Social innovations for inclusive development in tourism – insights from Kemi, Finland

More sustainable tourism development requires acknowledging local perspectives. However, local needs and ideas might be overlooked in tourism development processes, which leads to exclusive development where tourism services are locally irrelevant, and locals do not get to participate in planning. This kind of tourism usually emphasizes economic targets whereas its social benefits might be limited.

The doctoral thesis challenges the current state of tourism planning and development by bringing the concept of social innovation into the discussion. Social innovations emphasize more comprehensive social value creation and co-operation instead of business-focused planning. The thesis examines social innovations in relation to tourism in Kemi, Finland, through ethnographic approaches. With empirical examples ranging from public and private sector to local young people, the thesis demonstrates linkages between locally based social innovations and tourism development.

The thesis argues that social innovations can enhance more inclusive development in tourism and strengthen local resilience. At the same time, the thesis highlights the necessity to critically examine social innovations against the broad need to sustain socio-environmental systems at multiple scales.