancouver.

2025 Taipei Lantern Festival lights up Ximending
We hope our boss currently on the ground is as impressed with the snake lantern in person as we are behind the screen.

Numbers reveal how hard it REALLY is to become ATIA accredited
If you have ever failed to be accredited by ATIA then this article will make you feel better. Dust off that form!

Travel agent STILL waiting on $15k Bamboo Airways refund 16 MONTHS after carrier left Australia
This has motivated us to stop complaining about the time we got one less chicken nugget than expected.

AIME 2025 is underway!
If you're headed down to AIME we hope you brought your networking shoes because it's going to be big!

dnata spends $17m on inflight catering centre at Western Sydney Airport
Airline food has come a long was from the days you would be given a dry roll and a long strip of cheese. Time for lunch?