Get to Know Us

Manager of Boreal Adventure, Henriette Bismo Eilertsen, who herself believes she has the best job in the world.

She started her tourism career in 1993 as a guide for Start Tour Fritidsreiser and had many great years in many great countries, before she turned her nose north again. First to Hasvik Hotel, before the road took her on to Alta and for a while at Hotel Aurora. It then became Destinasjon Alta, Alta Museum and Nordlys Hotell, before she founded Alta Guideservice in 2003. This company was taken under the wing of Reisebyrå and changed its name to Via Alta Tours, which became North Adventure. In 2021, there was another name change after Boreal Travel came in as owners. So today it’s Boreal Adventure.

Henriette has studied a lot of strange things over the years, but the most relevant is the bachelor’s degree in National and International guide/tour guide, in addition to a study in Innovative Crisis Management (handy during the worst of the pandemic) and Service Leader school

For Henriette, working in the travel industry was one of the best choices she has made, not least because of all the wonderful people, both guests and colleagues, that she has met over the years. In recent years, she has worked a lot with cruises, which she started working with in Alta way back in 2003. She then wanted to work with winter cruises, which did not yet exist (spoiler alert, it was a smashing success!). As of today, several ships visit Alta in the winter and the industry is growing in the north. She has also been involved in Cruise Norway, Cruise Northern Norway & Svalbard (CNNS) and NHO.

Henriette’s best travel tip is to familiarize yourself with what the place you are going to visit has to offer. Use guides and buy tours from local operators. Many may want to explore for themselves, but there is invaluable knowledge in the local agents. They know everything about what is worth seeing and exploring and it is guaranteed to be a great experience. Always keep an open mind and enjoy your vacation,

Trygve Byrkjedal is our assistant leader and leader of coastal products in Boreal Adventure. He manages our products with Hurtigruten, Havila Kystruten, Expeditions and Svalbard with a firm hand on the wheel. You can find Trygve at our office in Revheim outside Stavanger and he often steps in as the department’s “potato” when needed.

As the name might suggest, he is from beautiful Byrkjedal in Gjesdal municipality, approx. 60 km south/east of Stavanger towards Sirdal (worth a visit for those who haven’t been there!). He has lived in Sandnes for the past 35 years.

He is actually a trained agronomist, but after he started at Stavanger Omegn Trafikkselskap in 1987, he has never changed employers – the employer, however, has changed its name to what is today Boreal. He started as a driver and tour bus driver but has had to try out for many different positions over the years. The best thing about the job is having the opportunity to transport many pleasant guests to the vast majority of countries in Europe over the years. He also worked as flight and express bus operations manager for many years before returning to the tourism department in 2012. In addition, he still drives tour buses at home and abroad on suitable occasions.

After many years of experience in travel, Trygve has a clear travel tip: Norway! Coast, mountains and fjords – what more could one wish for. And Svalbard, of course, which is completely unique, both when it comes to history, location and not least its arctic wilderness.

On our coastal products, we sail past more than 100 fjords and 1,000 mountains and visit remote, small ports where the big cruise ships do not enter. Here, you can easily immerse yourself in nature, culture and wildlife from the orchestra space on deck or from the panoramic lounges or restaurants. The ultimate journey is simply Hurtigruten Expeditions’ sailings in and around Svalbard. (Now on promotion with up to 50% discount )

Oddny is the team leader for FIT sales and in-house tour production. Her office is at Boreal Adventure’s beautiful Alta branch in arctic Finnmark County.

Oddny is actually educated as a social worker, with further education in administration and business/project management. After 10 years as a leader in health services, she was looking for new challenges and thus turned her gaze to tourism. She spent 5 years working on a cruise ship, and among other things gained an insight into the tourism industry by helping Henriette with the family business which eventually became part of Boreal Adventure. She has also worked as an area manager in Boreal Travel for a short period.

Oddny does not necessarily have a particular favorite destination, but she loves to pack the car and drive out to experience new, exciting places. In Norway, there are always new places to explore and there is a lot to choose from in our beautiful and long country. And she always has to stop by Bismo when she drives south. This is a fantastic place up in Gudbrandsdalen, and not least the place where her mother grew up and where the family got its name.

Oddny’s best travel tip is to contact the tourist information office where you are traveling to get local tours of the place you are visiting. We have an incredible number of great and skilled suppliers across the country and their knowledge is worth listening to.

Introducing Tanja Handke, our skilled booking consultant for FIT (Foreign Individual Travelers) and groups. She originally comes from Germany, but when her husband got a job in Alta in 2004, they took the whole family with them and moved north. She had never been to Norway before and really knew little about the country. It all became a great adventure for the whole family and they haven’t regretted it for a second afterwards.

