Tourism and Sustainable Community Development in Northern Sweden

Small businesses with tourism as a focus are found in many rural and peripheral areas, including Northern Sweden. Tourism development in Northern Sweden has led to employment gains and it also contributes to local community development. This report presents findings on tourism’s modest but sustainable contribution to local and regional development. Tourism in Northern Sweden is mainly nature-based tourism (NBT) with a large share of businesses being accommodation providers as well as a large share of activity-based businesses. Domestic tourism dominates across the seasons and the region but a four seasons approach has been developing in recent decades. This report shows why tourism is closely aligned to sustainability goals in Northern Sweden with sustainable tourism development facing both challenges and opportunities. New tourism firms add to employment over time despite the failure of most new firms. Market segments which are geographically distant from protected areas are drawn to them because of their unique attributes. Climate change is a long-term challenge to winter tourism in particular. Food tourism is underdeveloped but growing in Northern Sweden and has potential to contribute to sustainable local food systems and community development. Tourism should be seen not as a last resort but more as a lasting resource for community development in northern Sweden.