Project title
Cultivating responsible tourists through educational tourism: Practice in the Arctic Capital, Rovaniemi, Finland
Research Unit
Primary investigator
Co investigators
YAMAGISHI Daijiro, MOCHIZUKI Nagisa
Project period
2025/5/1 ～ 2026/3/31
Project summary
Tourism education has conventionally been regarded as a means to cultivate competitive tourism professionals. However, in recent years, it has also played a crucial role in fostering more responsible tourists by encouraging engagement with various stakeholders involved in tourism phenomena (Yamaguchi et al., 2022).
This study examines how various forms of educational tourism are integrated into practices of tourism education and how they contribute to the development of responsible and sustainable tourism citizens. Furthermore, by adopting a relational pedagogical approach, this study seeks to expand the scope of tourism education and explore the potential of field courses that promote more ethical and caring tourism practices.
First, we will critically review and analyze current discussions on the significance of tourism education and develop a theoretical framework by examining philosophical debates related to four key concepts: Pluriverse, Subjectification, Values, and Embodiment.
Next, based on this framework, we will develop a field course in Rovaniemi, a city in northern Finland. Rovaniemi has recently faced challenges related to overtourism, with the number of visitors exceeding ten times the local population. Therefore, studying this case is expected to provide valuable insights into balancing the needs of local communities and the demands of the tourism industry. The course development will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Lapland, with cooperation from local stakeholders, including tourism businesses, residents, and government officials. This field course is planned to be implemented in the 2026 academic year as a program at the Faculty of Tourism, Wakayama University in collaboration with the University of Lapland.
Through this field course, we aim to provide students with an opportunity to reflect on and practice more engaging and caring forms of tourism, encouraging them to act responsibly—not only as future professionals in the tourism industry, but also as tourists themselves.
Activity report
This project advanced the development of a theoretical framework for cultivating responsible tourists within tourism education, while also establishing the foundation for an international field course. Despite budgetary constraints, some members participated in the Critical Tourism Studies (CTS) Conference at their own expense and presented their research, which contributed to theoretical refinement and the acquisition of new academic perspectives.
Using the project funding, fieldwork was conducted in Rovaniemi, Finland. Through this fieldwork, collaborative relationships were established with the University of Lapland, tourism operators, and local stakeholders. This enabled the concrete development of the educational program, and the core structure of the field course scheduled for September 2026 was successfully formulated.
Furthermore, this project led to the acquisition of external funding (Scandinavia–Japan Sasakawa Foundation Grant). Part of the research outcomes was published as a forum article in Tourism Studies. The international research network developed through the fieldwork has also provided a foundation for future research development.
Publication:
- Shibamoto, Y. (2026). 境界を越えて―ロヴァニエミからヘルシンキへ自然文化をたどる旅(Crossing Boundaries: Tracing Naturecultures from Rovaniemi to Helsinki). 『観光学』, 34, 45-50. Wakayama University Association for Tourism Studies.
- Shibamoto, Y. (2026). Learning tourism as artistic practice. Wakayama Tourism Review, 8, 41-43.
- Yamagishi, D. (2026). Learning tourism through rhythm. Wakayama Tourism Review, 8, 44-47.
- Mochizuki, N. (2026). Learning tourism with the body. Wakayama Tourism Review, 8, 48-50.
Conference Presentation:
- Yamagishi, D., & Shibamoto, Y. (2025, June 1-4). “Practical” for what? Staying within interruption for transformative learning in tourism education. Critical Tourism Studies X: Tourism As ... (Criticality As ...), Mallorca, Spain
- Mochizuki, N. (2025, June 1-4). Embodying Aurora: An autoethnographic perspective. Critical Tourism Studies X: Tourism As ... (Criticality As ...), Mallorca, Spain
