Invest in Norrbotten

Snow and ice as a resource for the visitor and adventure tourism industry

The visitor and adventure tourism industry has great growth potential for Norrbotten and at Luleå University of Technology (LTU) people are getting their wits about them. Adventure tourism and leisure time have been identified as growth areas for quite some time. Financing has already been arranged for a professorship and collaboration with companies in the industry has begun.

“Traditionally research has been directed at the tourism and adventure industries rather than working alongside them. We want to change that and we have already begun a joint project with the industry and other universities in the region such as Rovaniemi and Tromsö,” says Hans Gelter, coordinator for the LTU initiatives.

Hans is involved with various projects concerning tourism in Polar regions and how snow and ice can be exploited as a resource for the adventure tourism industry. For example, he was previously involved in the construction of a unique ice organ and held concerts in an ice hall. There are also plans for an ice and adventure lab and ideas about how to use technology to extend the snow season at tourist facilities.

“We must bear in mind that bringing tourists to the north of Sweden entails great environmental and climate impact. For this reason we run projects that study how a guide’s methods can influence visitor experiences so that they become ambassadors for sustainable development. For example, we are running a research project that compares tourist experiences in Nepal and Antarctica regarding the development of ambassadorships and commitment to the visited area,” says Hans Gelter.

There are plans for Sweden’s first centre for adventure tourism research known as the Swedish Lapland Expert Centre for the Experience Industry.