Mass Tourism and Cultural Traditions - Case Study Example

Project Analysis of a destination Finland in Northern Europe Location Finland is located in the Northern Europe, between Sweden and Russia. It is surrounded by the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia and Gulf of Finland. Its capital Helsinki is the northernmost capital on this continent. Finland is connected by air from all major cities. Connection There is one more very different type of transport available to reach Finland and that is by car-ferry. There is a car-ferry service that runs between Finland and Sweden quite frequently. This service is available from many other ports also. One can reach Finland in 24 hours by sea from northern Germany. There are some superfast ferries also that operate from Rostock to Hanko. Another carrier Finnlines operates on the route from Travemunde to Helsinki. One can take Silja Line’s FInnjet from Rostock to Tallin and reach Helsinki from there by Super Sea Cat. One can reach Finland by road also if driving from Poland and Baltic countries via St. Petersburg. Traveling within Finland is a joy for the city dwellers as there is no congestion on any of the modes – road, train or air travel. One can drive through the arterial roads and enjoy scenic beauty. The same can enjoyed while flying from Helsinki to lake District or Lapland.(Finland, the official travel and tourism guide, www.visitfinland.com) Tourist traffic Most of the population in Finland is concentrated on southwestern coastal plain. Finland attracts two kinds of tourism. Some tourists who come here are the ones who are looking for some exciting outdoor activities. There are many such opportunities that this land offers. One can go for cruising, canoeing, walking or cycling or sailing. In winters there are few more options like skiing or riding a snowmobile and reindeer sled. Another type of people who come here are the ones who are looking for relaxation. The unspoiled landscape of Finland is a soothing sight. It is not crowded by mass tourism and still maintains its serenity. It is a quiet place away from the noise and crowds of city life. That is why it is called ‘Natur mit Unterhaltung’ or nature with amenities. So one can find here the beauty of nature spread up to the horizons without missing the conveniences of city life. (Finland, the official travel and tourism guide, www.visitfinland.com ) Topography Almost two-thirds of the land in Finland is covered with forests and one-tenth by lakes and rivers. It is the interplay between these two features that makes Finland a charming place. Among the densest of the forests one can find endless numbers of lakes, rivers and ponds. And in the largest of lakes one can see number of islands covered with trees even around the coastline of Finland, there are islands all around. It is said that there are approximately 179,584 islands around the coast of Finland. Not all of them are sizable and many of them are just a rocky islet, some of them are sizable. The largest island here is called Aland and is spread over 685 square kilometers. About the lakes it is said that there are more than 56,000 lakes. Most of these lakes are more than a hectare in area. The largest lake is called Saimaa which is in the south-east part of the country. . it is actually a network of many interconnected lakes. The coastline of Finland is also quite interesting. It is stretching up to more than a thousand kilometer and is interspersed with peninsulas and inlets. If one measures the coastline taking into account all these features and the islands, then it would exceed 40,000 kilometers. To be specific one can add the lakeshores as well. Then this figure will become 130,000 kilometers. Compared to the population, it will have approximately 33 meters of some kind of shoreline for every inhabitant. This could be the highest ratio in the world. Due to large number of water bodies there is a large area covered by wetlands like bogs and fens. It accounts for almost one third of the area. That is why we find the flora and fauna of Finland consists of characteristic species of waterside habitats. More than 60% of water-birds, namely, the rare broad-billed sandpiper and the golden eye, are found in Finland.(Finland travel guide, www.finland.com) Flora & fauna Most of the landscape is flat here. There are few hills. The highest one is called Halti and it is 1,324 meters high, situated in the extreme north Lapland. Most of the forst hare taiga forests with corniferous vegetation. Scots pine, spruce, birch and oak are some of these varieties. We can find 1,200 species of vascular palnts here. Apart from this there are 1,000 lichen species and 800 bryophytes. Southern part of Finland has the richest flora. Even the fauna here is diverse. There are more than sixty mammals, 248 birds, more than seventy fish apart from some reptiles, frogs etc. Brown bear is also the national animal. Reindeer, gray wolf, elk, red fox, red squirrel etc are the most common mammals found