Mid Sweden University

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to provide empirical evidence which identifies the impact of ethnicity and other relevant variables on external capital acquisition among Swedish women-owned businesses at start-up. Design/methodology/approach: Several methods have been employed to analyze the sample including a binary logistic regression model. The sample consists of 836 women-owned businesses in southeast Sweden; 97 immigrant-owned, 739 native born-owned. Findings: The results indicate that there are partly significant differences between native women-owned firms and immigrant woman-owned businesses at start-up. Unlike the native-owned firms, the immigrant woman-owned businesses rely more on loans from family members and less on bank loans. Practical implications: The results reveal that age has a positive impact on loans from family members, while the additional job outside one's own business, the amount of the owner's personal start-up capital and firm size positively influenced access to capital from banks. The owners' level of education, previous business experience, the legal form taken by the firm and the industry affiliation conversely played no significant role in explaining the women owners' attitudes toward loans from either friends or the bank. Originality/value: To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first empirical investigation addressing this issue in the Swedish context. 

Turism ses numera som en motor för både lokal och regional utveckling och tillväxt, inte minst i perifera områden. Det pågår en förändring i det turistiska rummet då allt fler starka destinationer skapas och destinationsbegreppet har därav blivit centralt i besöksnäringens utveckling. Destinationsutveckling kräver samverkan och privata turismaktörer är beroende av offentliga aktörer, då de ger förutsättningar och villkor för deras verksamhet. Samverkan inom en destination anses öka kunskapsutbyte, innovation och konkurrenskraft. Aktörer som samverkar är generellt starkare än enskilda aktörer som nödvändigtvis inte har samma möjlighet till samverkan på grund av exempelvis geografiskt läge eller brist på resurser. Förutsättningarna för utveckling och stöd kan därav variera mellan besöksnäringens aktörer. Denna kvalitativa uppsats syftar till att undersöka hur rollfördelning och samverkan mellan privata och offentliga aktörer ser ut i och utanför destinationer. Detta undersöks genom en fallstudie av region Jämtland Härjedalen, där Wikners i Persåsen utgör ett typexempel på en mindre aktör i periferin som inte är formellt knuten till en specifik destination. Utifrån ett målinriktat urval har semistrukturerade samt skriftliga intervjuer via frågeformulär genomförts med representanter från nationell, regional, kommunal och lokal nivå. Detta för att belysa samtliga nivåers perspektiv på besöksnäringens utveckling i regionen. Resultatet tyder på att samverkansklimatet inom regionen är bra generellt. Dock finns det flertalet mindre aktörer som ställs inför utmaningar då man allt mer arbetar strategiskt utifrån destinationsperspektivet, vilket förutsätter en samverkan mellan flera aktörer. Det har även uppstått ett dilemma gällande ansvaret för den regionala marknadsföringen av besöksnäringen.

Introduction and objectives

As life expectancy rises, there is an increasing need to comprehend the health of older adults for a better quality of life. The benefits of nearby nature for older adults encompass physical activity, mobility, social connections, and mental health and well-being (see overview by Wolf & Housley, 2016). This study examines older adults’ access to nature and nature experiences in relation to health, focusing specifically on sounds. Ratcliffe (2021) points out that past research has predominantly concentrated on the visual aspects of nature. However, natural soundscapes, including sounds like those of birds, trees, insects, and water, are gaining recognition and becoming increasingly significant in understanding the breadth of nature experiences. Research on smell and touch remain relatively limited. With an increasing number of people residing in urban or suburban areas, the accessibility of nearby green spaces becomes crucial for health (Zingmark et al., 2021), especially when planning for densification (Gidlöf-Gunnarsson & Öhrström, 2007). Recognizing the importance of soundscapes from a planning and management perspective is crucial, especially with the expanding urban population, to grasp the significance of nearby nature.

Methodology

The data for this study were collected through being outdoors with four focus groups with older adults. These groups shared their nature experiences of diverse nature settings within Härnösand and Östersund municipalities, Sweden. Two groups, each comprising five participants (both males and females), were actively involved in frequent hikes, with an average age of around 75. In contrast, the other two groups (with five and four participants, respectively, including both males and females, aged 68-92 years) relied on walking aids and had limited mobility.

Before heading outside, an indoor meeting lasting approximately 1.5-2 hours was conducted, with group interviews covering topics such as experiences and preferences when visiting nature areas, typical activities, and perceptions and emotions in nature. The focus groups were organized during the fall, spring, and winter seasons in September 2022, May and November 2023, with the presence of two researchers.

The active participants took part in a three-hour hike in a nature reserve and in a recreational area, respectively, approximately 10-15 minutes from the city centre. Simultaneously, participants with walking aids took a walk lasting approximately 45 min to 1 hour in urban nature near the meeting venue. Throughout these outdoor activities, participants shared their experiences and thoughts on nature and health, while researchers observed their senses, reactions, and behaviours. Documentation was carried out through photography and note-taking.

Results

Nature was experienced with all the senses where sounds together with sight, touch, and scent were used and commented by all focus groups. To be outside was perceived as an opportunity to exercise, look around, and feel the nature landscapes. To engage in tactile experiences with nature was important, as well as the social interaction of comparing and discussing sounds and nature. There was a thrill of discovering new things, with participants expressing heightened stimulation where the soundscape, coupled with visualization, touch, and smell, plays a crucial role. The participants commented on the positive sounds of wind and birds. It was evident that the participants engage their senses during the hikes. Expressions like “Beautiful birdsong” and “Lovely forest” were common. The focus groups’ expectations regarding natural sounds correlated to the visited nature areas. The active participants expressed negative comments about the engine noise from a nearby large motor stadium in the recreational area. Also, the sounds from two wind turbines were clear at various points:

Stina: “I don’t like the wind turbines.”

