Consideration of sexual minorities in tourism of Helsinki
Arkkukangas, Janet (2019)
Arkkukangas, Janet
2019
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019112923373
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019112923373
Tiivistelmä
This thesis was commissioned by a higher education co-operation Vastuullisen Matkailun Portaat -project, where the objective is to create complementing education model to develop the learning of responsible tourism. The purpose of this work is to study how tourism companies take into account sexual minorities and how these companies consider social sustainability as part of sustainable and responsible tourism. This study is made from the traveller’s point of view. The desired outcome of the thesis was a comprehensive information package that introduces the subject of sexual minorities in tourism for the potential students of Vastuullisen Matkailun Portaat -project. The information package was conducted together with a fellow student working on a similar subject. The process of composing the thesis began in August 2019 and working on it lasted until November 2019. The information for the theoretical part was gathered by studying existing literature of the subject and around the subject, as reliable and up to date literature was rather difficult to find. The information for the empirical part was gathered by interviewing and observing. This study was done with exploratory approach and with qualitative methodology. The qualitative research methods were executed during October and November 2019. The scope of the research was delimited so that sexual minorities were not studied as individual differing groups but rather the community as a collective whole. This study focuses on the consideration of sexual minorities in Helsinki, not nationally or globally. However, examples from national and global level were used. The key findings of the study consist of three different themes: social sustainability regarding tourism of sexual minorities, information distribution in tourism of sexual minorities and future potential of sexual minorities in tourism. The results revealed that the tourism companies in Helsinki seem not to take advantage of the good situation of equality in Finland. Regarding information distribution theme, the results showed that information about sexual minorities is the base for everything, and the tourism companies in Helsinki might not be aware that they lack information. Finally, the study showed that there is potential and purchasing power in the tourism of sexual minorities in the future. Nonetheless, the study showed that there are various factors that influence how a sexual minority traveller experiences and feels these matters. In conclusion, the information concerning sexual minorities in tourism should be increased and the tourism companies in Helsinki should take advantage of the good situation with equality rights and laws in Finland.