Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Sustainable Tourism
The purpose of our knowledge environment is to inspire and support interdisciplinary efforts related to tourism’s transformation toward sustainability. To this end, we organize efforts at Linnaeus University (and beyond) that relate to balancing the virtues and vices of tourism in research, teaching, and outreach. Our efforts relate to the complex challenges acknowledged by international institutions and Swedish authorities.
Sustainable tourism is the norm
Vision
The knowledge environment envisions itself as a dynamic knowledge and research hub, actively fostering collaboration between academia and professionals. Seamlessly integrating a global research agenda with the distinctive regional context of Småland and Öland, Kalmar, and Växjö, the knowledge environment aspires not only to lead in academic pursuits but also to make a meaningful societal impact. By aligning global insights with the unique challenges and opportunities found in local landscape, the knowledge environment envisions a future where sustainable tourism is the norm.
Purpose
The knowledge environment aims to mobilize multi- and interdisciplinary efforts within Linnaeus University and beyond, addressing complex tourism challenges acknowledged and prioritized by international institutions as well as Swedish authorities. To achieve this, the knowledge environment will nurture excellence through interdisciplinary knowledge, creating solutions that steer tourism towards sustainability.
Strategic directions and goals
On why tourism matters
Tourism is much more than holidays, travel marketing, or a single industry. Tourism is a serious global phenomenon associated with people’s mobilities. It shapes and is shaped by environmental, social, economic, technological, political, and legal developments.
Tourism encompasses a range of industries and engages both public entities and non-profit organizations. It involves many different human and non-human stakeholders. It thereby touches key areas of society, including public health, regional development, and social inclusion, as well as global issues like biodiversity and climate change. Tourism development and its impacts affect us all: both in negative and positive ways.
The global challenges of tourism
What is a Linnaeus Knowledge Environment?
Addressing today’s societal challenges requires broad knowledge and interdisciplinary collaboration. This is why Linnaeus University brings together prominent and innovative research, education, and collaboration in what we call knowledge environments.
Our Linnaeus Knowledge Environments work across disciplines to take a multifaceted approach to the societal challenges in their respective fields.
Developing and managing tourism in sustainable ways comes with many challenges. At a local and global level, interests among actors are often misaligned. Norms within different societal spheres collide. Tourism’s sustainability and growth paradoxes are evidenced by tourism transportation’s substantial contribution to climate change, the aggravation of social and economic inequalities in tourism areas, and the exploitation of natural resources in tourism development. The future of tourism depends on addressing the environmental and socio-economic challenges it poses to both people and places. Exemplary challenges include:
- Tourism’s contribution to exceeding planetary boundaries and deterioration of socio-ecological health.
- Urgency to respond to climate crisis vs practical hurdles in green transition for the many small- and mid-sized enterprises (SME) in the sector.
- Difficulties in navigating sustainability frameworks and certifications for regulators, operators, and consumers.
- Governance issues for system- and destination level sustainability perspectives.
- Reliable measurement and data infrastructure for sustainability purposes.
- Pressure put on communities to host increasing numbers of tourists happens to the detriment of local well-being.
- Changes in landscapes, environments, and land-use practices can negatively impact local livelihoods and cultural identities.
Sustainable tourism as a catalyst for change
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) highlights tourism’s potential to contribute to a wide range of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting the contemporary developmental challenges humanity must address to safely navigate planetary polycrises.
Exemplary benefits include:
- Contributes to economic development by providing employment opportunities to local populations and the opportunity for business innovation to entrepreneurs.
- Contributes to the development of local infrastructure and services that can be beneficial to the living standards and well-being of local populations.
- Promotes positive human-nature interactions and place stewardship
- Supports local natural environments and cultural landscapes.
- Empowers communities by reinforcing local pride and identity.
- Provides people with the opportunity to discover the natural and cultural riches of the world and become more culturally sensitive in the process.
Why this knowledge environment is needed – some voices from the team
Research
Tackling the challenges of a transformation to tourism sustainability demands interdisciplinary knowledge. This aligns with academic traditions situated at the intersection of tourism and sustainability sciences, drawing contributions from the following key areas of focus:
- Climate change
- Cultural heritage and change
- Planetary health
- Behavioural change and communication
- Destinations and hospitality
- Wellbeing
- Business models
- Rural transitions
Publications
Education
Outreach and collaboration
We collaborate with a number of well-respected universities, both regionally, nationally and internationally. Researchers within Sustainable Tourism collaborate with actors in the public sector, including several municipalities and regions, with other authorities in Sweden, as well as with various companies both in Sweden and abroad.
Newsletter
Steering group
The steering group's main commission includes the following tasks:
- Represent the environment and identify new possible cross-faculty collaborations at Linnaeus University and externally in terms of research, education and collaboration.
- To develop an activity plan and budget for activitie.
The operational work includes coordinating external grant applications and coordinating research within the environment.
Marianna Strzelecka is contact person and chair of Sustainable Tourism.