Gun-Inger: “It bothers me and is exhausting.”

Stina: “It affects me a lot, and the sound resonates throughout the body. It thumps.” 

Sounds of birdsong and the trees are appreciated while walking on the asphalted pathways in urban nature. To use a walker on the trails was wanted but too challenging due to numerous roots. Barbro, using a walking aid, describes how she usually walks her route during the summer to admire gardens, emphasizing that it is a crucial part of her nature experience. It was evident that the participants with walking aids enjoyed being outdoors in the urban green spaces which they described as: “This is nature!”. 

Within the two groups with physically active participants, there was expressed fear to lose the physical and hence not being able to be outdoors. The resentment against being treated/perceived as old was strong. Being able to hear nature is important, according to participants who discussed hearing loss as one ages with acceptance, albeit with sadness: “Hearing makes certain species extinct; I no longer hear them. Hearing aids help a bit. ... Well, you have to accept it, but it’s sad.”

All participants considered being outdoors in nature and its correlation to their health aspects as crucial, both physically and mentally. Feeling less stress was commented upon.

Discussion and conclusions

This study emphasizes a strong correlation between health and nature experiences, indicating that older adults are aware of the positive impact of being outdoors on their well-being. Among the various senses engaged in the nature experience, sounds play a crucial role, reducing stress and providing pleasure. 

Understanding why and how humans are affected by nature could give insights to future management and outline of urban green spaces but also be part of the discussion of how to increase accessibility, not least for a group as older adults who might have challenges to get outdoors in various manners.  

While areas with high naturalness receive better evaluations compared to low-naturalness parks, as suggested by Hedblom et al. (2017), it is crucial to consider both aspects in urban planning. Natural sounds play a crucial role in promoting health, whether in rural areas or urban settings. Parks, even if less “wild”, are important for older adults’ nature experiences, especially when it comes to the sounds of nature. As mobility decreases with age, nearby green spaces become even more essential. It is important to evaluate these spaces based on how users experience them, not just on traditional ideas of “wilderness”. 

Conducting more field studies that include soundwalks, as well as exploring experiencing nature by touch and smell, would provide valuable insights for future planning and management in relation to healthy ageing.

References

Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, A. & Öhrström, E. (2007). Noise and well-being in urban residential environments: The potential role of perceived availability to nearby green areas. Landscape and urban planning, 83(2-3), 115-126. doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2007.03.003

Hedblom, M., Knez, I., Ode Sang, Å. & Gunnarsson, B. (2017). Evaluation of natural sounds in urban greenery: potential impact for urban nature preservation. Royal Society open science, 4(2), 170037. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.170037

Ratcliffe, E. (2021). Sound and soundscape in restorative natural environments: A narrative literature review. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 570563. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.570563 

Wolf, K. & Housley, E. (2016). The benefits of nearby nature in cities for older adults. Research brief. Annapolis, MD: The TKF Foundation.

Zingmark, M., Ankre, R. & Wall-Reinius, S. (2021). Promoting outdoor recreation among older adults in Sweden – a theoretical and empirical foundation for the development of an intervention. Archives of Public Health, 79, 1-15. doi.org/10.1186/s13690-021-00762-6

Hav och kust har alltid varit viktiga för oss människor. I svenska kustlandskap har boende, infrastruktur och fiskenäring existerat sedan lång tid tillbaka samtidigt som områdena också varit viktiga för nöje och rekreation. Men mellan olika intressen, samt mellan och inom olika användargrupper samt förvaltning, kan det uppstå målkonflikter. Utgångspunkten för den här avhandlingen är att beskriva och analysera eventuella målkonflikter kopplat till friluftsliv utifrån både ett planerings- och ett användarperspektiv genom två fallstudier i Luleå och Blekinge skärgårdar. Friluftslivet är en del av samhället och dess relevans för fysisk och mental återhämtning ger planering och förvaltning av friluftsliv ett ökat politiskt stöd, samtidigt som tidigare forskning visat att friluftsliv är stark i retoriken - men svag i planeringspraktiken. Därför behövs kunskap som kan utveckla planering och förvaltning av friluftsliv i svenska kustlandskap.

Resultaten från den här avhandlingen visar att användarnas perspektiv på målkonflikter i Luleå och Blekinge skärgårdar ännu inte till stora delar har inkluderats i den kommunala planeringen. En slutsats är alltså att det finns skillnader i hur konflikter i samband med friluftsliv beskrivs och identifieras i den fysiska planeringen jämfört med användarnas upplevelser. Det har betydelse för förståelsen av friluftlivskonflikter och hanteringen av dessa. Förutom analys och diskussion av konflikter kopplat till friluftsliv, ingår en fördjupande studie av buller och tystnad som konflikt. Upplevelserna av lugn och ro samt tystnad är centrala för användarna i Luleå och Blekinge skärgårdar. Ett problem som avslöjas är att metoder med decibelnivåer inte avgör skillnader i buller som upplevelse i sig. Upplevelsen av buller och tystnad är nämligen subjektiv. Även zonering undersöks som ett planerings- och förvaltningsverktyg för att hantera friluftslivkonflikter i svenska kustlandskap. Som denna avhandling visar, finns det flertalet exempel på olika sorters zonering i Luleå och Blekinge skärgårdar. När man i planering och förvaltning utgår från ett perspektiv där naturvård och bevarande är utgångspunkterna, så måste ytterligare värderingar och verktyg inbegripas som att inkludera användare med deras olika behov, upplevelser och aktiviteter som äger rum i skärgårdarnas landskap. Att landskapet i sig är av betydelse syns också i resultaten. I fallstudiernas översiktsplaner markeras det värdefulla, attraktiva och unika med skärgårdslandskapet, medan användarna betonar det äkta, naturliga och opåverkade landskapet som grund för deras friluftsupplevelser.

