Encouraging empathy in creative tourism

• Main Authors: Kravtsov, Tatiana, Huhmarniemi, Maria, Kugapi, Outi
• Other Authors: Sarantou, Melanie, Miettinen, Satu
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 2022
• Subjects: tourism; creativity; Lapland; creative activity; sustainable development; nature tourism; cultural tourism; /dk/atira/pure/person/fieldofscience2010/5/20/4; name=Tourism research; /dk/atira/pure/person/fieldofscience2010/6/13/2; name=Visual arts and design; Arctic
• Online Access: https://research.ulapland.fi/fi/publications/f2f1d736-1ca6-416a-896a-0ffa68deb19e; https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003227557-4

This chapter approaches empathy from the perspectives of creative tourism and participatory art. It explores the transformative and educational potential of art workshops to increase both travellers’ and locals’ empathy towards and awareness of Arctic nature and cultures. Creativity can be enhanced by creative people working as activity facilitators as well as through tourism experiences that engage participants. The chapter discusses how challenges to the development of sustainable tourism are addressed in Finnish Lapland. It focuses on the design of a creative tourism service that enhances cultural exchange and nature connectedness. The chapter presents a case study of birch bark weaving from Finnish Lapland, with a focus on designing a culturally sustainable creative tourism service.