NS 34 Session 11

 

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Title: Tourism as a facilitator of social equity and inclusion

Organisers: Marianna Preston

Affiliation: University of Eastern Finland

 

Description

Social equity, a characteristic of systems which facilitate fair distribution and access to resources, opportunities and representation, appears in tourism research in a variety of themes. These may include fair access to business opportunities, equal participation in social institutions and decision-making, recognition of special needs, or support for individual rights. Social entrepreneurship can, therefore, be an answer for balancing the economic and socio-cultural pillars of sustainable development in some destinations, while working on policies facilitating fair distribution and access to employment opportunities which exclude exploitation of vulnerable individuals, might be the answer for another. On a smaller scale, even “innocent” omissions of the tourism, hospitality and travel service providers might construct insurmountable obstacles to the experience of social inclusion and equity. Thus, emergency alarms using sound only would contribute nothing to the safety of those who cannot hear them, while the lack of contrast in signage prevents those with certain visual impairments from accessing vital information.  

This session proposes exploration of tourism social innovation through a capability-based equity framework, where equity is viewed as fair expansion of substantive freedoms—the real opportunities people have to lead lives they value. In doing so, it will provide a platform for contributors to discuss how systemic factors, such as governance inclusion, norms and policies shape agency, cultural expression, safety and self-determination of various social and customer groups. The perspectives might include - but do not need to be limited to - stakeholders with disabilities, disadvantaged families, the elderly, or gender and ethnic minorities. With its principal objective to distinguish socially transformative innovation from initiatives that propagate existing inequalities under the language of inclusion, this session aims to enhance the understanding of inclusive tourism. 

 

Abstracts

Title: Social Exclusion and Conflicts at "The Last Resort": An Inquiry of Stakeholder Stereotypes, Emotions, and Behaviors in Wellness Tourism Destinations
Author: Xiaoyue Xiao, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Wellness tourism destinations attract health-seeking tourists with therapeutic resources and environments while possibly lead to patients aggregation, resource competition, and social rejection (Wang et al., 2020). A typical example is Bama in China, a renowned wellness tourism destination fascinating masses of patients and elderly to visit or reside in. The influx of outsiders with complex and fluid identities greatly changed place dynamics, leading to escalating conflicts and compromised experiences. To decode the underlying pathways of stakeholder conflicts in Bama, this study develops an integrated analytical framework combining the Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes (BIAS) Map model with stigma theories. It investigates how the deeply ingrained stigma towards disease, age, and rural place shapes intergroup perceptions, triggering distinct emotional and behavioral responses among key stakeholders, such as health migrants, sightseeing tourists, residents, investors, and local governments. Employing an ethnographic, multi-stakeholder approach, qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and retrieved from digital archive and social media platforms. Findings revealed that health status and locality served as key markers in shaping group identities. Migrant health-seekers were commodified as valuable economic resources while socially marginalized as intruders. Residents and investors engaged in profit-driven exploitative marketing, while governments grapple with management dilemma amid competing demands. Theoretically, this study integrates the BIAS Map with stigma theories to trace the cognition-emotion-behavior pathways underlying social conflicts and exclusion. Practically, it informs interventions to dismantle intergroup bias and offers a framework for analyzing stigma‑driven conflicts in tourism communities, advancing inclusion and positive interactions in destinations.

Keywords: wellness tourism, vulnerable groups, inclusive destination, stereotype, stigma, host-guest relationship

 

Title: Health Risk Perception in Tourism: Exploring Technology Adoption of Diabetic Travellers
Author: Jessie Chen, University of Eastern Finland

Tourism research has increasingly addressed issues of accessibility and inclusion; however, limited attention has been given to travellers with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, whose challenges are often invisible yet consequential (Ghosh et al., 2018). Drawing on a capability-based perspective, this study examines how health-related risks shape the substantive freedoms of diabetic travellers to participate in tourism. Based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with individuals living with diabetes in Finland and China, the research explores how travellers perceive and manage risks associated with diet, physical activity, medical routines, and unfamiliar environments during trips.