Den här avhandlingen tillför kunskap om spänningen mellan olika attityder och synsätt i den fysiska planeringens processer, förvaltning samt friluftslivets användare i svenska kustlandskap. Avhandlingen är också ett tillägg till tidigare kunskap om zonering som ett sätt att hantera konflikter i svenska kustlandskap, där särskilt användarperspektivet är en viktig del. Avhandlingen bidrar även till en grundläggande översikt av fysisk planering i relation till friluftsliv.

Syftet med denna rapport är att bidra till ett förbättrat kunskapsunderlag inom planering och besöksförvaltning för att bidra till en ökad hållbarhet inom friluftsliv. Utifrån studier i Jämtlandsfjällen vill vi skapa förståelse och kunskap om hur friluftslivet samt dess miljöpåverkan på mark- och vattenmiljöer lyfts och hanteras i planering och förvaltning.

Vi studerar hur friluftsliv beaktas ochdefinieras i planering samt hur det lyfts i samband med hållbarhet med särskilt fokus på miljömässig påverkan. Syftet är också att beskriva och analysera betydelsen av planering och förvaltning i samband med friluftslivsfrågor där vi bland annat har utgått från tillväxt och besöksnäring,miljö och naturvård, folkhälsa samt riksintressen och intressekonflikter. Den geografiska avgränsningen är Jämtlands läns fjällkommuner vars västliga delar ligger i fjällkedjan: Berg, Härjedalen, Krokom, Strömsund ochÅre. Det är ett geografiskt område med olika intressen som energi,skogsnäring, rennäring, rekreation, idrott och turism som nyttjar naturresurserna.

I vår studie har vi gjort dokumentanalyser av regionala ochkommunala plan-, handlings- och strategidokument. Utöver det harsemistrukturerade intervjuer med tjänstepersoner och representanter för olika myndigheter och organisationer genomförts. Inledningsvis har vi identifierat hur ofta friluftsliv omnämns, samt i vilken kontext, i olika dokument. Resultaten visar att begreppet friluftsliv mer eller mindre är frånvarande i de regionala dokumenten, medan det i jämförelse nämns relativt ofta i kommunernas översiktsplaner men i stort sett inte alls i övergripande visions- och strategidokument.

Generellt sett är kunskapen om vad friluftsliv är och hur det definieras relativt låg bland de intervjuade. Det blir tydligt att friluftsliv ses som aktiviteter i naturen som ”bara” sker. Till viss del ses möjligheter med fysisk planering, men administrativa gränser och splittrad ansvars- och arbetsfördelning gör det svårt att få ett helhetsgrepp om friluftslivsfrågor. Det är en utmaning att olika vokabulär, begrepp och synonymer används samt att synen på vad friluftsliv är skiljer sig åt inom en kommun, mellankommuner och i förhållande till länsstyrelse. Det gäller även innebörden av begreppen friluftsliv respektive rörligt friluftsliv som är förvirrande och blandas i översiktsplanerna. Intervjuerna visar att kunskapen om skillnader mellan friluftsliv och rörligt friluftsliv är låg. Det finns få konkreta beskrivningar av friluftslivets miljöpåverkan i översiktsplanerna. Några av kommunerna tar upp ökat slitage på naturen, friluftslivets störning på rennäring och minskad tillgång till det som kan beskrivas som tysta miljöer. Några kommuner tar upp övergripande åtgärder för att minska såväl slitage på miljön som konflikter kring markanvändningen. Bland annat nämner Åre och Berg zonering och andra åtgärder som förstärkning av friluftslivets infrastruktur i form av leder genom känsliga naturtyper.

Det finns få beskrivningar om friluftslivets negativa miljöpåverkan i dokumenten. Sammantaget beskrivs friluftslivet generellt som positivt även om viss oro finns vad gäller markslitage och konflikter mellan friluftsliv och andra markanvändare. Vår slutsats är att det är en splittrad och otydlig ansvarsfördelning inklusive organisation i samband med friluftslivfrågor, vilket gör det mer utmanande att få en helhetsbild av friluftslivets konsekvenser. En otydlig ansvarsfördelning gör det också svårare med samordning och samverkan inom kommunen. Det finns utmaningar med att friluftsliv och dess konsekvenser osynliggörs genom många olika definitioner och omskrivningar, vilket bidrar till otydlighet och osäkerhet kring vad som menas bland aktörer och vem som arbetar med vad.

Utifrån dokumentanalysen drar vi slutsatsen att naturområden för friluftsliv tydligare bör lyftas fram i kommunernas översiktsplanering. Resultaten visar att trots att naturen och möjligheter till friluftsliv utgör en viktig del av fjällkommunernas attraktionsvärde och används som argument för turismutveckling och inflyttning till regionen, har friluftslivet en undanskymd roll i det kommunala arbetet och i den fysiska planeringen. När friluftsliv ses som en reseanledning samtidigt som marknadskrafter eller ideella initiativ driver utvecklingen av till exempel spår och leder, kan vi fundera över vilken roll kommunerna har när centrala delar av friluftslivets infrastruktur läggs utanför den kommunala verksamheten.

