Using Sensory Ethnography to Explore Nature-based Proximity Tourism and Family Vacations

Within the tourism field, family vacations are increasingly recognized as an important and growing area of study. Family vacations have the potential to reunite and reconnect individuals outside of every-day life; building social capital, influencing family bonding, and creating important memories. Today’s fast paced, technological world creates many challenges for families in finding the time and resources to experience family vacations. For the green-consumer, there are also ethical challenges in choosing reliable sustainable tourism options that avoid tourism practices that contribute to the global climate crisis. The purpose of this study is to explore how family nature-based proximity tourism in Finnish Lapland can enhance family vacation opportunities. A new and growing area of study, nature-based proximity tourism involves families experiencing nature spaces close to home from a tourists perspective. This study involved researchers accompanying English-speaking Finnish families on a hike during their nature holiday. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Bryan Grimwood

Student:

Partner:

University of Lapland

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: