| 1. |
- Byström, Joakim
(författare)
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Tourism Development in Resource Peripheries : conflicting and Unifying Spaces in Northern Sweden
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The northern Swedish inland is a sparsely populated area with a historical dependence upon natural-resource extraction. Therefore, this region has traditionally been defined as a resource periphery for extractive purposes. However, the rise of tourism challenges this narrative by producing a pleasure periphery for touristic purposes. A pleasure periphery in this context is linked to nature-based tourism that sells dreams of pristine nature and/or vast wilderness. This touristic “story” therefore becomes an antithesis to the region's industrial past. The overlapping touristic and extractive spaces, and their seemingly conflicting development narratives, constitute the theoretical approach to tourism development in the scope of this thesis. Further, this thesis adds to theorizing tourism development in northern peripheries, by contesting established development theories against each other in a northern Swedish setting. Multiple methods using both quantitative and qualitative data are used to answer the questions in this thesis.Three conclusions can be derived based on the empirical findings. Firstly, established tourism development theories are at risk of being invalid in more peripheral settings. As an example, protected areas constitute a poor development strategy, and are not producing tourism employment as shown in studies from more densely populated regions. Other destination-development theories presupposing urban-like infrastructure, which is absent in peripheries, also become invalid. Secondly, conflicts between tourism and extractive industries do occur at the discursive level where they tend to be described in dualistic terms. However, in terms of labor-market processes, findings show that tourism and resource extraction are actually rather interrelated. Within mining tourism, such a related diversification occurs due to the spatial distribution of mining and tourism skills and the interaction between them. Thirdly, the location of tourism destinations is broadly governed by resource-extractive infrastructure. Therefore, tourism destinations are normally located in places that have previously been made accessible via investments in the resource-extractive sector. Hence, resource extraction projects (unintentionally) produce accessibility to the touristic “wilderness”.In summary, resource extraction becomes a precondition for tourism development in northern Sweden, rather than a conflicting land-use competitor. Therefore, planners and decision makers should consider incorporating aspects of tourism in future plans for resource extraction as these industries often spatially overlap, intertwine, and consequently form a development symbiosis in northern resource peripheries.
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| 2. |
- Ólafsdóttir, Rannveig, et al.
(författare)
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Purism scale approach for wilderness mapping in Iceland
- 2016
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Ingår i: Mapping Wilderness: Concepts, Techniques and Applications. - Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands. - 9789401773997 - 9789401773973 ; , s. 157-176
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Coincident with increased utilization of the Icelandic highlands, its image as a unique and pristine wilderness is gradually changing. People’s perception of wilderness is influenced by a number of factors relating to their culture and socio-economic background. Furthermore, how people value pristine land or define wilderness varies depending on the location and function of the assessment. Therefore, understanding perceived wilderness is likewise of major importance in the planning and long term management of tourism within the Icelandic highlands. This paper attempts to identify and map perceived wilderness areas within the southern Icelandic highlands, using the purism scale approach. The results indicate that constructions related to power plants (i.e. plants, power lines, and dams) are considered undesirable by all four tourism market groups. The results moreover show that non-purists visiting the Icelandic highlands do not favour paved roads. Conversely, mountain huts do not affect the perceived wilderness for any of the purism groups. The perceived wilderness mapping of the southern Icelandic highlands shows that nearly the whole area, or 97.2 %, is perceived as wilderness by the nonpurism group, while less than half, or 45.4 %, is perceived as wilderness by the strong purism group. Once a wilderness area becomes known as a tourist destination, maintaining its wilderness condition becomes increasingly difficult. In order to avoid the overuse of wilderness for tourism and other economic sectors, ambitious planning and appropriate management are critical. This includes identifying limits of growth and further development. Without such limitations, the use of wilderness is simply unsustainable.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Sæþórsdóttir, Anna Dóra, et al.
(författare)
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From boiling to frozen? The rise and fall of international tourism to iceland in the era of overtourism
- 2020
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Ingår i: Environments - MDPI. - : MDPI AG. - 2076-3298. ; 7:8, s. 1-19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Overtourism has emerged as a common concept to describe the perceived negative impacts that large numbers of tourists can have on destinations. Iceland is one of the destinations which has been most associated with the concept of overtourism. Tourism in Iceland grew rapidly from 2010 to 2019, much higher than in most other countries, with Iceland reaching a ranking as high as thirteenth on a list of countries with the highest ratio of tourists per inhabitant. The increase in visitors to the country has had various impacts on Iceland’s economy, society and environment. This paper provides an overview of the different ways in which overtourism has revealed itself at a national level in Iceland. The implications of supposed overtourism are shown to be complex, with management responses limited by their relative focus.
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| 5. |
- Sæthórsdóttir, Anna Dóra, et al.
(författare)
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Overtourism in Iceland : Fantasy or reality?
- 2020
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Ingår i: Sustainability (Switzerland). - 2071-1050. ; 12:18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Iceland has been one of the main destinations that have been incorporated into the discourse of overtourism. However, Iceland is different to many other supposed overtourism destinations in that its tourism is based on natural areas. Nevertheless, destination discourses can play an important part in influencing tourist decision-making and government and industry policy making. A media analysis was conducted of 507 online media articles on overtourism in Iceland that were published in 2018, with the main themes being identified via content analysis. The results indicated that the media discourse represented only a partial picture of overtourism and the crowding phenomenon in Iceland, with mechanisms to respond to crowding, the satisfaction level of tourists with their Icelandic nature experience, and local people's support for tourism being underreported. Some of the findings reflect that of other media analyses. However, there are considerable discontinuities between media representations and discourses of overtourism in Iceland, which highlight the importance of national-or destination-level media analysis. The media analysis illustrates the need for a better understanding of different destination discourses and their influence.