Sammantaget kan vi dra slutsatsen att kunskapen om friluftsliv och den svenska friluftspolitiken är förhållandevis låg i de undersökta kommunerna och en möjlig förklaring till detta kan vara att man inte ser de indirekta ekonomiska vinsterna. Slutsatsen är att friluftslivet och dess konsekvenser är en angelägenhet som kommunerna undviker och då inte heller tar ansvar för. Vår studie visar att friluftslivet behöver få starkare ställning 

In Sweden, outdoor recreation is well established and traditionally considered to create good health with positive effects on physical and mental health (Fredman et al., 2014). The interests of outdoor recreation is hence part of the whole Swedish society, for example, in the government bill the Future Outdoor Recreation (2009/10: 238) it is described that the conditions for a so-called "good outdoor recreation" can be created by the State through spatial planning, accessibility, information and protected nature areas. However, accessibility for outdoor recreation relate to both physical, mental and socio-economic conditions (Emmelin et al., 2010). In Östersund municipality in northern Sweden, it is an on-going work to introduce more health-promoting activities as well as measures and rehabilitation for people with injuries and disabilities. Östersund municipality has developed a "Program for outdoor recreation" with the aim to create accessible outdoor recreation for all its residents. Previous studies have shown that lack of accessibility limits participation in tourism and outdoor activities for people with disabilities and destinations do little to identify and accommodate the specific demands and preferences of people with disabilities. Studies also show that planners are asking for more local investigations as to where, how and why outdoor recreation is practiced (see e.g. Petersson Forsberg, 2012; Ankre, 2019).

The presentation will focus on a newly started project with the aim to increase knowledge of some of the challenges in Östersund regarding accessibility, lifestyle and physical activities. In addition, how accessibility and social inclusion can be further supported and developed in the local community are of interest. The project includes a mapping of accessible nature areas within the municipality, an investigation of needs and wishes among citizens with disabilities, and interviews with public and private stakeholders on their view on how to increase participation in outdoor activities. Preliminary results from focus group interviews and fieldwork will be presented. The focus group contains a before-during-and-after perspective. Firstly, the group meets indoors (to talk about, for example previous experiences and the importance of accurate information about the sites), followed by an excursion to a nature area in Östersund municipality, and finally a follow-up group meeting indoors. Of interest are how people with disabilities experience visits to different nature areas in the Östersund municipality, what kinds of obstacles there are when visiting nature areas, and how these areas may be improved.

Accessibility also relates to the on-going densification in urban areas as a prevailing planning ideology. There is a general notion that there is so much green and that outdoor recreation can take place “elsewhere”. Even if this may be true, it can also lead to the exploitation of accessible urban and urban-close nature that is important for people’s everyday recreation. What kind of outdoor recreation one is practicing in Östersund and where and why was examined in the autumn of 2016 in a web survey directed at 3,000 randomly selected local residents. The results with a critical discussion of accessibility have recently been published (Ankre & Petersson Forsberg, 2019) which will create additional material in this study. We will also end with a discussion on ethical and methodological considerations.

References

Ankre, R. (2019). Friluftslivkonflikter i svenska kustlandskap ur ett planerings- och användarperspektiv. Studier av Luleå och Blekinge skärgårdar. Doctoral thesis. Karlskrona, Blekinge Institute of Technology.

Ankre, R. & Petersson Forsberg, L. (2019). Förtätning och gröna kilar - konsekvenser för friluftslivet in Samhällsplaneringens teori och praktik. Stockholm, Liber. pp. 197-206.

Emmelin, L., Fredman, P., Lisberg Jensen, E. & Sandell, K. (2010). Planera för friluftsliv. Natur, Samhälle, Upplevelser. Stockholm, Carlsson Bokförlag.

Fredman, P., Sandell, K., Stenseke, M. & Emmelin, L. (2014). Friluftsliv i förändring. Studier från svenska upplevelselandskap. Editors P. Fredman, M. Stenseke and K. Sandell. Stockholm, Carlsson Bokförlag.

Government Bill [Regeringens proposition] 2009/10:238. The Future Outdoor Recreation [Framtidens friluftsliv]. Stockholm, Ministry of the Environment.

Petersson Forsberg, L. (2012). Friluftsliv och naturturism i kommunal fysisk planering. Doctoral thesis. Karlskrona, Blekinge Institute of Technology.

Introduction

Nature experiences and outdoor recreation have numerous positive outcomes with important physical and mental health benefits for the individual. In different international and Swedish legislative proposals and governmental letters this is evident; public health and well-being must be supported, as well as outdoor recreation, and nature experiences for everyone. Some groups in society are nevertheless excluded. Different physical disabilities can be particularly challenging due to physical barriers in nature. It can also be a challenge to get to nature areas because of, for example, incomplete information, long distances, transportation, or individual ability. Lack of accessibility is still a crucial obstacle for people with disabilities to participate in outdoor recreation (Burns et al., 2009). 

A better understanding of the participation patterns and perceived constraints by people with disabilities is necessary if nature and outdoor recreation are going to become accessible and inclusive (Corazon et al., 2019). The project aims to understand factors that enable and hinder participation in outdoor activities for people with physical disabilities. In the context of Östersund municipality, Sweden, we discuss how people with physical disabilities perceive accessibility to nature, and analyse available information on websites. What prevents people from getting out into nature? What kind of barriers can be identified? What kind of information is needed and is it available? 

 Method

This is a pilot study with a mixed-methods approach, using semi-structured interviews as its main data collection, followed by an analysis of websites and field observations. Initially, six interviews were conducted in October 2020-May 2021 with people with physical disabilities. The interviewees were identified through local disability associations and were contacted either by email or telephone. The interviews lasted approximately 1–1,5 hours, and were recorded, transcribed and anonymised. Questions included experiences and activities in the outdoors, their experiences of accessibility, safety and information. Follow-up questions were used, often leading to an unstructured dialogue where issues and anecdotes emerged.