here. (Finland travel guide, www.finland.com) Special Attraction While one can enjoy the rich natural beauty of Finland, one of the most spectacular scenes to watch is the Northern Lights. It is a celestial phenomenon where one can see bands and streamers of colored light also known as Aurora Borealis or auroral lights. Its an spectacular event that one must see while visiting Finland. In the northern Lapland, they occur more than 200 times in a year where as in the southern part they can be seen about 20 times in a year. It is an experience of a lifetime. There are many stories and beliefs associated with these lights. Apart from the beauty on the earth, the sky scape in Finland, especially northern Finland is worth a watch. (Finland travel guide, www.finland.com) Climate Finland has a combination of maritime and continental climate. Depending on the airflow, one can expect the change in climate. Being situated in the northern latitudes, the climate is expected to be extremely cold but pleasantly it is not so extreme as Siberia and Greenland. The average temperature is around 10 degrees centigrade in winters, which is quite comfortable. It is due to the surrounding sea coasts like the Baltic Sea and the other inland water bodies. The Gulf Stream also lends warmth to the air flowing from the Atlantic. But when the Asian continental climate prevails, then the weather is extremely cold or extremely hot. One can expect sudden weather changes in Finland. This happens due to proximity of polar and tropical air masses. Depending on the strength and position, one can expect the type of weather. In winters the average temperature could be -3 degrees and in summers 10 degrees centigrade. Mid-October is the beginning of winters in Lapland but in the rest of Finland it begins in November. It is the longest season and expected to last for more than three months in southern Finland and more than 6 months in Lapland. Winter is the beginning of snowfall also. There is permanent snow on the ground and can be as high as 60 to 90 centimeter in mid-March in the northern parts. In southern parts it could be 20 to 30 centimeters. In winters the lakes freeze and even the Baltic Sea can freeze sometimes. One unique happening here is the Polar Night when the sun does not rise at all. In the Northern most area of Finland, the polar nights are as along as 51 days. In southern part of the country it does not occur but the length of the day shortens, the shortest being 6 hours long. In spring the average temperature is from 0 degrees to 10 degrees. In southern Finland spring arrives in April but in the northern parts it arrives only in May. It lasts from 45 days to 65 days. Summer sets in by May in southern Finland and lasts till mid-September. Just like Polar Nights, one can experience Polar Days in the northern parts. For almost 73 days, the sun does not set here. It does not happen in the southern part of the country but one can see the longest day in mid summer that can be as long as 19 hours. Barring the coastal regions, there is some rain fall everyday. In march the rainfall in minimum and is maximum in July-August. Most of the tourists find summer a comfortable time but few may like to come during winters to experience polar climate in the Northern part of the country and meet Santa Claus. (Finland, the official travel and tourism guide, www.visitfinland.com) Population Although Finland is a place full of forests and wild life, there is enough human population as well and one should not expect polar bears walking on the roads. The cities are bright and clean. People here are reserved and lead a laid back life.(Boudhiba, 1981) They love to drink. Finnish is the language spoken here. Few people speak Swedish and English is used as the common language. It is very thinly populated. Most of the population is concentrated in the southern part of the country. There are very few immigrants coming from Sweden, Russia and Estonia. Most of the people belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Some of them belong to the Orthodox Church. Catholics, Muslims and Jewish people are also there but very few. (Finland, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland#Demographics ) This is a highly literate society and the family structure is nuclear. There is compulsory education for children for first nine years. Meals are provided free of cost and so is the education. History The Capital town, Helsinki was founded by the king of Sweden – Gustavus Vasa. Finland belonged to Sweden for many centuries. This city was founded on 12th June, 1550. in those times it was a strategic centre from the military angle. It was compounded by establishment of Russian capital St Petersburg in 1703. This was a difficult time for this city and the country. It had to face epidemics like plague and also war and hunger. They were occupied by Russia twice - once in 1713-21 and then in 1742. The fortress Suomenlinna was constructed for these reasons in 1748. This marked the beginning of prosperity for the city. It was again occupied in early 19th century. In 1812 it became the capital of Finland. By the beginning of 20th century, it was a well established city. In 1917, it became an independent country but immediately after that it had face a civil war and the government had to abandon Helsinki. Again in 1939, it was invaded by Soviet Union. Despite so many disturbances, this is the only country on the European continent to maintain democracy throughout.