Mistra Arctic Futures Annual Report 2011 (pdf)

for investments into the port facilities and the sea fleet have
not been effectively replaced through the creation of new
structures. Investments required for reconstruction could
be contributed by the federal government, but increased
passenger transportation has not been a priority. Having in
mind, increased environmental pressures in this highly sensitive
area it is vital to establish a well-functioning monitoring
and rescue system in the situation of ever increasing risks
which come not only from the increased transport along the
Northern Sea Route, but also from the exploitation of offshore
oil and gas reserves in the Arctic seas.
Indigenous dimensions
Engström and Boluk have explored the conflict between a
Swedish Sami community and a local tourism company eager
to exploit traditional Sami land. The aim of their research is
to illustrate the Sami perspective and how they negotiated
during a conflict concerning the planning process of a large
scale tourism development. Key findings of this study indicate
that there is a strong hierarchal order among different
land-use interests. Furthermore, traditional claims to the
land are not always considered as superior to economicallydriven
initiatives. Instead, objectives identified by the state
government are important factors in determining outcomes in
such types of conflict.
Similarly Engström (2012) has found that relationships
between different stakeholders often are asymmetrical. In
the Swedish mountain range, large-scale tourism companies
(e.g. skiing resorts) and small-scale Sami tourism firms are
often located close together. This could potentially create
great opportunities for both types of businesses in terms of
market access and diversity of the destination. But do the
firms seize such opportunities Do they collaborate If so, how
and to what extent And how do the different scales of firms
influence the power relations between them The purpose of
this ongoing study is to investigate the relationship between
large-scale tourism companies and small-scale Sami tourism
firms. The study is being conducted through semi-structured
interviews with tourism entrepreneurs in Idre, where both
a large-scale tourism company and smaller Sami firms are
located. Preliminary results indicate that even if there is a
degree of collaboration between firms of different scale, there
is a skewed power relation between them.
Governance and planning
Pashkevich (2012) aims to identify and analyse issues
influencing the process of general tourism development in
the Russian Arctic. This is done through the re-evaluation of
the regional-tourism planning processes and existing tourist
products of the seven administrative units of the territory
of the Russian Arctic: West Murmansk; East Murmansk;
Arkhangelsk oblast (Nenets Autonomous okrug); Jamal-Nenets
Autonomous okrug; Krasnoyarsk Krai (Taymyr Dolgano-Nenets
municipal rayon); Sakha Republic; and Chukotka Autonomous
okrug. Although these units possess unique natural and
cultural characteristics suitable for developing unique tourism
products, this potential is either not or only partly utilised. It
is possible to identify clear losers as well as the leaders. The
situation is often dependent on the level of engagement of
public organisations, as well as private companies within the
natural-resource-extraction sector. The engagement of such
stakeholders is an important condition for achieving desired
tourism development, as well as for developing indigenous
tourism products.
In another contribution, Pashkevich focuses on the
development of the tourism activities in the territory of the
Russia’s Arctic regions. The number of specialised conferences,
forums, meetings and other gatherings organised by different
state and federal tourism agencies and private actors has
increased dramatically. However, most tourism development in
these regions proceeds unplanned, and should be considered
in a long-term perspective with respect to planning. Levels of
service, tourism products and tourism infrastructure in most
of Russia’s peripheral regions vary considerably in comparison
to the leading administrative centres of the country (such as
Moscow and St. Petersburg). One of the obvious problems
when it comes to the rapidly-developing market of tourism
products is a lack of cooperation amongst its actors. Tour
operators from neighbouring regions commonly engage in
public-relations wars, leaving little room for cooperation.
Bringing together these actors to create a common branding
strategy could improve and strengthen the position of such
peripheral regions, nationally and internationally. In this
paper, Pashkevich looks at the potential to create a common
branding platform for these regions.
In line with previous research, one can conclude that
considerable marketing efforts, including investments in
infrastructure to facilitate tourist flows, are needed, especially
when it comes to the Russian Arctic communities (Pashkevich
2012). The peculiarities of the highly-centralised administrative
structure of the Russian resource management system make
it highly improbable to ease the burden on the regional and
local government organisations when it comes to opening
up for alternative uses of nature reserves and national parks
by private actors. Rejuvenating the tourism space in the case
of Nenets Autonomous okrug is highly questionable, due to
the strong presence of the hydrocarbon sector in the region.
Without serious state intervention it will remain a myth rather
than a reality.
Opportunities
The results of research performed by de la Barre and Brouder
(2012) highlight opportunities for polar tourism. Following
culinary and food-tourism trends developing around the
world, the unique attributes of the circumpolar cupboard
are increasingly being recognised and used to enhance the
appeal of northern destinations. As part of this positioning,
food tourism is embracing the rich storytelling traditions of
circumpolar peoples; both indigenous people who have always
lived off the land and more recent newcomers who have made
“the North” their home.
With the exception of its indigenous peoples’ perspective,
the Arctic has generally not been seen as a region resplendent
with food supplies plucked from lavish, bountiful landscapes.
However, slow and local food movements are having a
significant impact on the way Arctic foods are presented
and perceived, especially for the purposes of tourism. In this
paper, the authors examine emerging food-tourism trends
and issues in the Circumpolar North. They evaluate the
growing importance of food, and its relationship to landbased
traditions and activities in the tourism experiences
offered in northern Canada and Scandinavia. Using examples
highlighting the use of food drawn from tourism experiences
offered across the Circumpolar North, they examine productdevelopment
strategies and the innovative nature of food and
culinary tourism in northern regions.
While considering the significant opportunities that food
dimensions offer circumpolar tourism, the unique challenges
posed by this complex tourism-development environment
are also explored. These include challenges encountered by
peripheral tourism in general, as well as those that relate
specifically to food-tourism activities. Climate change is also
considered, as an on-going process that will continue to
impact both tourism and food security. Results indicate that
cuisine is an important complement to the Arctic tourism
experience, and the richness of the circumpolar cupboard is an
under-utilised asset of tourism in the Circumpolar North.
Preliminary summary
Preliminarily, it can be concluded that tourism development
should be seen in the context of other industries and regional
development. The role of tourism as tool for diversifying local
economies and sustaining local communities is not primarily
threatened by climate change. Instead, the dominance and
power of resource-extracting industries overshadows the
development of alternative livelihoods. This conclusion is
applicable to northern Sweden and the Nenets region, and we
expect to see similar results in the Yukon. This does not mean
that tourism is not happening, but it seems to be perceived as
a hibernation strategy between mining booms rather than an
opportunity to diversify local economies and create attractive
places for both tourists and residents.
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