Five websites were analysed: Östersund municipality, Jämtland county administration board, Jämtland Härjedalen Tourism (JHT), the Accessible database, and Naturkartan.se (a digital visit guide to nature areas). The focus was to identify information available in terms of outdoor recreation. In addition, 18 place observations were carried out in Östersund municipality in June-July 2019 and 2020. These areas - nature reserves and non-protected nature areas - were selected based on website information and the researchers’ local knowledge. Factors such as terrain, public transportations, facilities and the outdoor opportunities in general were considered. An observation took 1-3 hours and included field notes and photo documentation.

 Results

The interviewed spend a lot of time in the nearby nature; it is safer and takes less energy without disappointments. The need for assistance to get out into nature is in many cases clear; people with disabilities are not always independent or autonomous. Maja, a woman in her 40s and nearly blind, says: “One limitation is to get to nature areas by car or bus, it becomes a project too big; I rarely go alone, it is with my husband and children. I have the right to a travel service but it is difficult, it is expensive and not obvious to find the way to nature.” Transport options are important, as well as to actually being able to get from the parking lot to the nature area. There is an obvious lack of understanding of the whole chain of accessibility; to get from A to B. Daniel uses a wheelchair due to an accident and he describes: “Often it is the last meters that becomes a problem. I never get all the way... we saw the water, but we had to sit in the car and eat. ... I feel that it is the final part that goes wrong.“ However, motorized outdoor activities (e.g. quad bike, moped or snowmobile) make nature more accessible, according to some of the interviewed.

 Mainly the interviewed get information about various nature areas for outdoor recreation from other people. Interviewees state that information is very important for daring to visit places, especially locations where you have not been before. It is crucial that detailed information is available on websites with images of the nature area as well. Information they considered of relevance was about the terrain, distances, accessible toilets, and public transports. The lack of adapted toilets is something that all interviewees highlight as a problem when they visit nature. Simple practical adjustments but also information would make nature more accessible. For the interviewees, on-site signs and information boards are appreciated - if the authentic feeling of the area remains. 

Our overview of the websites shows that the degree of detailed information differs a lot, and that information is dispersed and not always easy to find. For example, the nature reserve Lillsjön is described to have an adapted footbridge, but the place observation showed that it had been closed for several years for restoration. Also the digital information regarding accessibility of adapted fireplaces and wind shields as well as facilities and equipment on site, need to be developed. 

Conclusions

This study reveals how important local nature is to people with physical disabilities and that basic adjustments are lacking (e.g. toilets) and holistic understandings of the experience. There is information about some accessible nature areas in Östersund municipality, but there is still a lack of basic and detailed information. The place observations show that certain nature areas are accessible, but that there is a gap between the municipality’s strategy and reality. Based on this study, the conclusion is that Östersund municipality tries to be inclusive but further information needs to be developed in dialogue with people with disabilities. 

Burns, N., Paterson, K., & Watson, N. (2009). An inclusive outdoors? Disabled people’s experiences of countryside leisure services. Leisure Studies, 28(4), 403-417.

Corazon, S. S., Gramkov, M. C., Poulsen, D. V., Lygum, V. L., Zhang, G., & Stigsdotter, U. K. (2019). I would really like to visit the forest, but it is just too difficult: a qualitative study on mobility disability and green spaces. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 21(1).

For older adults and people with disabilities, it can be difficult to participate in recreation due to inaccessible nature. This can lead to exclusion when it comes to outdoor experiences and health. Nature-based solutions for quality of life are hence essential. Through semi-structured interviews with Swedish municipal and county representatives, and representatives of interest organizations for people with physical disabilities, we identify challenges in the planning and management of the recreational landscape in relation to accessibility and participation. We enlighten how accessibility and social inclusion can be enhanced through planning and management to promote health through equal access to nature.

Trafikverket har gett TRUM (Transportforskningsenheten vid Umeå Universitet) i uppdrag att utreda framtidens mobilitet innefattande frågor såsom privatpersoners attityder och normer till resande med bil och däribland självkörande bilar, betalningsvilja, syn på ägande inställning till individuellt resande gentemot kollektivt resande, samt intressenters förväntningar på ett framtida tillgängligt transportsystem. Därutöver önskar Trafikverket ökad förståelse kring arbetssätt och metoder för att möta teknikutveckling och framtida mobilitet. Syftet med föreliggande rapport är att svara på dessa frågeställningar utifrån litteraturstudier och intervjuer.

Det huvudsakliga underlaget för rapporten är en genomgång av litteratur relaterad till transporter, mobilitet och historiska såväl som framtida trender. Fokus har varit på persontransporter kopplat till människors beteende, samt vad privatpersoner, framtidsspanare och företrädare för bil- och teknikbranschen tror kommer att hända med personresande i framtiden. Utöver litteraturstudien genomfördes sex intervjuer under januari och februari 2016. Intervjuerna gjordes med syfte att öka förståelsen för hur människor resonerar kring mobilitet och transporter i dagsläget och hur de tror att vi kommer att resa i framtiden. Utifrån litteraturgenomgången och intervjuerna kan konstateras att attityder till elbilar generellt sett är positiva. Hinder för ett bredare genombrott utgörs av uppfattade prisskillnader, räckviddsångest och uppfattad brist på laddinfrastruktur. Som drivkrafter kan nämnas ökat miljömedvetande och alltmer positiva attityder bland flera olika aktörer, till exempel teknikutvecklare. När det gäller självkörande bilar är attityderna mer varierande. Bland annat lyfts säkerhetsfaktorer, tillgänglighet och det faktum att flera bilmodeller redan idag utrustas med olika typer av autonomifunktioner. Enligt olika bedömningar kommer koncept såsom Mobility as a Service och liknande att leda till förändrade attityder och normer när det gäller både privat och kollektivt resande. Avslutningsvis lämnas förslag på hur dessa och andra förändringar kan följas och förstås utifrån ett planeringsperspektiv. Olika metoder och perspektiv är viktiga för att skapa en bild över framtida utveckling redan idag, framförallt kopplat till de miljöutmaningar samhället står inför.

