Citizen science as a tourist attraction: An active learning tourist experience

In this chapter, the authors discuss the potential of citizen science as a tourist attraction, specifically by making it into an experience and knowledge enhancer which allows tourists to turn into active collaborators and contributors. The aim of the chapter is to explore and highlight this perspective. The empirical basis for the work is two Swedish case studies, in which local stakeholders and visitors are consulted about or discuss the potential of citizen science as a tourist attraction. The results show how citizen science fulfils the demand for more individualized and engaging tourist experiences. It does so by introducing new learning experiences and outcomes, with a focus on participation in learning processes for gaining new knowledge and understanding while travelling, thereby confirming a close link to active and experiential learning forms in tourism. The outcome is a tourism experience with a specific focus on learning and reflection about the local context of the experience, much like ecotourism or volunteer tourism experiences, but more accessible to people. Requirements, challenges and opportunities concerning the results and the overall potential for the use of citizen science in tourism are reflected upon at the end.