NS34 Session 17

 

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Title: From Insight to Impact: Reevaluating Visitor Understanding for Sustainable NatureBased Tourism

Organisers: Noelien Wilsnach, Zsolt Kazai, Saumya Rathnayake, Henna Konu

Affiliation: The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, University of Eastern Finland

 

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Abstracts

Title: How Instagram Shapes Visitors' Relation to Wild Places
Authors: Lovisa Ulrica Molin, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sofie K. Selvaag, and Øystein Aas

Nature-based tourism increasingly unfolds through social media and affects human–nature relations. Social media blurs the boundary between tourists’ homes and the destination: before travel, circulating images shape expectations and itineraries; during and after visits, new uploads influence others, extending engagement beyond destination borders. Physical mobility is evident in tourism activities, while digital mobilities appear as images, ideas, and emotions transgressing spatial boundaries – also affecting how visitors move, perceive, and care for the environment of a destination. Examining how a platform like Instagram mediates visitors’ relation to a place expands understandings of tourism as place-making and spatial practice. 2700 images connected to Femundsmarka National Park in Norway, were screened and interpreted using a reflexive and exploratory visual methodology with feelings as an analytical lens. Investigating feelings evoked by the images revealed ideas and ideals of wildness regenerated through digital content. A scientific sensing of these feelings related to tourism practices advances understandings of the worldmaking agency of tourism in the postdigital era. Findings illustrate how digital practices cultivate and recast feelings, influencing tourism’s role in shaping places and the relations that sustain them. Social media platforms function as interactive and creative meeting places rather than unidirectional communication channels like websites. Therefore, those seeking to manage visitors need to create and interact with digital content through an informed understanding of platform affordances. Moreover, visitor management that seeks to support ecological integrity alongside enduring, affective human–nature connections, requires continuous participation and creative labour in social media interactions.

 

Title: When Nature Meets Technology: Understanding Use of Digital Apps Among Outdoor Recreationists and Associated Communication Opportunities
Authors: Saumya Rathnayke, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Øystein Aas, and Peter Fredman

Digital applications (apps) for outdoor recreation have significantly transformed how recreationists make trip decisions, plan itineraries, navigate trails, and share their trip experiences. Empirical insight into how these apps are used across pre, during, and post trip stages is therefore essential. We surveyed 1,391 outdoor recreationists in Norway, including mountain hikers (n=760), hunters/ anglers (n=327), and summer visitors to mountain destinations (n=304). The questionnaire captured patterns of digital app use and associated behaviors. The data were mainly analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, cluster analysis, and regression-based group comparisons. The results showed that digital app use was mainly driven by practical needs and inspiration. The most common challenges were connection and network related obstacles when in remote outdoor settings. Digital apps use significantly varied across trip stages, with the pre-trip stage representing the strongest and most common point of digital engagement. Notably, biodiversity information on digital apps was rated as the least engaging and less attractive, despite its importance for promoting responsible recreation in sensitive areas. Further, recreationists occasionally share trip related contents on mainstream digital platforms, this content focused preliminarily on aesthetic aspects of the trip rather than practical information. These findings extend current understanding of digital visitor communication in outdoor recreation and demonstrate potential of digital apps as important channels for influencing visitor behaviors in sensitive nature areas. The study also provides practical guidance for protected area managers and app designers/ developers seeking to develop engaging communication strategies that both balance the visitor experiences and environmental conservation.

Keywords: outdoor recreation, digital apps, visitor management, Trip stages (pre-during-post), conservation communication

 

Title: Demand for Nature-Based Services: Visitor Insights from a Qualitative Study in Finland
Authors: Riikka Puhakka, LAB University of Applied Sciences, and Ursula Siltanen, University of Helsinki

Well-being and health have become increasingly important drivers of travel choices in urbanised societies. In Finland, for example, nature-based well-being services are among the key tourism attractions. While the well-being and health benefits of nature are widely recognised, urban residents may lack extensive experience or confidence in outdoor recreation, making visitor insights essential for developing accessible and meaningful nature-based services.

