Matkailututkimus

The distant snowy land where rounded creatures dwell

2023-11-08T17:35:58+02:00

With the release of the Moominvalley (2019–) animated TV series, the Moomin characters have once again appeared on screens across the world. Whether this newest adaptation of Tove Jansson’s books and comic strips will initiate a new ‘Moomin boom’ remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the re-appearance of the Moomins in domestic (Finnish) and international media has sparked a resurgence of nostalgia among audiences already familiar with the characters. The present study examines what meanings are attributed to the Moomin stories and sites associated with them in the context of media-induced tourism. The study draws on seven English-language press articles featuring authors’ observations and reflections on their visits to places with connections to the Moomins and/or Tove Jansson in Finland. The personal importance of Jansson’s works and associated locations for these members of the audience is revealed through analysis of the notions of belonging and nostalgia in their accounts. On a wider sociocultural level, the findings demonstrate that values associated with Jansson’s texts are (re)negotiated in new contexts and found relevant in times of contemporary socioeconomic, political and environmental crises, and that it reflects in how places with connections to her and her works are viewed and experienced. The data further show that themes in the Moomin books are viewed in parallel to what is perceived as Finnish values, such as care for others, equality and respect for nature. Finland is also imagined as a fairytalesque land, both the home of the writer and even of the Moomins themselves.

Työn merkityksellisyys osana kestävää matkailutyötä

2023-10-09T17:25:01+03:00

Työn merkityksellisyys on tärkeäksi tunnustettu ja monilla eri tieteenaloilla tutkittu teema. Kuitenkaan, sen käsitteestä ei vallitse yksimielisyyttä. Tässä artikkeli tarkastellaan työn merkityksellisyyttä matkailualalla kontekstissa. Matkailuala on herkkä globaaleille ja esimerkiksi, pandemia iski alaan rajusti ja syvensi olemassa olevia haasteita, kuten ammattitaitoisen työvoiman puutetta ja matkailutyössä koettuja epäkohtia. Matkailutyön sosiaalisen vastuullisuuden teemoja ja merkityksellistä työtä on tutkittu vielä melko vähän. Tässä artikkelissa työn merkityksellisyyden kokemus pyritään nivomaan osaksi kestävää ja hyvää matkailutyötä. Artikkelin tavoitteena muodostaa yleiskatsaus merkityksellisestä työstä matkailualan tutkimuksessa käytävään keskusteluun ja antaa esimerkkejä nykyisistä kehittämishankkeista. Artikkeli pyrkii tarjoamaan yhteenvedon aiemmista tutkimuksista, ja tunnistamaan näkökohtia, jotka ovat saattaneet jäädä huomiotta, ja näin ollen edistämään ilmiön parempaa ymmärtämistä matkailutyön kontekstissa.

Towards an ethical tourism recovery in Northern peripheries

2023-10-09T17:46:26+03:00

Unsustainable tourism growth prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption of tourism caused by its outbreak, together with the global environmental crisis and different global and local injustices, have raised debates on what tourism should be like in the future. A more ethical tourism sector post-recovery has become a topical issue for strategy making in post-pandemic tourism. In this research note, we tie together local stakeholder views on ethical tourism recovery in northern peripheries, a review of current tourism strategies in the area and relevant literature to add to the debate regarding ethical tourism recovery in the region. Our findings show that the local stakeholders participating in our research saw need for more inclusive and participatory community-centred tourism planning and development than most of the reviewed tourism strategies, which were mainly following neoliberal utilitarian ethics. Ethics should be explicitly referenced and discussed in tourism planning and policy making and form an integral part of tourism strategies, and further research is needed to support this transition.

Tiedon rooli matkailualan johtamisessa

2023-12-07T11:29:41+02:00

In this editorial, we focus on the importance of knowledge in the dynamic and constantly changing tourism industry. Although more knowledge is available than ever before, its application in the development of the tourism industry has been challenging. Leading with knowledge requires an understanding of how knowledge can influence decision-making, strategic development, and the innovation of new services. The use of knowledge should not be confined to analytics and reports; it is a creative process that demands the courage to try new things and learn from mistakes. The tourism industry still needs to develop a culture that encourages experimentation and innovation, as well as managerial practices in leading with knowledge. Through these approaches, the tourism industry can fully utilise the enormous potential of knowledge and propel itself towards a sustainable and successful future.