2024

Blinnikka, Petra; Grahn, Åsa; Gunnarsdóttir, Guðrún Þóra; Tunkkari-Eskelinen, Minna

The concept of responsible tourism was launched in 2002 in Cape Town, together with the Declaration on Responsible Tourism. Responsible tourism is about making better places for people to live in, and better places for people to visit, and especially in this order (Goodwin 2014). The development of tourism in a destination should involve the local community and take into account all the dimensions of sustainability. Responsible tourism is about minimizing negative impacts and maximizing the positive impacts of tourism. The Nordic countries are united by long common traditions, similar cultures and social systems, and shared values, including a strong emphasis on sustainability and determined climate work. While each Nordic country stands out as a unique destination, their clean air, beautiful nature, quality of life and sustainability lend the Nordic countries a special status as a travel destination. The climate and natural environment of the Nordic region are facing climate change differently compared to southern European regions, for example. The speed of climate change is four times faster in the Nordic region compared to other regions in the world. Nordic tourism destinations often depend on unique conditions, and the survival of the future of tourism is therefore dependent the protection of these conditions. This publication presents cases conducted in various Nordic countries, each addressing different aspects of responsibility in tourism. It primarily emphasizes two main themes: 1) competence development and the role of the individual in responsible tourism, and 2) the importance of effective cooperation in responsible tourism. The cases were collected in an open call in autumn 2022 and were double-blind reviewed by the editorial team of the book.