Safariopastus työnä – työ, tekijät ja palkan riittävyys
Keywords:
tourism work, safari guiding, quantitative research, salary, LaplandAbstract
Working as a safari-guide – an analysis of the work, workers, and sufficient salary
In this study, I examine the work of safari guides in Finnish Lapland. My aim was to illustrate, first, the characteristics of people who work as safari guides, second, what their perceptions are of their salary, and third if safari guiding is purely a temporary job for young adults. The data was collected during training sessions for new and old guides in large safari companies in Finnish Lapland during 2012. The data consists of 152 survey replies, and was analyzed using crosstabs. Findings of the study suggest that more than 50 per cent of the respondents had a degree in tourism. The main reasons for working as a safari guide were the willingness to work in the nature and in an international environment, as well as to gain experience from working in the tourism field. 20 per cent of the participants were satisfied with the salary, around 90 percent wanted to continue safari guide work and 60 per cent planned to work in tourism in the future. Still, the working environment seemed to influence the way the salary was perceived: Working with nice colleagues was valued highly, whereas working on a Saturday night was seen as less rewarding.