Labour in our current dispensation can be understood by critically examining their embeddedness in their geographical spaces and their spatial connection to those geographical spaces. Meanwhile, it has been highly contested by famous economic geographers like Andrew Herod and Don Mitchell, who argues that although labour shapes their economic and political spaces, they do not do this by choice and, as such, their power to make structural changes had been overemphasised. Therefore, a further study into other structures in which labour works and live can help reveal the extent of their influence on structures of any kind. Mainly, working conditions are essential for workers, and this study contests their power of influence on them. Notably, working conditions are formulated by the employers basing their decisions on their societal values, morals, and other factors. In order to understand the interplay of these components in influencing the decision of employers on working conditions, ethical leadership at the workplace is necessary to be studied to uncover how employers' ethical stances influence the working conditions of their workers. Particularly, ethical leadership is a complex structure involving a leadership style and ethics that affect employers' decision-making process. This qualitative paper used purposive and snowball non-probability sampling techniques to select participants from Holiday Club Åre and Ski Star Åre. The results from this study show that ethical leadership influences working conditions and it existed within the two workplaces even during the pandemic; however, it is unevenly exhibited, and the reason for such disparities can be attributed to the personalistic characteristics of the managers. Namely, ethical leadership and good working conditions lead to a higher level of job satisfaction and trust in leadership, higher productivity, behaviour emulation and reduction in counterproductive behaviour at the workplace. Workers were also found to have a marginal structural impact on their working conditions because of their low bargaining power despite the support of their labour agency.

This study is the first research output coming out from a newly launched project on Recreational mobility and trails in mountain destinations: Understanding Behavioural insights and New technology in relation to funding systems for high quality trails in a Swedish context, funded by the Swedish KK-foundation. The overall purpose is to analyse prerequisites for funding and management of trails as part of developing nature-based tourist destinations. This specific study looks at the challenge of understanding the consumer behaviour of tourists when it comes to the decision to contribute to trail funding by buying a trail pass and to understand if and how context of resort ownership, other visitors’ behaviour and the social norm, matters for the decision. With a quantitative approach and 346 filled in surveys we are sharing lessons learnt hwo to measure actual behaviour towards criticial questions.

This paper concerns migrants in Sweden working in various types of on and offline gigwork. It explores how the temporal and spatial flexibility afforded to gig customers ispredicated on temporal and spatial inflexibility for workers. The argument moves discussions beyond relational space by promoting a more fully dialectical view of space that understands it as simultaneously relational, relative, and absolute. Without such a view of space—which understands that space is not always open and fluid but just as often closed and fixed—it is impossible to understand the specific relations of labour that structure gig work, particularly offline gig work in such ways as to provide maximal flexibility for customers. This paper shows that the Marxian adage concerning how, in capitalism, space is annihilated by time, does not always hold. For workers doing cleaning and delivery gig work, the converse is oftentimes truer: time is annihilated by space. Gigworkers—and even more so migrant gig workers crowded in the above‐mentioned industries—experience the annihilation of time by space through the dual mandate that they must be available “just‐in‐time” and “just‐in‐place” to produce the spatiotemporal flexibility upon which the gig companies base their model and their success.

In this qualitative case study, we explore the opportunities and challenges of urbanization and globalization and how these can affect the sense of place for local people in rural areas. The phenomena of urbanization and globalization can be traced back to the 19th century and have since then shaped the social structures that have led to the environment, we find ourselves in today. Åre is our chosen location for the case study, as urbanization and globalization in the resort have a clear impact on its growth. This study aims to investigate and understand the complexity between the concepts where urbanization, globalization, sense of place, local population and tourism will be in focus.

Denis Davidov and Tatyana Chekalina discuss the trans-boundary cooperation as the factor and an effective tool for overcoming negative aspects of the exclave location of the Kaliningrad region. Authors consider the exclave as the particular case of the border region. Therefore there is an idea that the provisions of the border regions theory, which is better elaborated than the exclave one, could be applied for this case as well.

Overtourism has become a major issue of concern in many popular venues, including several cities like Barcelona. In this study, in order to better comprehend reactions towards overtourism, we analyze the perceptions of residents who regularly shop at Barcelona's La Boqueria towards the growing crowds of tourists who visit the same venue. The study aims to acknowledge the evolution over time of locals' aversion or support regarding the touristification of their food market and to determine whether or not overtourism regulations that were implemented by Barcelona's city government had an impact on these attitudes. Thus, we undertook a sequential explanatory mixed-method approach (beginning with a quantitative approach and ending with a qualitative one) spanning the period 2015 to 2019. First, within the quantitative study, structural equation modeling results suggest that place identity observed through community attachment and resident place image has no direct statistically significant effect on residents' support for tourism development in La Boqueria. However, when mediated by tourism's perceived benefits and costs, these variables were recognized as statistically significant antecedents of support for La Boqueria's touristification. Secondly, we complemented and further elaborated on the quantitative findings through in-depth interviews with local residents who shop at La Boqueria but also by utilizing available secondary data to reveal if there were any significant changes in locals' perception of touristification, especially following the adoption of the city's overtourism regulations. We conclude that residents' support for tourism development of La Boqueria as a public resource is strongly associated with their perception of place identity (both place image and community attachment) as well as expected benefits and associated costs.

