CERTIFICATES - A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM BUSINESS The City of Vantaa perspective
Lehtonen, Jarna (2020)
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020061118394
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020061118394
Tiivistelmä
When it comes to sustainable development in the context of tourism and economy,
sustainable development is still in a formative stage. The possibilities it offers and the
impacts it might have are not known and cannot be predicted. Certificates verify the
responsibility of companies operating in the field of tourism by determining conditions that
need to be followed and audited occasionally. Thus, certificates are indicators of
responsible operations but also offer a potential competitive advantage.
The aim of the thesis carried out as qualitative research was to help the City of Vantaa to
develop within the responsible tourism context. The study was based on the Sustainable
Travel Finland programme pilot, where the City of Vantaa was accepted to participate.
Initially, certificates and tourism activities reflecting responsibility in the City of Vantaa were
examined, followed by thematic interviews, which collected information on companies’
willingness to participate in the Sustainable Travel Finland programme and companies’
experiences of the economic benefits and potential competitive advantages of certificates.
Based on the collected data, conclusions are that the City of Vantaa has many certificates
that verify responsible tourism, but several responsible activities are not verified in any way.
By analyzing the interview materials, it became clear that small entrepreneurs operating in
the City of Vantaa are ready to invest in sustainable development but think that it requires
too many resources. They also state that the Sustainable Travel Finland programme is only
intended for large companies and that it is impossible for small companies to achieve the
Sustainable Travel Finland label due to lack of resources.
The thesis also offered the City of Vantaa possible development suggestions within the
research frame, that would help the City of Vantaa to achieve the position of a pioneer in
responsible tourism.
sustainable development is still in a formative stage. The possibilities it offers and the
impacts it might have are not known and cannot be predicted. Certificates verify the
responsibility of companies operating in the field of tourism by determining conditions that
need to be followed and audited occasionally. Thus, certificates are indicators of
responsible operations but also offer a potential competitive advantage.
The aim of the thesis carried out as qualitative research was to help the City of Vantaa to
develop within the responsible tourism context. The study was based on the Sustainable
Travel Finland programme pilot, where the City of Vantaa was accepted to participate.
Initially, certificates and tourism activities reflecting responsibility in the City of Vantaa were
examined, followed by thematic interviews, which collected information on companies’
willingness to participate in the Sustainable Travel Finland programme and companies’
experiences of the economic benefits and potential competitive advantages of certificates.
Based on the collected data, conclusions are that the City of Vantaa has many certificates
that verify responsible tourism, but several responsible activities are not verified in any way.
By analyzing the interview materials, it became clear that small entrepreneurs operating in
the City of Vantaa are ready to invest in sustainable development but think that it requires
too many resources. They also state that the Sustainable Travel Finland programme is only
intended for large companies and that it is impossible for small companies to achieve the
Sustainable Travel Finland label due to lack of resources.
The thesis also offered the City of Vantaa possible development suggestions within the
research frame, that would help the City of Vantaa to achieve the position of a pioneer in
responsible tourism.