( Finland, http://virtual.finland.fi/History/) Finland was an agrarian country but after the war period was over, it became a modern industrial country. It has been host to many major political conferences. In 1995, it became the member of European Union. It was the 450th anniversary year of this city. Kalevala Kalevala is the national epic of Finland. It is an epic poem and is one of the most eminent literary works here. It is known to have inspired the country to gain independence from Russia in 1917. The literal meaning of the word is lands of Kaleva. Its influence can be seen on the art and music of Finland. On 28th February, Kalevala Day is celebrated. Many works of art, music and literature are inspired from Kalevala. They form the attraction points for the tourists. (Finland, http://virtual.finland.fi/History/) Tourism Tourism is a growing industry in Finland. In 2005 it saw a growth of 5% over the previous year by touching 6.7 billion Euros. The major factors for this growth are modernization and globalization of the country.(Hall, 1998) It is a country which has natural virgin beauty that attracts many tourists.(Graburn, 1983) Most of these places have the basic city amenities that make it convenient for the tourists but they do not disturb the natural beauty of the place. There are 35 national parks where one can see the wild life in its natural habitat. Most of the tourists prefer the summer season for visiting Finland but in winters also thousands of people come here to enjoy the winter sports and the Christmas festivities. There are plenty of winter sports that one can enjoy like dog sledding, skiing, Nordic walking etc. (Lett, 1983) Christmas is special here as Finland is considered the home of Santa Claus. It even has a post office of Santa Claus in the Lapland region which receives millions of mails for Santa from all over the world. The other natural phenomena like polar nights, polar days and Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights attract many visitors. Japanese people form the majority of these visitors. Summers also has its attraction in the form of festivals and events. As the daylight increases, the tourists get more opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, golfing, yatching or fishing etc. Bird watching and hunting also attracts many people here. The history of Finland also lends much attraction for the tourists as they can see many such places. There are churches, cathedrals and castles all over the country. The museums also form tourist destinations. Cuisine Change in cuisine adds to the attraction of tourism.(Cohen, 2004). The cuisine of Finland offers a combination of European and Russian cuisines with a touch of Fennoscandian cuisine.(Hjalager,2000) Fish and meat form the non-vegetarian dishes. Berries are used in plenty and so are ground vegetables. Spices are not grown here so they are not used in Finnish cooking. Because of location fish is more prominent in coastal and lakeside areas while reindeer is more common in the northern parts. Breakfast is mostly continental like oatmeal or bread. Gradually the influence of other countries is reflecting here. Effects of Tourism Tourism helps the country’s economy by generating direct revenue. As the tourists spend and pay various kinds of taxes, there is an inflow of money.(Mathieson, 1982) Finland has tried to encourage tourism and attract inflow of money by organizing and promoting different events. Development of museums and national parks has also helped in increasing tourist traffic. These programs and places provide more points of interest for the visitor and help prolong his stay that in turn improves the inflow of money. Since most of it is foreign exchange it helps the country’s economy. There are some secondary effects also as the money spent by the tourists improves the purchasing power of the people associated with tourism and their increased purchasing power in turn improves other businesses. The opportunity of creating more jobs is also an indirect benefit of tourism.(Weaver, 2000) Sometimes some negative impacts of tourism also attract people’s attention like creation of part-time jobs or diversion of funds from essential development areas to tourist interest areas. But so far no such negative impact has been experienced in Finland. The infrastructural development has been of use to the local population as well. Organization of festivals and events has also generated employment opportunities for the local population. Sometimes there is a fear of demonstration effect on the local population as they want to copy the lifestyle and consumption behavior or the tourists.