Challenges for tourism in northern Sweden
Tourism entrepreneurs in northern Sweden show a lack of readiness to adjust their activities to a warmer climate. This leads to an increased exposure for a line of business that is important for the development of the whole northern region of Sweden. This is the result of a thesis completed at ETOUR, Mid Sweden University.
Tourism entrepreneurs in northern Sweden (Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Västernorrland and Jämtland) and their long-term ability to survive is the subject of a new thesis completed at the tourism research institute ETOUR at Mid Sweden University. The research shows that new tourism entrepreneurs contribute to the creation of jobs from the beginning and that the total number of jobs in companies that survive for longer periods of time increase, despite the fact that many tourism entrepreneurs go bankrupt.
- In addition, the long-term survival of tourism entrepreneurs increases if the entrepreneur has previous experience from a similar line of business. However, it is not always an advantage to be a new resident in the area, says Patrick Brouder.
In northern Sweden, tourism depends heavily on the seasons and many entrepreneurs make a living on winter tourism, both larger and smaller companies. The climate change is a long-term challenge for companies who are active during the winter period with immobile activities. However, among the tourism entrepreneurs of the survey, there is no readiness to adjust to a warmer climate.
- What is needed is a regional mapping of the influence the climate change on a local level. Authorities and decision-makers need to take initiatives and lead the way, as the entrepreneurs neither have a focus on this issue nor the possibility to act in their daily work, says Patrick Brouder, Ph.D. in Tourism Studies at ETOUR.
The thesis makes Patrick Brouder Scandinavia’s first holder of a Ph.D. in Tourism Studies. He feels that the image of tourism as a line of business is constantly improving and that a conscious cooperation with the local community would strengthen the line of business even more.
- There are still reasons to look at tourism as an efficient tool for local and regional development, but it should not be considered to be the only and last way out for peripheral areas in northern Sweden. The future demands carefully prepared strategies, says Patrick Brouder.
