Tourism Planning Towards Sustainability in Island Communities: A Qualitative Study of Tourism Dynamics in the Icelandic Small Islands of Hrísey, Grímsey and Vestmannaeyjar

This thesis aims to explore in what ways sustainable tourism practices are implemented and developed within the Icelandic islands of Hrísey, Grímsey and the Vestmannaeyjar. The study is supported by relevant theoretical literature seeking to clarify the definitions of sustainability, sustainable tou...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Stoppani, Francesca, 1997-
Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1946/37971
Description
Summary:This thesis aims to explore in what ways sustainable tourism practices are implemented and developed within the Icelandic islands of Hrísey, Grímsey and the Vestmannaeyjar. The study is supported by relevant theoretical literature seeking to clarify the definitions of sustainability, sustainable tourism and islandness. The study is based on qualitative research methods. Data was gathered through interviews with local business owners, tourism professionals and administrative entities. The objective of the research is to describe the tourism planning on these islands, how it is perceived by the local community and its relations to tourism planning on the mainland. The main findings will point out if there is space for further improvement and cooperation between the islands and the mainland and how the tourism industry has had significant social and environmental impacts on the Icelandic small islands. Markmið þessarar ritgerðar er að kanna þróun sjálfbærrar ferðaþjónustu á íslensku eyjunum Hrísey, Grímsey og Vestmannaeyjum. Rannsóknin grundvallast á fræðilegum straumum sjálfbærni, sjálfbærrar ferðaþjónustu og eyjafræðum. Hún byggir á eigindlegum rannsóknaraðferðum. Gögnum var safnað með viðtölum við fyrirtækjaeigendur og starfsfólk í ferðaþjónustu á eyjunum og aðila úr stjórnsýslu. Ritgerðin miðar að því að lýsa skipulagi ferðaþjónustu á eyjunum, viðhorfi til ferðaþjónustu meðal heimafólks og tengslum skipulags ferðamála á eyjunum og á meginlandinu. Niðurstöður munu draga fram tækifæri til að bæta tengsl og samstarf milli eyjasamfélaganna og meginlandsins og hvernig ferðaþjónustan hefur umtalsverð félagsleg og umhverfisleg árif á íslenskar eyjar.