(Smith, 1989) But no such effect has been seen here as the Finns are very much attached to nature and have their own life style. Motivational Factors The main motivational factor for the tourists to visit Finland has been the desire to get away from the city life and every day routine.(Crompton, 1979) Love of nature and love of sports is the major motivation. Opportunity to engage in various outdoor activities provides a total change to the tourists. The history of Finland has also been a motivation as the tourists can see various castles, buildings and museums that have been built in those periods. These heritage sights and unspoiled nature are the greatest motivational factors that attract the tourists.(Zimbardo, 1985) Promotion Promotion also has its role in attracting tourist traffic. There has been deliberate promotion of the natural beauty of Finland like the Northern Lights, the land of Santa Claus, promotion of winter sports, hosting of various conferences have attracted people’s attention to this destination. An increase in the traffic and inflow of money show the positive results of these promotions. In today’s world, information technology has helped in promotion. There are many official and other websites that can provide information to the tourists and also offer them to book their vacations on-line. The pictures and scenes used on these websites provide major attraction. It presents Finland as a place of natural beauty and most of the city dwellers looking for a change find it a right place to visit. Pull & Push Factors Tourism is generated by generated by two kinds of factors called the pull factor and the push factor.( Ryan, 1997). Pull factors are the factors that motivate a person to travel to that place. (Rojek, 1993)Some pull factors are tangible and some are intangible. Tangible factors are like the infrastructure e.g. hotels, restaurants etc. Intangible factors are like service quality , safety etc. Finland provides both these factors as it has good infrastructure so the tourists can get all the facilities. The society is very peaceful so security and safety are not a problem for the tourists. Transportation is well established with various options like train, road and water transport apart from the air connections. The push factors are basically the factors that motivate a person to travel. Finland being a place of natural beauty, it motivates people to get away from a busy working schedule. The experience here is totally different from city life and that is the major push factor. Bibliography: Bouhdiba, A, 1981, ‘Mass tourism and cultural traditions’, The UNESCO Courier, pp. 4 and 6-8. Cohen, E, Avieli, N 2004, ‘Food in tourism: Attraction and Impediment’, Annals of tourism research, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 755- 778. Cohen, E 1979, ‘A phenomenology of tourist experiences’. Sociology vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 180-201. Crompton, J 1979 ‘Motivations for pleasure vacation’ .Annals of tourism research, vol. 6, no. 4, pages 408-424. Graburn, N 1983 ‘The anthropology of tourism’. Annals of tourism research, Volume 10, Number 1, pages 9-33. Hjalager, A, Corigliano, M 2000, ‘Food for Tourists – Determinants of an Image’, International journal of tourism research, Vol. 2, pp. 281-293 Hall, C, 1998, Introduction to tourism: Development, dimensions and issues, 3rd edition, South Melbourne, Addison Wesley Longman. Lett, JW 1983 ‘Ludic and liminoid aspects of charter yacht tourism in the Caribbean’, Annals of tourism research, vol 10, pp 35-56. Mathieson, A, Wall, G, 1982, Tourism: Economic, physical and social impacts, Harlow, Essex, Longman Scientific and Technical. Rojek, C 1993, Ways of escape: Modern transformations in leisure and travel, Macmillan, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Ryan, C 1997, ‘Similar motivations-diverse behaviours’ in ed Ryan, C., The tourist experience: A new introduction, Cassell, London. V. Smith, Hosts and guests: The anthropology of tourism, 2nd edition, Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, pp. 119-138. Smith, V, 1989, ‘Eskimo tourism: Micro-models and marginal men’, in ed. V. Smith, Hosts and guests: The anthropology of tourism, 2nd edition, Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, pp. 55-82. Weaver, D, Oppermann, M 2000 Tourism Management, John Wiley and Sons, Milton, Queensland. Weaver, D, Lawton, L 2006 Tourism Management, John Wiley and Sons, Milton, Queensland. Weaver and Lawton 2006, Tourism management, Milton, Queensland, John Wiley and Sons. Zimbardo, P 1985, Psychology and life, 12th edition, Harper Collins, New York. . Websites: Finland, http://virtual.finland.fi/History/ Finland, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland#Demographics Finland, the official travel and tourism guide, www.visitfinland.com Finland travel guide, www.finland.com Read More