This study explores visitor demand for commercial nature-based services by examining how Finnish consumers perceive, value, and engage with such services, as well as the motivations and barriers influencing their purchasing decisions. The study is based on qualitative interview data (n=31) collected from Finnish visitors at Vierumäki Resort and Päijänne National Park. Data were gathered within the EU co-funded project Local Nature as a Business Booster.

The findings indicate interest in nature-based services, particularly when travelling in unfamiliar environments. Participants had most commonly used rental services (e.g. canoes), but expressed interest in a broad spectrum of activities, ranging from guided well-being retreats to cooking courses. Purchasing nature-based services enabled visitors to gain new nature experiences, discover unfamiliar places, try new activities in a safe manner, and acquire new skills and knowledge. Key barriers included price, limited availability or insufficient information, and a preference for independent nature experiences. The analysis identifies four distinct visitor types based on their level of engagement in nature-based activities and willingness to purchase such services. The findings underline how improved visitor understanding can inform service design, targeted communication, and the development of nature-based tourism.

 

Title: Understanding Visitor Behavior in Nature-Based Wellness Tourism: Insights from the South Baltic Region
Author: Daumantas Bočkus, Health Research and Innovation Science Center, Klaipėda University, Lithuania

Nature-based wellness tourism has gained increasing attention in the post-pandemic era as tourists increasingly seek experiences that promote health improvement, psychological recovery, and connection with natural environments. This growing interest indicates the need to better understand visitor behavior and preferences in the context of nature-based wellness tourism.

This study examines visitor behavior, motivations, and decision-making factors connected to nature-based wellness tourism in the South Baltic region. The research is based on a large-scale quantitative survey (n = 2789) conducted in 2025 as part of the N-B-Well project (Interreg South Baltic programme), covering Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. The survey explored behavioral patterns in destination choice, the perceived importance of natural environments in travel decisions, and visitor preferences related to physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, K-means cluster analysis, and regression modeling. The results indicate that natural environments play a central role in visitor decision-making, while interest in nature-based wellness tourism has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Cluster analysis identified several distinct visitor segments based on their engagement with nature-based wellness experiences and travel behavior. The study contributes empirical insights into visitor behavior in nature-based wellness tourism and demonstrates how behavioral segmentation can inform the development of tourism products, including thematic cross-border wellness routes, that better align destination offerings with diverse visitor needs.

Keywords: visitor behavior, nature-based wellness, visitor segmentation, South Baltic region

 

Title: Knowledge Management Capabilities in Nature-Based Tourism Firms
Author: Zsolt Kazai, University of Eastern Finland

Despite the consensus on the prominent role of Knowlede Management (KM) in the business performance, empirical understanding of KM in micro, small and medium-sized nature-based tourism (NBT) firms is limited. This gap is particularly significant given that such firms differ from larger enterprises not only in scale, but also in business philosophy and in how they conceptualize success, often balancing economic goals with environmental stewardship. Such firms are significantly more exposed to global and local market effects and to environmental transformation resulting from climate change, which highlights the importance of effective knowledge management to enhance resilience and competitiveness and support decision-making processes. Hence, the purpose of this study is to increase understanding of skills and competences required in KM in micro, small and medium-sized firms, by examining the knowledge management capabilities of nature-based tourism firms and the skills these firms consider important for acquiring, utilizing, and transforming information and data in their business activities.

The study builds on a qualitative thematic analysis of 38 semi-structured interviews conducted in Finland with nature-based tourism entrepreneurs operating in various protected areas. The analysis identifies the purposes for which different forms of knowledge are utilized, and KM capabilities underpinning these practices. The tentative findings show that tacit knowledge is predominant, and that knowledge management processes rely heavily on individual entrepreneurs’ human capabilities and learning capacities. Due to limited resources, these firms frequently collaborate with partners in delivering services and to outsource the acquisition and generation of new knowledge. Together, these practices shape how micro-sized NBT firms build resilience and pursue competitiveness under conditions of environmental and institutional uncertainty.

