Institutional Factors Influencing the Size and Structure of Tourism: Comparing Dalarna (Sweden) and Maine (USA)

Abstract

This paper explains why neither Maine, USA's comparatively laissez faire economic and land use institutions, nor Dalarna, Sweden's more heavily regulated economy, seems well designed to make tourism a powerful economic development engine. The paper focuses on three clusters of institutions that have a major influence on tourism's scale, economic structure, and long-term sustainability. Labour laws and labour market institutions are important determinants of tourism employment, job quality, product mix, production methods, and regional competitiveness. Land ownership and property rights influence both the incentives facing landowners, tourists, and tourism businesses and stresses on ecosystem carrying capacity. Commodity taxes affect the absolute and relative prices of various tourist services and, via feedback effects on demand, influence tourism's aggregate scale, activity mix and transportation/location patterns. The paper employs institutional contrasts between Dalarna and Maine to frame hypotheses that will guide a larger comparative study of sustainable tourism in forest regions. Perhaps most controversially, we hypothesise that Sweden's venerable right of common access (allemansrätten), as currently implemented, impedes sustainable tourism development. An appendix sketches the current state of tourism in the two regions.

What does 40 years of regional and business competitiveness in tourism research reveal?

“…The government is perceived as a policy coordinator (Kim and Kim, 2013; Haven-Tang et al , 2007; Luštický et al , 2018), activity regulator (Vail and Heldt, 2000; Miloradov et al , 2018), generator of basic infrastructure and support for tourism, source of financing to create and improve companies (Kim and Kim, 2013; Haven-Tang et al , 2007; Padurean et al , 2015) and advocate for the qualification of labor (Teixeira and Ferreira, 2019). However, Luštický and Bednářová (2018) note that intensive collaboration with stakeholders as the main factor for long-term strategic direction in tourist destinations.…”

“…The success of integration strategies, trust, collaboration, competition, knowledge sharing, geographic proximity and governance structures must be considered. (2015) Analyzed the results of a megaproject for a sporting event in the economic development of the territory Racherla et al (2008) Verified the relevance of deploying innovative ICT and information infrastructure for tourism Salvino et al (2018) Examined sub-urbanization and alternative forms of development of tourism infrastructure Product diversification Bjork and Kauppinen-Raisanen (2016) Classified the types of travelers and their behavior about local food, indicating marketing potential for the tourism industries Mura and Kljucnikov (2018) Demonstrated the positive impact of implementing agritourism in rural enterprises in diversifying business risks Teixeira and Ferreira (2019) Analyzed the role of artisanal products in the competitiveness of regional tourism Public policies Ellerbrock and Hite (1980) Presented a model to analyze the influence of tourism jobs on territorial regions Kim and Kim (2013) Studied the cultural tourism businesses supported by the government Luštický and Bedn a rov a (2018) Revealed a gap between the research process and planning in a generic model of competitiveness of tourist destinations Miloradov et al (2018) Sorted the regions according to the level of tourism development and determined strategies to improve its products' competitiveness Padurean et al (2015) Identified the degree and intensity of the influence of the European Structural Funds on tourism enterprises Simanaviciene et al (2014) Developed a methodology for assessing regional development and the effect of integrated policies on regional differences Vail and Heldt (2000) Analyzed the institutional impediments to sustainable tourism MRR 45,12…”

The last resort? Ski tourism and climate change in Arctic Sweden

“…The situation gets even complex when one takes into account the traditional livelihoods of the locals and especially the indigenous Sami. Previously, conflicts resulting from Sami rights to reindeer herding, fishing, hunting and harvesting were reported during the expansion plans for Sälen and Idre ski resorts (Dalarna) into the Städjan National Park (Vail and Heldt, 2000). An inclusive and sustainable trajectory involving indigenous and other local stakeholders, as observed in Ylläs, where the local networks from the bottom-up rejected an urban-like development path, as pursued by their northern neighbour, Saariselkä ski resort, and instead opted for a steady growth (Kulusjärvi, 2017), could be targeted.…”

Destination Choices in Travel Decisions

“…According to Syriopoulos [15]; Sinclair [16]; Vail & Heldt [17]; Wall, & Mathieson [18]; and Capittelo et al [19], income elasticity shows large differences in tourism demand preferences between home countries and between traditional and emerging destinations. This shows that the price elasticity of self and substitutes shows the importance of effective prices in determining tourism receipts from destinations.…”