RGU to support Nordic destinations with tourism development strategies

Tourism has reached peak numbers in the recent years, with 1.4 billion people travelled globally in 2024. While tourism provides a significant economic contribution, some places have experienced environmental and social sustainability issues resulting in negative responses from the local communities, most notable in European cities like Barcelona, Venice and, more locally, Skye and other rural and urban communities.

Building on a PhD by Dr Alöna Roitershtein, the new project involves the real-world application of the Place-based Strategy Evaluation (PlaSE) Framework, which can help destinations ensure their tourism strategy addresses the context-specific sustainability needs of a local destination. 

The case studies for the PlaSE framework application in this project are: Dalabyggð, Iceland; Suðuroy, Faroe Islands and Åndalsnes, Norway.

RGU is working alongside the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, Hólar University, The University of the Faroe Islands, Molde University College, and the Norwegian Centre for Transport Research on the year-long project.

Dr Alöna Roitershtein, Research Assistant at RGU Orkney and Aberdeen Business School, said: “I am excited to see the outcome of my PhD applied to real-world cases across diverse tourism destinations in the North, which will hopefully bring a positive impact to these communities and become a catalyst for wider applications across the region and beyond.”

Elsa Cox, Development Manager RGU Orkney, said: “We are delighted to welcome PlaSE project partners to Orkney for our first workshop and to showcase all that the islands have to offer.

“With support from the Nordic Atlantic Cooperation (NORA), we are building on Orkney’s Arctic links with project partners from Iceland, Norway and the Faroe Islands. Universities play a key role in supporting sustainable economies and thriving communities, and working in international partnership, we can make a positive impact on sustainable tourism development and the communities closely associated with it across the North.” 

Guðrún Þóra Gunnarsdóttir, lead project partner at the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, said: “This project complements the ongoing work of the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre (ITRC), whose core mission is to advance a comprehensive understanding of tourism and its impacts on society and the environment. 

"The Place-based Strategy Evaluation Framework offers a valuable opportunity to identify and promote tourism initiatives that align with societal needs and foster local development. Moreover, international collaborative efforts such as PlaSE play a vital role in facilitating knowledge exchange and strengthening capacity across regions.”

The project provides a tool for local destination managers to strategically plan for socially sustainable tourism that supports local communities, emphasising local identity, culture and traditions as key elements that tourism development should be based on.

The outcome of this work will enable destination managers to support local tourism initiatives which are regenerative, aligned with community needs, and enable the use of tourism for local development. The project also contributes to supporting place-based development that is rooted in place identity.

Main image: The project team at a recent workshop in Orkney. Left to right: Elsa Cox, RGU Orkney, Steve Harbert, RGU, Harald Klaus Dolles (Molde University College, Norway), Harald’s wife Monika, Laufey Haraldsdóttir, Hólar University, Iceland, Alona Roitershtein, RGU and Firouz Gaini, University of the Faroe Islands