Geographical research of Tourism (Tourism Geography)

Research themes

Geographical research of tourism is studying tourism as phenomena, change of it, impacts and interaction to basic concepts of Geography: space, regions, place and landscape. Main research subjects of Tourism Geographies Group are tourism and its relation to regional development, impact of tourism, environment and sustainable tourism and interaction between tourism and tourism regions, local cultures and regional and local identities. Tourism and geographical impacts on it are considered in relation to different spatial scales and research is also conducted in relation development studies, social environmental science and research of climatic change. Research aims to connect theoretical and empirical approaches and research is versatile and multidisciplinary. Empirical research is concentrated both in Northern Finland and international cases. Internationally the focus is on Southern Africa (Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Swaziland) and neighbouring areas of Finland (Russia and Estonia).

Staff

Professor PhD Jarkko Saarinen
Project manager PhD Pekka Kauppila
Researcher Mika Anttonen
Researcher Lic.Phil. Riikka Leinonen
Assistant MScTanja Löytynoja
Researcher MSc Eeva-Kaisa Prokkola
Researcher MSc Kaarina Tervo-Kankare

Research projects

Nothern communities: tourism and global change (2006-2009, Thule Institute). Reserchers: Mika Anttonen, Riikka Leinonen ja Kaarina Tervo-Kankare. Contact person: Jarkko Saarinen

Sustainable tourism in Southern Africa (2006-2008, Ministry for Foreign Affairs). Contact person: Jarkko Saarinen

Crossing borders, building identities: new regionalizations, tourism and everyday life in Northern Europe (2005–2009, Academy of Finland). Reserchers: Tanja Löytynoja ja Eeva-Kaisa Prokkola. Contact person: Anssi Paasi

Main publications

• Anttonen, M. (2002). ”Matkailun tilat”: Henri Lefebvren sosiaalisen tilan teorian näkökulmia maantieteelliseen matkailututkimukseen. Terra 14:3, 171–176.

• Kauppila, P. (2006). Matkailukeskusten muuttuvat toiminnot tilassa ja ajassa: teoreettinen näkökulma. (Changing functions of resorts in space and time: a theoretical view). Matkailututkimus 2: 1, 20–40.

• Löytynoja, T. (2008). National Boundaries and Place-making in Tourism: Staging the Finnish-Russian border. In Paasi, Anssi & Eeva-Kaisa Prokkola (eds.): NGP Yearbook 2007. The Changing Cultural Geographies of Place, Region and Mobility. Nordia Geographical Publications 36: 4, 35-45.

• Saarinen, J. & T. Kask (2008). Transforming Tourism Spaces in Changing Socio-Political Contexts: the Case of Pärnu, Estonia, as a Tourist Destination Tourism Geographies 10 (accepted, in press)

• Saarinen, J. (2007). Cultural tourism, local communities and representations of authenticity: the case of Lesedi and Swazi cultural villages in Southern Africa. In Wels, H. (ed.) Culture and Community: Tourism Studies in Eastern and Southern Africa.

• Saarinen, J. (2006). Traditions of Sustainability in Tourism Studies. Annals of Tourism Research 33(4), 1121–1140.

• Saarinen, J. & K. Tervo (2006). Perceptions and adaptation strategies of the tourism industry to climate change: The Case of Finnish nature-based tourism entrepreneurs. International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development 2:2, 214–228.

• Saarinen, J. (2005). Tourism in Northern Wildernesses: Nature-Based Tourism Development in Northern Finland. In Hall, C.M & S. Boyd (eds). Nature-based Tourism in Peripheral Areas: Development or Disaster? Channelview Publications, Clevedon, 36–49.

• Saarinen, J. (2004). ‘Destinations in Change’: the Transformation Process of Tourist Destinations. Tourist Studies 4: 2, 161–179.