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‘If they touch our cloudberries, that means war’: Rural liveability and acceptance of environmental impacts from event tourism
Mid Sweden University, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Economics, Geography, Law and Tourism.
2023 (English)In: Tourist Studies, ISSN 1468-7976, E-ISSN 1741-3206, Vol. 23, no 4, p. 335-351Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Through the lens of liveability and Buen Vivir, I explore how local actors form their acceptance of the physical impact on nature caused by a trail marathon in north-central Sweden, particularly given trail and soil erosion. With a qualitative multi-method research approach, the findings reveal that the local actors minimise the impacts by getting involved in various activities both inside and outside the event. Different knowledge and practices foster sustainability and create acceptance. While the growth of tourism creates unease and feelings of inadequate control, this event is seen as a distinct phenomenon. I show that liveability goes beyond perception and requires integration of the local environment into local practices. Current acceptance may however be eroded if more or larger events occur in the future. Policies and planning must therefore acknowledge and incorporate these local practices to create sustainability. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
SAGE Publications , 2023. Vol. 23, no 4, p. 335-351
Keywords [en]
Anthropocene, Buen Vivir, environmental impact, liveability, nature-based events, sustainability, tourism development
National Category
Social and Economic Geography
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-49460DOI: 10.1177/14687976231200902Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85172156059OAI: oai:DiVA.org:miun-49460DiVA, id: diva2:1802253
Available from: 2023-10-04 Created: 2023-10-04 Last updated: 2024-10-30Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Acceptance of Local Environmental Impacts from Event Tourism
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Acceptance of Local Environmental Impacts from Event Tourism
2024 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Alternative title[sv]
Acceptans av lokal miljöpåverkan från evenemangsturism
Abstract [en]

Few other tourism activities attract large crowds to specific areas over a short period of time like events. Yet, despite their environmental impacts, actors—from residents to organisers—seem to accept them. Understanding the socio-cultural mechanisms behind this acceptance can further explain how tourism continues to impact nature without curtailing development in the Anthropocene. The aim of this dissertation is to enhance understanding of the acceptance of environmental impacts from tourism activities. This is achieved by shifting the scale from environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions, to physical impacts on nature, such as the wear and tear on land and trails during nature-based events. The empirical data and qualitative fieldwork were conducted in rural areas of Jämtland, Sweden, integrating interviews, observations and document analysis, and involving four key actors across a compilation of four articles: local government authorities responsible for issuing permits, local residents who use nature in the vicinity of the events, event organisers and participants in trail running and mountain biking events. The empirical data is analysed through a post-development theory lens to challenge established knowledge and development frameworks in tourism and to illustrate how a dynamic use of resources can foster acceptance.

The results identified five socio-cultural mechanisms that shape acceptance. First, a mechanism of scale illustrates how actors relate environmental impact to both local and global contexts. Relating the impacts in terms of scale reshapes the actors’ acceptance by comparing the physical impacts on nature to broader global environmental impacts. Second, a mechanism of growth shows how actors view the expansion of events as separate from their environmental impact. Acceptance arises because actors do not fully reflect on the cumulative effects of impacts. When actors place themselves outside of the immediate event, the total amount of impacts becomes more obvious. Third, a mechanism of ownership reveals three types of ownership that influence acceptance: ownership linked to social responsibility, national pride and economic interests. Fourth, a mechanism of responsibility shows how actors shift responsibility for mitigating environmental impacts onto others. When actors distance themselves from the immediate space or become part of a broader chain of responsibility, the physical impacts on nature become accepted. Finally, a mechanism of limits shows that acceptance is tied to shifting boundaries of what is considered acceptable as the event becomes integrated into a wider plurality of activities. The main argument of this dissertation is that the acceptance of physical impacts on nature from events depends on actors’ willingness to adapt to other actors. When events are closely connected to various tourism and other actors in the area, this plurality creates acceptance even if tourism activities affect the actors’ everyday lives.

