Ecotourism in Scandinavia: Lessons in theory and practice (Book Review)

Abstract

Ecotourism has developed in diverse ways on different continents, producing regional signatures. Studies at the areal scale, as in this volume, with its 17 chapters, provide insights into how ecotourism practice varies around the world. The emphasis in this work is on Sweden, with comparative analyses from Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, and case studies from Greenland and Svalbard. The concluding chapter by Michael Hall also draws examples from Finland. Comparisons between Norway and Sweden are reminiscent of rivalries between New Zealand and Australia, or Canada and the United States. While Sweden has an ecotourism trade association and a certification and marketing program, Norway does not. There are also differences among countries in rights of access to different land tenures. Despite minor differences, Nordic countries share strongly seasonal cold temperate climates, and similar traditions of individual outdoor recreation. There is, however, no attempt to characterise the Nordic regional ecotourism signature explicitly. This publication brings Nordic-language publications into the Anglophone academic literature, but only a small selection of English-language studies is cited. Language continues to be a significant barrier to international flow of research data and ideas.