Organized as part of SLM 604: Influencing Change Towards Sustainability

A course in Vancouver Island University’s

Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management Program (MASLM): https://www.viu.ca/programs/tourism-recreation-hospitality/master-arts-sustainable-leisure-management

In collaboration with VIU’s World Leisure Centre of Excellence’s Visiting Scholar program https://management.viu.ca/sustainable-leisure-management/blog/visiting-scholars-program-call

Speaker:

Dr. Kajsa Åberg Regional Development Organization of Västerbotten, Sweden

kajsa.aberg@regionvasterbotten.se

https://www.visitvasterbotten.se/en

Host:

Dr. Patrick Brouder, BC Regional Innovation Chair, Canada @PaddyBrouder Patrick.brouder@viu.ca www.brouder.ca

Innovations in Destination Development in Small Regional Cities

the case of Umeå in northern Sweden

World VIUPoints Webinar 2020-12-10 Kajsa G. Åberg, Ph D, tourism strategist Region Västerbotten

Interaction between external actors and tourism producers. External actors: public sector agencies, researchers, educators in universities and other training situations. Rural, more peripheral regions. BBB – boring bits in between the exotic remote and urban fringe (Koster & Carson (2019) Perspectives on rural tourism geographies: case studies from developed nations on the exotic, the fringe and the boring bits in between. Springer)

This session the importance of your story, as entrepreneur and local community

Introduction to Västerbotten

Perspectives

The Recipe

Platforms

Tool for facts

Tool for fun

The region Västerbotten • 15 municipalities

• One county administrative body (Länsstyrelse)

• One county council (Region)

• Area: 55 432 km2 (2nd largest, 13% of Sweden)

• Population: 268,887 (2,7% of Sweden)

• Population density: less than 5 res/ km2 (Sweden: 22,7 res/ km2)

Challenges & possibilities Restructuring

Mobility

Demography

Centralization Infrastructure

Empty landscapes Resource

Lifestylers Passion and innovation

Perspectives

Outbound

The traveller’s perception of a place

Tool for regional development (and survival)

(Said, 1978; Tuan, 1974, 1977. Boesen et al., 2016; Bohlin, Brandt and Elbe, 2014, 2016; Bramwell & Lane, 2000; Dredge, 2006; Åberg & Svels, 2018)

Västerbotten Nights spent in second homes and VFR 61%

Commercial guest nights

39%

Total commercial guest night 2017

1 841 763

Whereof 1 453 993 Swedes

and 387 770 international

Domestic • Second homes

• VFR

• Cityweekends & shopping

International • The Global Traveller

• The curious explorer

• The active outdoor enthusiast

• Holiday hedonists

The Recipe • An attraction

• Access

• Information

• Service

Attraction What makes a place interesting to others.

Access Infrastructure that makes it possible for others to come to the attraction.

Information Let others know about the attraction and how to access it.

Service Economic activities.

Supply and demand

What do they want?

Where do they want to go?

What do we want to produce?

Where do we want them to go?

Platforms Several thoughts at one time.

advocacy

cautionary

adaptancy

knowledge

sustainability

ethics

own model after Jafari, 1989, 2001; Macbeth, 2005

Randy Durband, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, global meeting December 2019.

Tool for working with elusive concepts 1

Global Sustainable Tourism Council

Virtual, independent organization

Members: UN agencies. NGOs, governments, companies, individuals, communities

www.gstcouncil.org

GSTC CRITERIA

• Baseline standards for sustainability

• Tool to approach social, environmental, cultural and economic sustainability

GSTC criteria

Industry criteria: Private sector.

Destination criteria. 39 criteria, assessed through 107 indicators

1 Sustainable management

2 Socioeconomic impacts

3 Cultural impacts

4 Environmental impacts (resources, pollution, conservation of biodiversity and landscapes)

Not being addressed

Has been discussed

Existing strategy

Strategy complemented by

monitoring, analysis and actions

GSTC INDUSTRY CRITERIA, INDICATORS FOR HOTELS

Section A: Demonstrate effective sustainable management

• A6 Accurate promotion

Promotional materials and marketing communications are accurate and transparent with regard to the

organization and its products and services, including sustainability claims.

