While the whole world is trying to get on its feet from the ongoing financial crisis, there is one place that seems completely unaffected by the whole thing: Tromsø!

Norway, as a whole, has experienced a 50% increase in bankrupcies and foreclosures over the last year. The area around Oslo has been hit extra hard with some places at a whopping 137% increase. However, the regional newspaper Nordlys could report today that Troms county and Tromsø in particular almost seems to be gaining from the crisis. Troms is the only county in Norway that has seen a 3,2% decrease in bankrupcies over the last year. Merchants and building contractors are the ones suffering the most, whereas «luxury» services like delis, cafes and gyms are running like never before. Businesses are even finding it hard to get enough manpower.

It is believed that the sturdy economy in Troms owes to the fact that many businesses are locally owned with fewer international ties, plus massive support from the local customers. For instance, Tromsø doesn’t have the «suffering» businesses like McDonald’s and KFC to pull down the average…

Seems like Tromsø is the place to be at the moment.