Challenges and opportunities

Abstract In the era of mass tourism and increasing interest in the Nordic countries, the Faroe Islands have become recognised as a popular tourist destination. Aside from its economic benefits, tourism has, however, caused new challenges to the Faroe Islands and has been subject to political debate for many years. This article examines how (mass) tourism is manifested in the Linguistic Landscape of five popular tourist locations on the Faroe Islands. The study suggests that tourism is manifested very differently when comparing urban and rural locations, especially regarding the frequency of English signage and the percentage of regulative signs. In rural locations in particular, local residents constituted central actors of the tourism industry, with the agency to both accommodate and challenge tourism, which is illustrative of tourism’s paradoxical nature of being both beneficial and disruptive.