They do not promise more than is being delivered.

a. Images used in promotion are of actual experiences offered and facilities provided.

b. Sustainability claims are based on records of past performance

https://www.gstcouncil.org/gstc-criteria/

GSTC Destination Criteria, Performance indicators and SDGs

Section A: Sustainable management

A7 Promotion and information

Promotion and visitor information material about the destination is accurate with regard to its products,

services, and sustainability claims. Marketing messages and other communications reflect the destination’s

values and approach to sustainability and treat local communities and natural and cultural assets with respect.

a. Current information and promotional material with appropriate content.

b. A process exists for checking the accuracy and appropriateness of destination promotion and information.

c. Evidence of consultation with local communities and environmental and cultural bodies on communications

content and delivery

https://www.gstcouncil.org/gstc-criteria/

Tool for working with elusive concepts 2

StoryTagging The StoryTagging project combines traditional storytelling

with modern technologies to help increase the visibility and

market reach of creative practitioners working in remote areas.

This session the importance of your story, as entrepreneur and local community

Introduction to Västerbotten

Perspectives

The Recipe: attraction, access, information, service

Platforms

Tool for facts

Tool for fun

Effects of travelling and tourism Greta-effect and flight-shame

Questioning and critical assessment: • how far should we go…

• experiences in a circular economy

• regenerate or sustain

This calls for enhanced knowledge among tourism operators, travellers and policy makers all of us.

Product must meet producer’s needs first

Include, economy, ecology, social, cultural and the individual aspect.

Keeping the core of sustaining yourself as an individual and not becoming a tool for regional development.

WELCOME TO MY BORING BACKYARD!

Thanks for listening!

References & suggested readings Boesen, M., Sundbo, D., & Sundbo, J. (2017). Local food and tourism: An entrepreneurial network

approach. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 17(1), 76-91.

Bohlin, M., Brandt, D., & Elbe, J. (2014). The development of Swedish tourism public policy 1930-

2010. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, 18(1), 19-39.

Bramwell, B., & Lane, B. (Eds.). (2000). Tourism collaboration and partnerships: Politics, practice and

sustainability (Vol. 2). Channel View Publications.

Carson, D. A., Åberg, K. G., & Prideaux, B. (2020). Cities of the North: Gateways, Competitors or

Regional Markets for Hinterland Tourism Destinations?. In Dipping in to the North (pp. 285-310).

Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.

Dredge, D. (2006). Networks, conflict and collaborative communities. Journal of Sustainable

Tourism, 14(6), 562-581.

Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Webpage with criteria documents as

pdf:https://www.gstcouncil.org/gstc-criteria/. 2020-12-10.

Jafari, J. (2001). The scientification of tourism. In: V.L. Smith and M. Brent (Eds.), Hosts and guests

revisited: Tourism issues of the 21st century. Cognizant Communication. 28-41.

Koster, R. & Carson, D. (2019) Perspectives on rural tourism geographies: case studies from

developed nations on the exotic, the fringe and the boring bits in between. Springer.

Lundmark, L., & Åberg, K. G. (2019). How Modest Tourism Development Becomes Successful: The

Complementarity of Tourism in Malå Municipality. In Perspectives on Rural Tourism Geographies

(pp. 221-241). Springer, Cham.

Macbeth, J. (2005). Towards an ethics platform for tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 32(4), 962-

984.

Said, E. W. (1978). Orientalism. Pantheon Books.

StoryTagging. Webpage presenting the project within Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme

(NPA, InterReg): https://storytagging.interreg-npa.eu. 2020-12-10.

Tuan, Y. (1974) Topophilia. A study of environmental perception, attitudes and values. New York:

Colombia university press.

Tuan, Y. F. (1974). Space and place: humanistic perspective. Progress in geography, 6, 211-252.

Tuan, Y. (1977) Space and place. The perspective of Experience. Minneapolis & London: University of

Minnesota Press.

Walmsley, A., Åberg, K., Blinnikka, P., Jóhannesson, G.T. (2020). Nordic Employment in Nordic

Counties: Trends, Practices, and Opportunities. Springer.

Åberg, K. G. (2017). “ANYONE COULD DO THAT”: Nordic perspectives on competence in tourism.

Doctoral Thesis, Department of Geography and Economic History, Umeå University.

Åberg, & Svels, (2017). Destination Development in Ostro-bothnia: Great Expectations of Less

Involvement, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 1-17.

Åberg, & Müller, (2017). The Development of Geographical Differences in Education Levels within

Swedish Tourism, Tourism Geographies, 2017: 1-18.

Åberg, K. G. (2020). Regional tourism organizations from management to marketing to knowledge-

based development. Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 20(3), 232-236.

Questions?

More questions for Kajsa? kajsa.aberg@regionvasterbotten.se

A recording of this session along with the .ppt slides will be posted to: https://management.viu.ca/sustainable-leisure-management/blog