Wildlife watching tourism is an increasingly important niche within nature-based tourism. As this niche continues to grow, care must be taken how tourists interact with the natural environment. One way to manage such interactions is through high-quality guiding, which has been acknowledged as a key element of wildlife watching tourism. The guide’s role was first conceptualized by Cohen (1985), who divided it into the instrumental, social, interactional, and communicative components. While several studies adopt Cohen’s framework, it is also argued that there are elements to nature guiding which are not fully covered (Randall & Rollins, 2009). In this chapter, we investigate the guide’s role in the context of wildlife watching tourism, using Cohen’s framework as a starting point. We compare musk ox safaris in Dovrefjell, Norway to Polar Bear tourism activities in Svalbard, Norway and Churchill, Canada using data from travel party interviews, participant observations and content analysis of online reviews. Findings reveal two additional components to guiding wildlife experiences: The uncertainty component and the encounter component. Based on these findings, we suggest an expanded model of the guide’s role when guiding wildlife watching tourism activities. 

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.

Cities and regions all over the world are constantly competing in the will for the same goal; an increased accretion. To reach the goal the places have to attract resources from the outside and mobilise the internal resources they already have. Places that are associated with accretion, attractive living environments, or exclusive tourist experiences have a head-start to the places that are associated with out-migration, discontinuation, and social problems. Piteå is a smaller municipality in Norrbotten; a region that struggles with emigration and negative population developments. The purpose with the following thesis is to find out what the municipality and the commercial and industrial life in Piteå does to increase their attractiveness. Which will lead to an increased tourist business, an increased in-migration and establishments of new business corporations? A further examination is about what factors that affect the attractiveness for a city. Another purpose is to see how interactivity between the municipality in Piteå and the commercial and industrial life works. To fulfil the purpose qualitative methods in the shape of interviews with some significant enterprisers and the municipality in Piteå has been used. The result of the study has shown that the interaction between the municipality and the commercial and industrial life in Piteå is in working order, but the accessibility to and from the city with goods traffic is limited at the same time as passenger traffic is nonexistent. Piteå is a strong in arranging events and in the present situation big investments in the energy field is made, which opens up for big opportunities in the future.

Projektet syftar till att ge detaljerad kunskap om den användbara (kvalitativa) restidens innehåll och omfattning som viktig förutsättning för kollektivtrafikens konkurrenskraft. I rapporten presenteras projektets teoretiska utgångspunkter och erfarenheter från internationell forskning på området sammanfattas. Vidare redovisas resultat från en enkätundersökning av kollektivtrafikresenärer i Västsverige och hur de använder och upplever tiden ombord på tåg och bussar.

Fritidshusturismen är ett svårdefinierat begrepp med många olika bostadsformer. Inom tidigare forskning beskrivs hur fritidshusturismen påverkar en plats, men även hur den fysiska planeringen påverkar landskapet samt den rörelse som fritidshusägarna har både fysiskt och digitalt. Det finns en mark- och vattenproblematik på Gotland som främst bygger på de geologiska förutsättningarna. Detta påverkar Gotlands vatten och avloppsnät framför allt när det kommer till sommarperioder och torka. Gotland har en god förutsättning angående den digitala utvecklingen utifrån tillgången på internet. Hur dessa utmaningar och möjligheter kan komma att påverka fritidshusturismen är grundpelarna i syftet med detta arbete. Utifrån två perspektiv: fritidshusägarna och planeringen, syftar denna studie till att förstå vilka utmaningar och möjligheter det finns för vatten, avlopp och internet. Studien syftar även till att undersöka hur dessa utmaningar och möjligheter påverkar framtidens fritidshusturism. Denna kvalitativa fallstudie genomförs med semistrukturerade intervjuer med fritidshusägare i Ronehamn på Gotland och tjänstemän på Region Gotland. Även en dokumentanalys av Region Gotlands översiktsplan och en fördjupad översiktsplan av Ronehamn har gjorts och presenteras i studien. Resultatet i studien visar att fritidshusägare och tjänstemännen anser att vattenproblematiken är en utmaning på Gotland och är en viktig faktor vilket måste hanteras för framtidens hållbara utveckling. Studien visar även utmaningar med reningsverk, något som påverkar utvecklingen negativt för i detta fall Ronehamn. Studien visar även att det finns möjligheter med att avsalta havsvatten för att tillgodose framtidens vattenförsörjning. Den regional utbyggnaden av fiber har bidragit till att tillgången av internet gör det möjligt att arbeta och leva i sina fritidshus mer frekvent. I arbetets slutdiskussion diskuteras utifrån de identifierade utmaningarna och möjligheterna hur detta kan påverka framtidens fritidshusturism.

In this chapter, we describe the Nordic region as a tourist destination primarily illustrated with examples from Norway, Sweden and Finland. The east–west and north–south gradients of these countries capture many of the special features of nature-based tourism in the Nordic region. In the context of tourism, it makes sense to speak in terms of a destination rather than a region, being a key concept of institutionalized tourism. However, regardless if one takes an economic geography, marketing management, customer, or cultural oriented approach (Saraniemi and Kylänen, 2011), we believe the Nordic region has much in common also as a tourist destination. We also argue there is a common understanding of what nature-based tourism is among the Nordic countries, which can be expressed as human activities occurring when visiting nature areas outside the ordinary neighborhood, or put differently, where the key attraction factor is nature and key activities are based on the nature environment (Koivula and Saastamoinen, 2005). For a more in-depth discussion about definitions of nature-based tourism we refer to the Introduction to this volume. 