Tanja quickly got a job as a guide and summer substitute in the tourist information office in Alta, and from 2008 she got a permanent position. Working in the tourism industry was completely new – in Germany she worked with industrial companies – but her jobs have always involved a lot of organization, which comes in handy in tourism and not least in the work she does for Boreal Adventure. Tanja loves challenges and thrives when things are very hectic. She is very grateful for a fantastic team who are fun to work with and says it is still just as exciting to live in Alta, even after 19 years. She loves to tell the guests who come to her new hometown about the history and culture of the place and is extra happy and proud when they say that they almost want to move there.

Over the years, Tanja has gathered a lot of experience and knows Finnmark very well. Her philosophy is that the most important thing you can do is listen to the guests, so that we hit on what they want to experience. This is how one fulfills travel dreams.

Outside of work, Tanja likes to go on camping trips with her family around Europe. Getting to know other cultures, languages and experiencing a sense of freedom is very important to her, as well as trying new activities.

Tanja’s best travel tip is to go to Germany to discover the rich diversity the country can offer. But no matter where you travel, the most important thing is that you are open and curious – that’s when you have the best holiday trips.

Katrina is originally from Digos City in the Philippines, but moved to Alta in 2014. She joined our team recently, starting as an apprentice in the tourist information office on August 16, 2024. In her current role, she works in the tourist office and sales, helping visitors discover our region’s many attractions.

Katrina is working toward her Certification in Tourism, building her knowledge and skills to enhance her contributions to our team. Her educational journey reflects her commitment to professional growth in the tourism industry.

Katrina mentions the Philippines and Nimes, France, when asked about her favorite destinations. If she could return to just one place she’s visited, it would be the Philippines, as she hasn’t been back to her homeland for eight years. She looks forward to reconnecting with family members—aunts, uncles, and grandparents—and enjoying the delicious Filipino cuisine she misses.

In her free time, Katrina enjoys reading comic books and manga, cycling, spending time outdoors with family and friends, and watching movies and series. These diverse interests help her relate to the varied interests of our visitors.

What Katrina enjoys most about working in the tourism industry is meeting and helping people. She finds fulfillment in creating positive experiences for visitors and working alongside her industry colleagues. Her enthusiasm for customer service makes her a valuable addition to our team.

Katrina speaks Norwegian and English fluently and also understands some Bisaya, a language spoken in the Philippines. Her multicultural background and language skills enable her to connect with visitors from around the world.

Pål is a tourism host, guide and event producer and works out of our office in Alta, Finnmark, the dream destination for everyone who is interested in fishing a bit more than average.

Pål joined Alta Guideservice, which became North Adventure and then part of Boreal Adventure, in 2006 and it really just went from there. He has been everything from mountain lodge caretaker, outdoor guide and destination manager to shop manager.

Pål’s favorite destination is certainly not difficult to choose – namely Finnmarksvidda. If he had been given the choice, he would have sent his family to the South for 3 weeks and taken himself a long way into Finnmarksvidda on a fishing trip. Every river and body of water has fish in it – but where are the big fish? The eternal hunt for large trout and monster char is Pål’s passion. In addition, there is something special about the large, open landscape that is almost empty of people, where peace and quiet prevail and the clock is meaningless. In addition, mobile phone coverage is generally so poor that you don’t even think about it. Finnmarksvidda is also very nice in the winter, and then ice fishing is the way to go, but then the preferred means of transport are snowmobiles or dog sleds.

Pål’s best travel tip is to go to Finnmarksvidda by seaplane. The seaplane allows a stealthy start to the trip deep in the wilderness at the water’s edge. You can either have a base camp and be picked up at the same place, or you can bring a canoe or inflatable kayak and paddle down all the rivers. Experiencing the Finnmarksløpet dogsled race in March is also a good tip. That week, when the dog runners take over Finnmark, is sacred in Pål’s eyes and he likes to follow the race as a volunteer or visit the checkpoints.

PS: for those who want to find the best places to fish, contact Pål to book a guided tour.

She is based in the office in Alta, but also has employees in Bodø and Hammerfest.

Anne Britt is originally from Hasvik on Sørøya, and was introduced to travel as early as 16 years old through her older sister. Anne Britt has worked in North Adventure since 2003 and then joined Boreal Adventure. Before that she had several years on board Silver Sea’s cruise ships, she has a bachelor’s degree in tourism, a certificate from a travel agency, and has had several jobs within tourism, both in tourist information, hotels, travel agencies, tourism employees etc.

Now she sits and manages the cruise operations in Alta, Hammerfest, Bodø and Sortland with a steady hand with the help of her wonderful team. She is responsible for all bookings from the Agents that we work with and is the link between the Agents and the wonderful suppliers that we work with every day. We have cruise visits every month of the year, but winter is the busiest.