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| 6. |
- Saethorsdottir, Anna Dora, et al.
(författare)
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Senses by Seasons : Tourists' Perceptions Depending on Seasonality in Popular Nature Destinations in Iceland
- 2019
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Ingår i: Sustainability. - : MDPI. - 2071-1050. ; 11:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seasonality in visitor arrivals is one of the greatest challenges faced by tourist destinations. Seasonality is a major issue for sustainable tourism as it affects the optimal use of investment and infrastructure, puts pressure on resources and can create negative experience of crowding at destinations. Peripheral areas commonly experience more pronounced fluctuations in visitor arrivals. Iceland is one of those destinations. Although the number of tourists visiting the country has multiplied in recent years, seasonality is still a major challenge, especially in the more rural peripheral areas of the country. Iceland's high season for tourism occurs during its brief summer (June to August), but in recent years more people visit the country on shorter winter trips, creating new management challenges. This research is based on an on-site questionnaire survey conducted in seven popular nature destinations in Iceland which compares the experience of summer and winter visitors. The results show that winter visitors are more satisfied with the natural environment while their satisfaction with facilities and service is in many cases lower. The areas are generally perceived as being more beautiful and quieter in winter than in summer. However, most destinations are considered less accessible and less safe in the winter. Tourists are much less likely to experience physical crowding during winter, although winter visitors are more sensitive to crowds, most likely because of expectations of fewer tourists. Finally, this research shows that tourists are less likely to encounter negative effects of tourism on the environment in the winter, (e.g., erosion or damage to rocks and vegetation), than in summer. The results highlight the importance of understanding visitor perceptions in a seasonal and temporal context.
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| 7. |
- Sæþórsdóttir, Anna Dóra, et al.
(författare)
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Visitor satisfaction in wilderness in times of overtourism : a longitudinal study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Sustainable Tourism. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0966-9582 .- 1747-7646. ; 29:1, s. 123-141
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Developing a better understanding of visitor perceptions and satisfaction is integral to gaining insights into the pressures that lead to both overtourism and the under-utilisation of tourist attractions, including natural areas. Despite longstanding recognition of their value in monitoring and evaluating change there is a dearth of longitudinal studies in tourism. This study examines changing patterns of visitor use and satisfaction over time at Landmannalaugar, an internationally recognised wilderness area, in Iceland, a country which has been one of the focal points of concern as to the effects of overtourism. A questionnaire survey has been conducted in Landmannalaugar in the summers of 2000, 2009 and 2019 using the same questionnaire and distributed by the same method. Visitor satisfaction fell over the study period and crowding issues became much more important to tourists over time. Despite being based on a single site the research highlights the importance of long-term monitoring for visitor and site management as well as developing a better understanding of concepts of change in natural area tourism management.
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| 8. |
- Tverijonaite, Edita, et al.
(författare)
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How close is too close? Mapping the impact area of renewable energy infrastructure on tourism
- 2022
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Ingår i: Energy Research and Social Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 2214-6296. ; 90
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Estimating the spatial extent of the impacts of renewable energy infrastructure on tourism is crucial for the identification of potential locations of resource use conflict. Such a task, however, is complicated and requires inclusion of social perceptions on the spatial extent of the impacts. This study investigates perceptions of the tourism industry in Iceland regarding the impact area of existing and proposed energy projects on tourism and analyses the factors affecting its size and shape. It is based on semi-structured interviews with tourism service providers, during which participants mapped their perceived impact areas using participatory mapping software. The results revealed that the reasoning affecting the perceived spatial extent of the impacts falls into three categories: visibility of renewable energy infrastructure and related environmental impacts; tourist mobility; and changes in tourism due to energy projects. Moreover, the impacts of the proposed energy projects were perceived as more negative compared to existing ones. Energy projects were considered less suitable in wilderness areas, which were defined by the tourism service providers as an important resource for nature-based tourism, but more acceptable in developed areas. Thus, the spatial extent of the impacts and the compatibility of renewable energy infrastructure with tourism highly depend on changes in place meanings and tourism processes brought by energy infrastructure as well as affected elements of tourism networks. This emphasizes the importance of including tourism stakeholder perceptions and knowledge into the early stages of energy planning to ensure sustainable development of both the tourism and energy industries.
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| 9. |
- Tverijonaite, Edita, et al.
(författare)
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Wilderness : a resource or a sanctuary? Views of tourism service providers
- 2023
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism. - 1502-2250. ; 23:2-3, s. 195-225
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The growing popularity of nature-based tourism means that the tourism industry is increasingly utilizing wilderness areas to provide visitor experiences. However, tourism activities negatively impact wilderness quality. Tourism service providers play an important role in shaping these impacts. Therefore, this study investigates their preferences regarding wilderness use and development. It focuses on the Icelandic Central Highlands, which contain some of Europe’s largest wildernesses and are an important venue for tourism. The relationship between participants’ preferences and environmental attitudes is also investigated, providing insights into the reasoning behind these preferences. For this study an online questionnaire was distributed among day tour providers and travel agencies operating in Iceland. The results revealed that the attitudes of over 87% of the participants were pro-environmental. Accordingly, most tourism service providers preferred basic tourism infrastructure in the Central Highlands, and they did not support further energy or road developments. However, their attitudes toward the Central Highlands National Park proposal were divergent despite the positive relationship with environmental attitudes. Concerns about regulations and access restrictions to the area played an important role in shaping the attitudes toward the national park proposal, demonstrating the importance of considering tourism stakeholders’ interests for ensuring their support for wilderness conservation.
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