POLITOUR: Policies and Practices of Tourism Industry – A Comparative and Interdisciplinary Study on Central America (Academy of Finland, 2011-2014)
Research summary
This international comparative study of three Central American countries, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua, aims contributing to finding the best solutions, ideas and practices for sustainable tourism
business and industry. For this purpose, the project analyzes, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the development of power relations, politics, policies and practices of Central American tourism. At the same time, the study seeks the complex inter-dependencies between public, national and international planning, global tourism, local needs, sustainable development and business interests.
Description
The study seeks the complex inter-dependencies between public, national and international planning, global tourism, local needs, sustainable development and business interests. Case studies are conducted in all three countries, and comparative macro-analyses of national tourism policies are made. The research materials include a wide array of documents, semi-structured interviews, surveys, and results of participatory observation.
More information
Research info
Research title
POLITOUR: Policies and Practices of Tourism Industry – A Comparative and Interdisciplinary Study on Central America (Academy of Finland, 2011-2014)
Research timeline
1.1.2011 - 1.12.2014
Keywords
Central America community-based tourism corporate social responsibility pro-poor tourism ecotourism environmental planning poverty reduction public policies regional planning sustainable development tourism urban
Region
Latin America
Countries
Costa Rica, Finland, Honduras, Nicaragua
Institution
University of Helsinki
Department of Political and Economic Studies
Helsinki, Finland
Head of research
Jussi Pakkasvirta
Research team
Florencia Quesada (PhD Docent), Emily Höckert (PhD student), Tiina Kukkurainen (PhD student)
Partners
University of Costa Rica, Universidad Centroamericana (UCA, Nicaragua), Roatán NGOs (various, Honduras)
Contact information
Record last updated
12.2.2015