The findings reveal significant heterogeneity in risk perception and self-management practices, resulting in unequal capabilities to travel safely and confidently. While some participants demonstrate limited awareness of potential risks, others rely on structured routines, technological tools, or social support networks to manage their condition. These differences suggest that inclusion in tourism extends beyond physical access and depends on individuals’ ability to interpret and respond to dynamic health-related situations.

Building on these insights, the study highlights the potential role of AI-enabled technologies—such as real-time monitoring, predictive alerts, and personalized decision support—in enhancing travellers’ capability to manage risks. By linking risk perception to capability and technological support, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of inclusive tourism and points toward AI-driven solutions as a pathway to reducing hidden inequalities and supporting more equitable travel experiences.

Ghosh, S. et al. (2018) ‘Diabetes and travel’, International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries, 38(1), pp. 4–10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13410-018-0605-6.

 

Title: Inclusion in Outdoor Activities: Perspectives from Funded Initiatives in Sweden
Author: Parisa Setoodegan, Mittuniversitetet

In response to increased migration flows to Europe in 2015, including Sweden, municipalities, NGOs, tourism actors, and regional outdoor organizations have invested in initiatives aimed at engaging immigrants in outdoor activities. These efforts are often based on the assumption that participation in outdoor life can support integration, social connection, and a sense of belonging, particularly in a context where outdoor recreation is deeply embedded in Swedish socio-cultural life.

However, despite these ambitions, inclusion in outdoor initiatives is not self-evident. This study adopts a performative perspective, drawing on J. L. Austin, to shift attention from what inclusion is to what inclusion does. From this perspective, inclusion is understood as something that is enacted through everyday practices, decisions, and interactions within projects, rather than as a fixed outcome.

Empirically, the study draws on a qualitative approach, including interviews, observations, and document analysis across a range of funded outdoor initiatives. The findings show that inclusion in outdoors is continuously negotiated in practice and shaped by organizational structures, social norms and assumptions about engagement and participation. It also points to the need to rethink outdoors as doing, as play, through the reflexive notion of performativity rather than a predefined tool for integration.

 

Title: INISHBOFIN: IE-SLOWDOWN-Inspired Social Innovation
Author: Marianna Preston, University of Eastern Finland

Interreg Europe SLOWDOWN is a project focusing on improving local and regional policies to support development of slow tourism in seven partner regions. This paper analyses a concrete example of social innovation illustrated by one of the good practices introduced by the project’s Irish partner region Galway - Inishbofin: A Different Kind of Tourism. The steps of policy improvement and outcomes are elucidated within Geoff Mulgan’s social innovation framework. Mulgan (2012) conceptualizes social innovation as a process initiated by prompts (identification of needs). The stages proceed through generating ideas and proposals, testing & prototyping, sustaining, scaling, until, ultimately, a systemic change is achieved.

The focus of the Inishbofin initiative is generation of ecotourism experiences. This is achieved by the combination of stakeholder training, sustainability workshops, energy and circular economy awareness, and business participation in ecotourism certification (Interreg Europe, 2025). The starting point of this good practice was the need to balance tourism development with sustainability. The idea generation gave birth to a community-led ecotourism model which combined stakeholder training, certification, and monitoring systems. Governance and practices were refined in the prototyping phase and sustained through strong local participation, institutional support, and measurable benefits. The model shows great scaling potential, as it is transferable to other rural regions and promotes deeper cultural shifts toward responsible tourism. Inishbofin represents a mature social innovation, as it achieved the outcome - a systemic change - by redefining tourism governance by empowering local communities and aligning economic potential with ecological limits predetermined by its location.

Keywords: slow tourism; social innovation; Interreg Europe SLOWDOWN; good practices; Inishbofin ecotourism experiences