Abstract [sv]

Få andra turistaktiviteter lockar så stora folkmassor till ett specifikt område under en kort tidsperiod som evenemang vilket kan leda till stor miljöpåverkan. Trots denna påverkan tycks aktörer som lokalt boende och arrangörer ändå acceptera evenemangen. Dock är de sociala och kulturella mekanismerna bakom denna acceptans relativt sällan adresserade inom forskningen. Genom att förstå dessa mekanismer kan vi förklara hur aktörer formar sin acceptans av turismprodukter trots mänsklighetens pågående miljöpåverkan. Syftet med denna avhandling är att öka förståelsen för acceptansen av miljöpåverkan från turistaktiviteter vid evenemang. Detta görs genom att flytta fokus från generell miljöpåverkan, såsom utsläpp, till den lokala påverkan på naturen, såsom slitage på mark och leder under naturbaserade evenemang. Empirin bygger på kvalitativa fältstudier med intervjuer, observationer och dokumentanalys som genomförts i fjällnära natur i Jämtland, Sverige. Avhandlingen är en sammanläggning av fyra artiklar som var och en lyfter fram fyra grupper av aktörer: den regionala länsstyrelsen som utfärdar tillstånd till naturbaserade evenemang; lokala aktörer som boende och verksamma i områdena kring dessa evenemang; evenemangsorganisatörer; och slutligen deltagare som använder leder som en resurs för sina aktiviteter. Det analytiska ramverket bygger på post-utvecklingsteori för att utmana tidigare forskning och de så vanligt förekommande ekonomiska förklaringsmodellerna bakom turismutveckling. Avhandlingens analytiska ramverk används för att förklara hur aktörers acceptans formas när olika aktörer använder naturen på olika sätt.

Fem centrala mekanismer som formar acceptans har identifierats i avhandlingens studier. En mekanism visar hur aktörerna formar sin acceptans av skador på naturen genom att jämföra dem med global miljöpåverkan. En andra mekanism visar hur aktörerna ser ökningen av evenemang och turism som frikopplad från dess miljöpåverkan och att aktörerna inte reflekterar över de kumulativa effekter som uppkommer i samband med alla turismaktiviteter i området. En tredje mekanism visar olika typer av ägandeskap som påverkar acceptansen: ett ägandeskap kopplat till samhällsansvar, ett annat kopplat till nationell stolthet och ett till ekonomiska intressen. En fjärde mekanism belyser hur aktörerna för över sitt ansvar till andra aktörer vad gäller att minimera miljöpåverkan. Acceptansen uppstår genom att aktörer distanserar sig från ansvarskedjan och det lokala sammanhanget. Slutligen visar en femte mekanism hur acceptansen är knuten till hur gränser flyttas gällande vad som är acceptabelt när evenemang integreras i ett brett spektrum av olika aktiviteter. Huvudargumentet i avhandlingen är att acceptansen av fysisk påverkan på naturen från evenemang beror på aktörernas vilja att anpassa sig till andra aktörer. När evenemangen är nära kopplade till olika turismaktörer och andra intressenter i området, främjar det acceptansen även om det påverkar deras framtida och vardagliga liv.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sundsvall: Mid Sweden University, 2024. p. 149
Series
Mid Sweden University doctoral thesis, ISSN 1652-893X ; 414
Keywords
Nature-based events, physical impacts on nature, acceptance, post-development theory, tourism development, qualitative methods, Jämtland, Sweden, Naturbaserade evenemang, fysisk påverkan på naturen, acceptans, postutvecklingsteori, turismutveckling, kvalitativa metoder, Jämtland, Sverige.
National Category
Social Anthropology Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology) Human Geography
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-52976 (URN)978-91-89786-81-3 (ISBN)
Public defence
2024-12-05, F234, Kunskapens väg 8, Östersund, 09:30 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Projects
Mistra Sport & Outdoors
Funder
Mistra - The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, DIA 2016/36
Note

Vid tidpunkten för disputationen var följande delarbete opublicerat: delarbete 3 manuskript.

At the time of the doctoral defence the following paper was unpublished: paper 3 in manuscript.

Available from: 2024-11-04 Created: 2024-10-30 Last updated: 2024-11-05Bibliographically approved

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Eriksson, Axel

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