XIV Symposium of Finnish Tourism and Leisure Research

"20 Years of Tourism and Leisure Research in Finland: The Way Forward" 

Welcome to the 20th Anniversary Symposium on May 22nd–23rd 2024, at the Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Haaga Campus, Pajuniityntie 11).

Programme

Changes possible 

Wednesday, 22nd May 2024 

09:30 – 10:00 Arrivals and morning coffee

10:00 – 10:15 Welcome, Juulia Räikkönen, Chair of the Board, Finnish Society for Tourism Research

10:15 – 10:30 Matkailututkimus – 20 years of Finnish tourism research, Raija Komppula  & Antti Honkanen, Guest Editors of the Special Issue

10:30 – 11:15 Keynote: Beam me up, Scotty! The futures of tourism and technology, Juho Pesonen, Professor, University of Eastern Finland 

11:15 – 12:30 Panel discussion in Finnish: Tulevaisuuden tekoälykäs matkailu? Moderator: Juho Pesonen
Panelists:

  • Thomas Kingelin, Senior Lecturer, Haaga-Helia 
  • Joel Pakalén, Head of Distribution, Hotel Growth Agency
  • Kaisa Kosonen, Head of Digital Development, Visit Finland 

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch

13:30 – 14.30 Session 1: Digital platforms, ecosystems and marketing

  • Modelling Digital Tourism Ecosystem in Finland, Peng Yang & Juho Pesonen
  • Data, digitalisation, platforms, data spaces: What can be achieved in a tourism mobility ecosystem? T. Lusikka, Maria Hakkarainen & O. Pihlajamaa 
  • Digitaalinen markkinoinnin vaikutus muutosmatkailun kokemuksiin: monimentelmällinen tutkimus asiakkaiden tunteista ja reaktioista, Maria Murto, Kati Varis & Herni Karppinen 

14.30 – 15.00 Coffee break

15.00 – 16.00 Parallel Session 2a: Tourist motivation and experiences

  • The relationships between happiness, wellness tourist motivation, and tourism destination among Finnish wellness travellers during a crisis, Susanna Saari
  • Customer experiences of a hotel room within travelling, Anatoly Lvov
  • What kind of tourism service leads to a transformative tourism experience? Elli Vento, Henna Konu, Katja Pasanen, Muhammad Khogali, Riitta Koivisto, Petra Blinnikka, Sari Minkkinen & Minna Tunkkari-Eskelinen

15.00 – 16.00 Parallel Session 2b: Change-makers in tourism 

  • Advancing Tourism Education: Strategic Methodological Approaches to Address New Skill Needs in the Post-Pandemic Landscape, Olena de Andres Gonzalez & Sanna-Mari Renfors
  • Tourism higher education for sustainability transition: Perspectives from Finland and South Africa on tourism educators’ change agency, Outi Kulusjärvi, Eva Holmberg, Annika Konttinen, Antonia Thandi Nzama & Kaarina Tervo-Kankare
  • Towards regenerative nature tourism, Henna Konu, Elli Vento & Katja Pasanen

16:00 –17:00 Keynote: Publication ethics in the era of AI
Scott McCabe, Professor, University of Birmingham, UK

18:00  20th Anniversary Gala Dinner

 Thursday, 23rd May 2024

09:00 – 09:45 Keynote: Business Ethics in Tourism Research: Current State and Future Directions- José-Carlos García-Rosell, Professor, University of Oulu

09.45 - 11.15 Session 3: Sustainable tourism businesses 

  • Towards sustainable scenarios of 2030 in Finnish travel intermediation business, Jarmo Ritalahti
  • Circular transformation of restaurants: Integrating circular economy in restaurant operations, Sanna-Mari Renfors
  • Tourism, Biodiversity, and Cultural Ecosystem Services: exploring practices of pioneering sustainable tourism companies within Finnish Biosphere Reserves, Pinja Leino & Esko Sorakunnas
  • The potential of transformative tourism for tourism businesses, Katja Pasanen, Elli Vento & Henna Konu

11.15 – 12:15 Lunch

12.15 - 13:00  Keynote: Envisioning tourism futures with the concept of proximity. Outi Rantala, Professor, University of Lapland

13.00 - 14.30 Session 4: Sustainable and inclusive tourism for all 

  • Effects of an outdoor adventure on adolescents’ well-being and nature connection – a comparison with a drama workshop, Riikka Puhakka
  • Luonnon monimuotoisuutta kunnioittavan matkailun haasteet, Esko Sorakunnas
  • Ikäihmisten näkemyksiä matkailun kestävästä tulevaisuudesta ilmastokriisin kontekstissa, Aarni Tuomi & Husna Zainal Abidin
  • Ableism at music festivals, Maarit Kinnunen & Antti Honkanen

14:30 – 15.00 Coffee and have a safe journey home