Rural Tourist Routes - resident’s attitudes and inclusion

Research titled Tourist routes through rural areas. Research on resident’s attitudes and inclusion during the process of routes development. The research is aimed at community involvement and inclusion in local tourism development. The research was conducted in cooperation with the Associations of municipalities in the Northeast (SSNE) and Northwest (SSNV) of Iceland with funding from the Icelandic Regional Development Institute’s Research Fund 

The research was directed at the first branded Icelandic tourism route, the Arctic Coast Way. The route is designed to pull tourists off the beaten track of Icelandic tourism, the Icelandic Ring Road, to instead follow the coastline of northern Iceland. As with other tourism routs, the Arctic Coast Way aims to connect service centres and remote areas along its way and thereby increase the possibilities for rural areas to enhance their tourism. The research was designed to capture the views of rural residents towards the route, on if and how they were included during in its creation and if they regard the route as heaving the potential of being beneficial for their home areas. 

The research focused on two remote and rural areas of Iceland forming part of the Arctic Coast Way, Vatnsnes and Melrakkaslétta peninsulas. The research findings show that while neither area showed wide involvement in the creation of the Arctic Coast Way, it is still generally regarded with positive attitude by the locals at both sites as is local tourism development. In both areas, however, there is general concern regarding the state of the rural roads and the effect increased travel is bound to have on its conditions. Also, some unclarity regarding the tourism route and its potential on local level can likewise be detected. 

The final report of the project has been published and is available here (Icelandic only). 

Project manager: Þórný Barðadóttir [thorny @ rmf.is].