Anne Britt is responsible for making the bookings, but also has contact with agents and cruise lines to inform them about what we have to offer in our region.

Anne Britt’s favorite destination – Sørøya. The green island in the north has white sandy beaches and beautiful mountains where you can walk for hours and just enjoy nature and the silence.

Travel tip – How about trying a cruise? If not abroad, why not try a cruise in Norway and see Norway from the coast. ?? This is a great way to travel where you have a cabin and get to visit several destinations.

Morten started as a guide back in 2017, before gradually moving into a permanent position as a tourism employee in 2018, at our office in Alta.

Now he works as Destination Coordinator cruise.

 He has many varied tasks, but the main focus is on cruises. He spends countless hours at the harbor as a dispatcher, winter and summer, where he ensures that thousands of guests have a wonderful experience when they come to explore beautiful Alta. The main task is then to be the link between the cruise ship’s employees and the suppliers in Alta. This can sometimes be demanding when you have 20 buses and guides going out to great activities in Alta. He is also responsible for viewing tours when we have guests who will experience our wonderful destination.

During his time at Boreal Adventure, he has, among other things, taken a vocational certificate in the travel industry.

Morten is Boreal Adventure’s youngest man, and sometimes has to help those who are a little older with all the technical challenges that can arise in an office.

Although Morten likes to travel far away to warmer regions, where you can experience new cultures or enjoy lazy days on the beach, he is always drawn back to nature, or more specifically the mountains. Whether it’s on foot, skiing or with a snowmobile, nothing beats a good trip out in the wonderful nature we have in this country.

Morten’s best travel tip is not a destination, it is rather going on a trip with someone you love, good friends or family. The destination is one thing, but every experience is enhanced if it is shared with someone close to you

Carrie is originally from Mississippi itself in the US, but moved to Alta, in 2015. She started working as a guide in 2016, before becoming part of the team full-time in 2018. She still works as part of the cruise team in Alta, as our Guide Coordinator. She is also responsible for the accounting in the cruise department. She has iron control over all guides who are guides in their own region and who can be lent out to others.

Carrie has a bachelor’s in business administration with a focus on international business, in addition to a master’s in business administration (MBA). She has mostly worked in the Northern Lights Cathedral in Alta since 2022.

Carrie’s favorite destination is not a specific place, but simply a new place. She wants to see the world and now that things have opened up again she always tries to do something different and go somewhere she has never been. Having said that, if she had to choose only one of the places she has been before and that she would like to return to, it would be Scotland.

Carrie’s best travel tip: Focus on authentic experiences. Connect with the locals and experience the real culture if you have the opportunity and feel free to do your own research when you travel.

Jon is a fixture at our Alta office, having been part of North Adventure for several years, before that company joined Boreal Travel. He started as a guide, but quickly switched to working in tour sales and took on the role of local port agent when cruise ships called at Alta. His role now, as varied as ever, involves programming to make efficiency improvements, new websites and mobile apps, guide training and courses, booking system support and a host of other one-off tasks. A bit of a potato, that is, but absolutely invaluable.

Jon is the second American on our team and came to Norway in 2010. He has considerable experience in the following areas: programming, information systems analysis, finance and trade, journalism, marketing and small business operations (including running his own small company for several years).

Jon’s favorite destination is exactly where he lives, namely Finnmark. The area is wild and beautiful, with a whispering wind that speaks of freedom and silence, the size of the universe and the paradox of being part of something so big, while being so small and insignificant. Definitely a place you should visit, that is. Jon himself has his own wish list for travel which includes, among other things, the Shetland Islands and New Zealand.

Jon’s best travel tip is SLOW DOWN. Forget the habit of “must see everything” when you are in a place or just travel to feed social media. Instead of rushing around to take photos, pause, be in the moment and take in where you are. Join a great experience and just enjoy it. Stay in a place long enough to actually discover more than the airport. Spend five days in Alta, not five days in “Europe”, visiting Paris, London, Barcelona, ??Frankfurt and then a restaurant somewhere in Poland you forgot to blog about.

Trygve was born and raised in Germany and has an MBA in Marketing East Asia. Naturally enough, with that education, he has worked for 15 years in various industries and management positions in Asia, before eventually ending up in Hammerfest. He has worked here for over 11 years and the last seven have been in tourism and hosting.

Trygve’s favorite destination is the cabin in Sørlandet, on an island in a lake in the middle of the forest. Here it is heavenly peaceful and you can just put all your technology in flight mode and let your soul breathe and live to the fullest.

