Painted building with faces and the text "Together" in Fukushima. Photo: Tomas Nilsson

Project: Introducing post-disaster educational tourism in Sweden – Lessons from “Hope Tourism” in Fukushima

The project explores ‘Hope Tourism,’ which was developed in Fukushima after the triple disaster in 2011. ‘Hope Tourism’ is a form of organized tourism where local residents share their experiences while spreading knowledge about the community’s efforts toward recovery and a sustainable future. The purpose of the project is to investigate when, where, and how ‘Hope Tourism’ could contribute to sustainable community development after disasters in Sweden, based on lessons learned from Fukushima.

Project information

Project manager
Tomas Nilsson
Other project members
Solène Prince
Participating organizations
Linnaeus University
Financier
KEST Seed-funding
Timetable
September 2024 to March 2025
Subject
Tourism research (School of Business and Economics)
Knowledge environment
Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Sustainable Tourism (KEST)

The sequence of events after the earthquake as told at The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum in Futaba.

Visual storytelling in Futaba.

Plans for a memorial park by the sea a few kilometers north of the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

Presentation of the concept of Hope Tourism at The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum in Futaba.

More about the project

The project investigates “Hope Tourism,” a form of tourism developed in Fukushima after the 2011 disasters, which allows participants to witness the ongoing effects of the earthquake and nuclear disaster while engaging with local revitalization efforts. This form of tourism aims to avoid “dark tourism” by inviting visitors who genuinely wish to learn and contribute to recovery efforts.

The project will explore models, practices and experiences of Hope Tourism in Fukushima, and based on these discuss the potential of Hope Tourism in Sweden. In so doing we seek to learn how tourism can foster social sustainability and resilience in Sweden. The theoretical framework integrates concepts from dark tourism, educational tourism, and disaster storytelling, emphasizing the importance of cultural narratives in shaping sustainable tourism practices.

Ultimately, the project aims to empower communities and build resilience, particularly in rural areas facing the impacts of climate change.

The project is part of the research in the Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Sustainable Tourism (KEST)