THE COMPLEX WORLD OF SUSTAINABILITY: A CASE STUDY WITH FOCUS ON NATIONALPARK THY
Authors
Kvorning, Merete Skovsted ; Grønmo, Matilde
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-06-02
Pages
113
Abstract
This thesis examines how operators in and around Nationalpark Thy understand and implement sustainability in their businesses and institutions. Against the backdrop of sustainability’s growing yet contested role in tourism, the study adopts a qualitative case study design using purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews. The primary participants were providers of nature- and food-based experiences, complemented by three stakeholders with specific knowledge of tourism and development in the national park. Findings indicate that sustainability is typically framed at a local scale, focusing on individual operations and the surrounding community. Environmental and socio-cultural dimensions tend to dominate over the economic one, which is mainly expressed as support for the local economy. Approaches differ by tourism type, and many respondents report conceptual and practical difficulties in both understanding and implementation, helping to explain the limited presence of holistic strategies. These results echo the literature highlighting complexity and tensions between tourism development and sustainability.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan aktører i og omkring Nationalpark Thy forstår og omsætter bæredygtighed i deres virksomheder og institutioner. Med udgangspunkt i den stigende, men omdiskuterede rolle for bæredygtighed i turismen gennemføres et kvalitativt casestudie med formålsbestemt udvælgelse og semistrukturerede interviews. Hovedsageligt deltog udbydere af natur- og madoplevelser, suppleret af tre aktører med særlig viden om turisme og udvikling i nationalparken. Resultaterne viser, at bæredygtighed oftest begrebsliggøres lokalt med fokus på egen drift og det nære samfund. De miljømæssige og sociokulturelle dimensioner fylder typisk mere end den økonomiske, som primært forbindes med at støtte den lokale økonomi. Tilgange varierer efter turismetypen, og mange oplever begrebslige og praktiske udfordringer i både forståelse og implementering, hvilket kan forklare fraværet af mere helhedsorienterede strategier. Fundene afspejler litteraturen, der peger på kompleksitet og spændinger mellem turismeudvikling og bæredygtighed.
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