Following the philosopher and critical economist K-H. Brodbeck, in this chapter it is shown that modern economic science is incapable of properly capturing the nature of creativity. Thus, we critically reflect on notions of creativity as used in contemporary economic science and in its classical as well as ancient predecessors of economic thinking. After pointing at destructive consequences of innovations rooted in malevolent creativity, the Creativity Consequences Analytical Framework (Kampylis and Valtanen 2010) is introduced. On this base, the chapter aims at critically assessing motivations and intentions behind and expected consequences of entrepreneurial creativity in the Norwegian NBT sector. Policy implications and an agenda for future research are sketched in the conclusions.

Evenemang är en stor del av besöksnäringen och kan bidra till en plats på flera olika sätt. Idrottsevenemang utger en stor del av evenemangssektorn. Sociala effekter av evenemang är mångfacetterade och svåra att mäta men innefattar bland annat människors anknytning till, attityd gentemot och uppfattning av platsen. Dessa sociala effekter bidrar till att platsens identitet stärks, som i sin tur är en viktig faktor för lokalsamhällets och destinationens ökade attraktionskraft. Med platsidentitet i fokus avser denna studie avser att studera ett återkommande idrottsevenemang i Jämtland: den alpina världscupen i Åre. Platsidentiteten och platsvarumärket påverkar varandra och genom en fallstudie genomförs kvalitativa intervjuer med lokalbefolkningen för att få större insikt i deras uppfattning om platsens identitet, idrottsevenemangets betydelse för denna platsidentitet och hur den samspelar med platsvarumärket.

This study specifically examines the potential for heritage tourism development topromote cross-cultural dialog in the historic old city of Nazareth (Israel). The paperfocuses on a case study of a small-scale heritage tourism venture that seeksto influence tourism development in Nazareth’s old city. This is an exploratorycase study that uses qualitative research methods including extensive participantobservation and in-depth interviews with the venture’s senior management group andselected employees. Study findings indicate a model of the relationship betweencommunity-based tourism development, heritage, and peace-building in a city thathas experienced a wide range of cross-cultural conflicts. This model represents analternative view to the notion that heritage serves to enhance differences anddissonance between different cultural groups. In contrast, findings from this studysuggest that heritage in the form of tourism can help create shared interests betweendifferent communities in settings characterized by cross-cultural conflict.

Renewable energy technologies are expanding in rural landscapes, where they are changing the character and meaning of place. This study explores the experience of living and recreating in proximity to landscapes undergoing this development, namely in a Swedish municipality where a major wind park is located. Using place attachment, it addresses how people construct meaning around places of everyday life through stories of their experience of place. Results show that individuals form coherent narratives of the past, present and future of places undergoing transformation. Stories of experiences of renewable energy technology and their impact on landscape relate to persisting feelings of rootedness, changing land-use activities and hope for a sustainable future. Place attachments are a form of social action as their formulation enables people to deal with change and embrace discourses of sustainability. Results highlight the discourses and practices that rural dwellers adopt in the wake of renewable energy transitions. 

Västerås är en stad som tidigare har förknippats med gurkor och industrier då ASEA, nuvarande ABB etablerades i Västerås 1883. Staden är idag relativt okänd för externa gäster, det är något som Västerås marknadsföringsorgan Västerås & Co vill ändra på. Arbetets syfte är att undersöka vad en värdskapssatsning kan ge för effekter på turismen och näringslivet i Västerås samt undersöka möjligheten att värdskapscertifiera de olika verksamheterna i Västerås. Litteraturstudier, intervjuer samt deltagande observationer har använts som metod. Teoriavsnittet tar upp värdskapsbegreppet samt samarbeten inom organisationen för att sedan kunna jämföras med resultatet från intervjuerna och de deltagande observationerna. Av empirin framkommer det att en gemensam syn på innebörden av värdskap är viktigt för att värdskapsarbetet ska bli framgångsrikt. De anser även att värdskapet är en inställningsfråga så det är upp till var och en att bjuda på ett gott värdskap. Samtliga är positiva till en värdskapscertifiering, dock är inte alla överens om hur det ska gå till och vilka som ska delta. I Diskussionsavsnittet diskuteras vad en eventuell värdskapscertifiering rent praktiskt skulle kunna innehålla.

Nature-based tourism is a highly dynamic sector and subject to many trends and changes. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this chapter identifies broad global changes, so-called megatrends, that affect tourism in general and NBT in particular. Data from an online panel survey with experts from five countries who were asked to recognize the most prominent nature-based tourism trends in a 10 years’ perspective, is analyzed in the light of global drivers. The chapter concludes that issues related to sustainability, health and well-being, increased specialization and segmentation are the most noticeable and recurrent trends in nature-based tourism today. 

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, most European countries imposed lockdowns, whereas Sweden introduced soft restrictions. Sports and physical activity could continue if conducted 'safely' and outdoor activities were even promoted if restrictions on the number of participants were not violated. The aim of this article is to demonstrate how the pandemic led to transitions and transformations of typical indoor sports activities to the outdoors and to outdoor recreation, or what we call an outdoorification process of sports and recreation, and how the changes were perceived by the population. Sweden is used as a case study. The inquiry is based on three studies involving more than 100 semi-structured interviews, two national questionnaire surveys and a regional-based PPGIS study. Based on the results, we argue that the outdoorification process is likely to influence how sport and recreation is understood and practiced also in the years after the pandemic.