Keywords: knowledge management, nature-based tourism, micro enterprises, SMEs

 

Title: Financing Protected Area Management in Latvia: Governance Structures, Pressures, and Emerging Needs
Authors: İlker Gül, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Andris Klepers, and Agita Livina

Protected areas in Northern Europe have experienced increasing tourism activity in recent years (Fredman et al., 2021), driven by demand for authentic nature experiences, health benefits, and post-COVID effects (Calvén et al., 2025; Haukeland et al., 2026). These areas are also expected to maintain ecological integrity and deliver public goods. However, the alignment among management needs, visitor pressure (Weaver & Lawton, 2017), visitor experience (Zajchowski et al., 2019) and financing structures remains unclear, with funding arrangements often fragmented and insufficient (Wilkie et al., 2001). In the case of Latvia, a large part of the work is carried out by and coordinated by the Nature Conservation Agency, the State Forests organization, and municipalities, all of which are public, but some are also NGO or private led. This fragmented structure requires a more systematic examination of how governance and funding structures respond to growing visitor (Hadwen et al., 2007) and financial (Bruner et al., 2004) pressures in protected areas.

This study develops an analytical framework to examine how protected areas in Latvia are financed and whether existing funding structures adequately respond to emerging pressures.

This paper draws on initial findings from Latvia, combining exploratory field observations and rapid field trips (Eden et al., 2019) to gain a better understanding of the field. The methodology incorporates an analysis of the financial costs of protected areas alongside semi-structured interviews (Young et al., 2018) with managers from two of Latvia’s four national parks.

Our study makes two main contributions. First, it proposes an analytical framework for examining protected area financing based on initial empirical material rather than relying solely on descriptive accounts. Second, it provides an empirical starting point for a broader comparative discussion on protected area financing in Baltic and Nordic contexts.

References

Bruner, A. G., Gullison, R. E., & Balmford, A. (2004). Financial costs and shortfalls of managing and expanding protected-area systems in developing countries. BioScience, 54(12), 1119–1126.

Calvén, A., Beery, T., Kristofers, H., Johansson, M., Carlbäck, M., & Wendin, K. (2025). Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: Experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—A review. Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism, 4, 1529233.

Eden, G., Sharma, S., Roy, D., Joshi, A., Nocera, J. A., & Rangaswamy, N. (2019). Field trip as method: A rapid fieldwork approach. 1–7.

Fredman, P., Haukeland, J. V., Tyrväinen, L., Stensland, S., & Wall-Reinius, S. (2021). Nature-based tourism in a Nordic context. In Nordic perspectives on nature-based tourism (pp. 2–15). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Hadwen, W. L., Hill, W., & Pickering, C. M. (2007). Icons under threat: Why monitoring visitors and their ecological impacts in protected areas matters. Ecological Management & Restoration, 8(3), 177–181.

Haukeland, J. V., Fredman, P., Tyrväinen, L., Siegrist, D., & Lindberg, K. (2026). Prospects for nature-based tourism: Identifying trends with commercial potential. Journal of Ecotourism, 25(1), 90–107.

Weaver, D. B., & Lawton, L. J. (2017). A new visitation paradigm for protected areas. Tourism Management, 60, 140–146.

Wilkie, D. S., Carpenter, J. F., & Zhang, Q. (2001). The under-financing of protected areas in the Congo Basin: So many parks and so little willingness-to-pay. Biodiversity & Conservation, 10(5), 691–709.

Young, J. C., Rose, D. C., Mumby, H. S., Benitez‐Capistros, F., Derrick, C. J., Finch, T., Garcia, C., Home, C., Marwaha, E., & Morgans, C. (2018). A methodological guide to using and reporting on interviews in conservation science research. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), 10–19.

Zajchowski, C. A., Brownlee, M. T., & Rose, J. (2019). Air quality and the visitor experience in parks and protected areas. Tourism Geographies.

 

Title: Market-Based Approaches to Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation in Tourism: Insights from Finland's Landscape and Recreation Value Trade Pilot
Authors: Liisa Tyrväinen, Natural Resources Institute Finland, and Henna Konu

Tourism in forested destinations depends strongly on high-quality landscapes and biodiversity, yet concrete market-based incentives to maintain these values remain scarce. This study examines piloting of a tourism-related payment for ecosystem services (PES) model, the Landscape and Recreation Value Trade (LRVT), in Ruka–Kuusamo, Finland, where commercial forestry is an important land use. The LRVT model enables voluntary contributions from tourists and tourism businesses to compensate private forest owners for managing landscapes and biodiversity that support nature-based tourism.

