Tourism Employment In Nordic Countries

Viewed through a politico-economic lens, Nordic countries share what is often referred to as the ‘Nordic model’, characterised by a comprehensive welfare state; higher spending on childcare; more equitable income distribution; and lifelong-learning policies. This edited collection considers these contexts to explore the complex nature of tourism employment, thereby providing insights into the dynamic nature, characteristics, and meaning of work in tourism. Contributors combine explorations of the impact of policy on tourism employment with a more traditional human resources management approach focusing on employment issues from an organizational perspective, such as job satisfaction, training, and retention. The text points to opportunities as well as challenges relating to issues such as the notion of ‘decent work’, the role and contribution of migrant workers, and more broadly, the varying policy objectives embedded within the Nordic welfare model. Offering a detailed, multi-faceted analysis of tourism employment, this book is a valuable resource for students, researchers and practitioners interested in tourism employment in the region.

Tourism is an important, growing industry in all the Nordic countries, but until recently, it has not had a particularly strong focus within the Nordic cooperation framework. This is changing rapidly, and the Nordic Council of Ministers has given a strong signal that increased emphasis should be placed on tourism issues within the Nordic framework. This project is a result of that important political prioritisation. The key objective of this project is to create a framework on which a Nordic Tourism Strategy can be established. Thus, the desired outcome of the project is to define future strategies and projects that will underscore common opportunities and challenges within Nordic tourism. The objective of a Nordic Tourism Policy Analysis is to provide valuable input to each country's work within tourism as well as laying a foundation for a common Nordic Tourism Policy.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/nord2021-033/ As the impact of tourism has been growing globally and regionally, the forces at play in the industry have become more evident and contested. Before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a lockdown on the industry, tourism was one of the fastest growing industries in the world economy, with an important contribution to job creation, export revenue and domestic value added. While the pandemic has eroded infrastructures and innovative capacities, it has also made the need for new approaches and innovation more pressing. This report is an exploration of Nordic policies and practice with regard to monitoring the environmental, social and economic impact of tourism. It highlights expertise and best practices that already exist and makes observations and recommendations on how the Nordic countries can indeed “build back better” to create more sustainable and regenerative travel and tourism industries.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2023-519/ Covid-19 pandemic was a shock to the tourism industry in the Nordic countries. Loss of international tourism – both inbound and outbound – due to the Covid-19 related restrictions forced tourism enterprises and development organisations to adapt their products and services to meet the needs of domestic travellers. This report examines the domestic tourism sector, its significance and future in the Nordic countries, autonomous areas and in selected border regions between the Nordic countries and investigates practical examples of measures taken during the crisis. According to the results, the pandemic served as an eye-opener to the significance of domestic tourism in the Nordic countries and autonomous areas and the future of domestic tourism is generally seen as positive. However, tourism sector developers must work together to realise the full potential of domestic tourism market.

Tourism is an increasingly important industry in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) that is integral to economic, social and sustainable development. Nordic Tourism is the first comprehensive and accessible introduction to tourism in the region and also includes case studies from leading Nordic researchers on specific destinations, attractions, resources, concepts and issues.

International tourist flow / trends.

Tourism ‘mobilities’ are not restricted to the movement of tourists between places of origin and destinations. Particularly in more peripheral, remote, or sparsely populated destinations, workers and residents are also likely to be frequently moving between locations. Such destinations attract seasonal or temporary residents, sometimes with only loose ties to the tourism industry. These flows of mobile populations are accompanied by flows of other resources – money, knowledge, ideas and innovations – which can be used to help the economic and social development of the destination. This book examines key aspects of the human mobilities associated with tourism in sparsely populated areas, and investigates how new mobility patterns inspired by technological, economic, political, and social change provide both opportunities and risks for those areas. Examples are drawn from the northern peripheries of Europe and the north of Australia, and the book provides a framework for continuing research into the role that tourism and ‘new mobilities’ can play in regional development in these locations. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism.

Recently, the Nordic countries have experienced a rapid growth in numbers of visitors. At some popular nature attractions this has resulted in crowding, environmental damage, costly rescue operations and overload on public infrastructure. Implementation of economic policy instruments have hence been suggested to secure a more sustainable development. While the applicability of e.g. entrance fees is restricted by the public rights of access, economic instruments tend to represent short-sighted solutions. Sustainable development requires holistic policies, which take environmental, social and economic aspects into consideration in a long-term perspective. To achieve a more sustainable development of tourism, it is suggested that a limited use of economic instrument should take place in combination with adaptive management strategies and available legal and administrative instruments.