CfP – Matkailututkimus –Turismforskning – Finnish Journal of Tourism Studies

SLOWING DOWN WITH TOURISM

The environmental crisis has received increasingly attention during the last years within tourism research. Despite some glimpses of hope and optimism (see the Editorial in Matkailututkimus 2/2019), we have lacked effective ways to minimise the devastating impacts of tourism on Earth. However, the emerge of covid-19 pandemic has suddenly and drastically reduced global mobilities and consumption, as the environmental scientists and activists have called for. At the same time, the virus is threating human lives and causing an unforeseen crisis and insecurity to the entire tourism sector.

Today’s prognostics indicate that tourism sector, among other things, will never recover and go back to ‘normal’. While some have described the current situation as a rehearsal for the larger climate crises, previous research reminds how our resilience and better preparedness for future catastrophes should not be taken for granted (see Hall, Prayrag & Amore, 2017). At the same time, resilience literature also suggests how crisis or trauma can lead to profound, positive changes in our relationships and values. New forms of solidarity, care, innovations and online proximity – initiated during ‘social distancing’ – support this hopeful thought.

These strange times seem to offer us an unexpected occasion to slow down to reflect on what kind of changes could take place to minimise the planetary harm – and to change the ways we practice and research tourism. Instead of rushing back to normal, how can we prepare for the post-traumatic changes? What could and should be learned from these times where our health, feeling of security and economy are under threat?

We call for papers, interviews, poems, conversations, research notes and greetings that enable us to share ideas of resilience, vulnerability, responses, resistance, hope, recovery and rebuilding in tourism settings, during and after covid-19. We also welcome full papers.

Deadline:
• Full papers by June 17, 2020
• Interviews, poems, conversations, research notes, conference / seminar / symposium greetings, news etc. by September 1, 2020

Estimated publication time: November 2020.

The call for papers has been prepared with the Editorial Board members of the journal: Johan R. Edelheim, Jennie Germann Molz, C. Michael Hall, Emily Höckert, Gunnar Þór Jóhannesson, Carol Kline, Raija Komppula, and Riikka Puhakka.