Through a co-design process and the use of forest data, suitable forest areas were identified based on landscape, biodiversity, and carbon storage criteria, and voluntary funding mechanisms were tested. Funds collected—mainly from tourists—resulted in modest revenue and one long-term landowner contract, while contributions from tourism firms remained limited, despite widespread recognition of the importance of maintaining destination appeal.

The pilot demonstrated the potential of PES schemes to complement EU biodiversity strategy goals by encouraging stewardship of cultural ecosystem services and biodiversity in commercial forests. It also highlights the need to conceptualize biodiversity as a multidimensional ecological property that shapes destination attractiveness and tourism value creation. Within the tourism sector, initiatives such as Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) indicate an increasing commitment to biodiversity-positive practices; however, deeper integration into business models is still needed. The LRVT approach offers an example of avenue for advancing market-driven, tourism-supported biodiversity actions.

Keywords: Nature-based tourism, PES models, biodiversity conservation, landscape management, forest management

 

Title: Tourism, Neoliberalism, and the Commodification of Nature in the Arctic: A Systematic Review
Authors: Jumanah Khan, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Rannveig Ólafsdóttir, and Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir

Over the past decades, the Arctic has emerged as an expanding frontier for tourism, shaped by climate change, mobility, market expansion, and intensified destination branding. In the Nordic region, including Iceland and the wider circumpolar North, tourism development is increasingly organized through neoliberal logics that privilege growth, entrepreneurial place-making, and the commodification of nature. Yet the literature on Arctic tourism remains fragmented, and the specific ways of neoliberalization are conceptualized and critiqued across Nordic and Arctic contexts have not been systematically synthesized.

This presentation reports the initial findings of a systematic literature review examining how Arctic tourism scholarship addresses neoliberal governance, nature commodification, and their social, environmental, and political implications. It also assesses the methodological and geographical distribution of the literature, with attention to whether Nordic cases, particularly Iceland, are sufficiently represented in current debates.

Preliminary findings suggest that much of the literature describes tourism growth as a process of destination-making, often justified by sustainability narratives and appeals to regional vitality. However, the review also indicates persistent gaps in attention to justice, access, local wellbeing, and the lived consequences of tourism commodification. By identifying dominant themes and unresolved questions, the review contributes to the broader Visitor Monitoring and Management in Protected and Recreational Areas (VIMAS) project and provides a critical foundation for understanding how neoliberalism shapes Arctic nature-based tourism and governance.

 

Title: Governing Growth: Tourism Dynamics and Sustainability Challenges in Iceland
Authors: Rannveig Ólafsdóttir, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir, and Jumanah Khan

Global tourism continues to expand as a major sector of international trade, driven by a model of continuous economic growth that raises significant challenges for destinations’ socio-ecological sustainability. Iceland exemplifies this trend, having experienced rapid tourism growth in recent decades, resulting in increased spatial concentration, and intensifying pressures on natural environments. This study argues that dominant framings centred on overtourism and visitor numbers provide only a partial understanding of the processes shaping tourism impacts. Drawing on systemic approaches and evolutionary economic geography, it positions governance as a key mechanism shaping how tourism growth is coordinated, spatially organised, and materially supported, thereby influencing how visitor activities translate into environmental and socio-spatial impacts. Using longitudinal data on visitor flows, spatial distribution, and sectoral development in Iceland, the findings reveal persistent spatial and temporal concentration alongside growing tensions between growth-oriented development and sustainability objectives. These findings indicate that tourism pressures are structurally produced through interactions among demand, infrastructure, governance, and destination capacities, rather than being isolated or episodic. Reframing tourism impact understanding through a sustainability lens highlights the need to move beyond volume-based metrics toward systemic approaches that integrate ecological limits, socio-spatial equity, and long-term resilience. This shift provides a pathway from insight to impact, informing more sustainable governance strategies for nature-based tourism.