Tourism Development in Finland

Abstract

The two Finnish tourism development cases presented in this chapter illustrate the importance of linking national tourism policies to regional destination development strategies and projects. However, balancing national policies, regional strategies, and tourism development structured in projects is demanding. This is especially evident in regions where tourism can be characterized as peripheral, small scale, and seasonal, as in the region of Ostrobothnia in Finland. This chapter elaborates on three strategic dimensions to accelerate regional tourism development and leverage the gap between tourism policies and practices. These are the foundation of regional tourism development teams, acknowledging the power of business hub structures, and to make policymakers into friends.

Citation

Björk, P. (2014), "Tourism Development in Finland", Tourism as an Instrument for Development: A Theoretical and Practical Study (Bridging Tourism Theory and Practice, Vol. 5), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 265-280. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2042-144320140000006020