Trygve’s best travel tip is: Treat yourself to a month-long trip along the Norwegian coast if you get the chance, on land and at sea. It is certainly an adventure worth taking with you.

Beate is a cruise coordinator in Bodø and works with the local suppliers and recruits more guides. A lot is happening in tourism in Bodø, and new players are in the process of establishing themselves, and that there are also experiences that can be commercialized and adapted to the cruise market.

Beate has not always worked in tourism, but has had her career and education within the Armed Forces.  She has the Air Force’s air stations on Andøya, Evenes and Bodø and has held management positions in the fields of personnel, finance and logistics. In 2002 the family went to London and were there for 4 years while Beate was head of the Norwegian support element in England. There she worked with guidance and support for Norwegian defense personnel and their families in the UK. In recent years, she worked at the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters. In addition to her education from the Norwegian Armed Forces, Beate also has a Master’s in Business Administration at the Norwegian Business School/Nord University and higher vocational education in Experience-based tourism at Nordland Vocational School.

In her spare time, she is a leader in the Bodø and Salten guide association. She thrives on walks and being active and has a fondness for English Setters. In the garden there is a small kitchen garden and gleaning is a fun hobby. As a mushroom expert, autumn is particularly busy with trips, mushroom inspections and course activities.

The favorite destination is London?? because it has interesting offers and exciting experiences for everyone. There are great theater and music productions in addition to many nice guided tours. On good weather days, you can enjoy yourself in the parks or take the tube or train out of the city. You don’t have to travel far before you are in the “countryside” and think you recognize the landscape from films such as “Midsomer Murders”.

The best travel tip is to take the fast boat (NEX I and/or II) along the Nordland coast. In the summer they have a campaign and you can travel as much as you want in a week. Then you get a fantastic coastal trip in beautiful surroundings! Jump off and explore places like Myken, Helnessund, Rødøya, Støtt – just check the table and choose where you want to go!

Leonora has worked with us since she was very young.  She showed early interest in the tourism industry.  She is originally from Alta but has spent a lot of time traveling and has worked at the Thon hotel both in Alta and Bergen.  Now she is back with us 100% and helps with everything that needs to be done in the cruise department.  She is our back office. But you suddenly find her on the pier or in a bus where she guides guests and makes sure they have a great experience while visiting the Alta area! She is also responsible for welcoming guests from Hurtigruten when it arrives in Alta.

Anastasija is originally from Minsk, Belarus, but moved to Alta in September 2021. She started working as a guide in January 2022 before joining the office team part-time in October 2024. She now works with booking guides within our cruise department. Her main responsibilities include communicating with guides, assigning guide tasks, training new guides, handling office duties, and coordinating with the Northern Lights Cathedral regarding cruise arrivals.

Anastasija has a bachelor’s degree in Arctic Adventure Tourism from UiT in Alta, focusing on sustainability. She also completed 3.5 years of a 4-year Economics and Management in Tourism program at Belarus State Economic University. She participated in several Erasmus+ programs covering rural tourism, public relations, and project management during her studies. Before joining our team, she gained experience through apprenticeships at various travel companies in Belarus. She worked for two years in inbound tourism in Minsk.

Anastasija’s favorite destinations are in the Caucasus region: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Caucasian part of Russia. She finds inspiration in how these cultures maintain their traditions while adapting to modern times—not to mention the amazing food! She regularly returns to Spain, where her parents and younger sister live, appreciating the country’s diverse regional cultures and relaxed lifestyle. As a Spanish speaker, she finds it easy to blend in there.

A little-known fact about Anastasija is that she completed music school as a teenager and can play the piano. Although she doesn’t currently have her piano, she never passes up an opportunity to practice when she finds one.

Anastasija’s best travel tip: Connect with locals. “Nobody can give you better advice on where to go, what to eat, which experiences to try,” she says. She recommends using apps like Couchsurfing for accommodation and their “hang out” option to meet people who want to explore together.

What she enjoys most about her role is assigning guides to cruises—”It’s like a game, a puzzle—figuring out which guide is good for what kind of tour. A little brain teaser is always fun!”  Anastasija values creating lifelong memories of Northern Norway for visitors, just as her favorite childhood memories are connected to travel experiences that shaped her worldview.

Merethe has many years of experience in administration, sales and marketing. She has had periods of logistics responsibility and experience with project work. She sought new challenges and chose to work in a kindergarten for a few years, and now the time has come for the tourism industry – something she finds incredibly exciting! Merethe has a back office function based in Drammen.

Merethe enjoys traveling, both in Norway and abroad. Her best travel tip, regardless of destination, is to be present, enjoy without too much planning and just experience. It is often the spontaneous experiences that are the most memorable.