The world's northern-most jazz festival has boosted tourism in the Arctic region with 1,000 people heading to the event in on the island of Spitsbergen last month.

Just 600 miles from the north pole, the Polarjazz event was said to be a huge success and has been hailed as a "dream come true" for tourism chiefs.

As well as promoting local music, the event also helped to market the numerous other activities open to travellers heading to the region such as dog sledding, snowmobiling and watching the northern lights.

Unni Myklevoll, manager of the area's official tourist board said that most of the area's winter visitors are from "northern neighbours" such as Sweden, Denmark and England.

"They come for the northern lights," Mr Myklevoll said. "Newly married couples, if they can see the northern lights their first years, it is a blessing on their marriage and if they have a baby it will be a happy baby."

One of the most popular activities for travellers from the UK is a Spitsbergen cruise which allows them to see the Arctic in all its glory from the warmth and luxury of a ship.

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