Finland as a destination for LGBTQ+ travellers
Albäck, Augusto (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024120332515
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024120332515
Tiivistelmä
This thesis explores Finland as a travel destination for LGBTQ+ travellers, focusing on their experiences of safety and inclusivity, the challenges they face, and how Finland’s tourism offerings could be improved. The research aimed to identify Finland’s strengths as an LGBTQ+-friendly destination and highlight areas where inclusivity efforts could be expanded. The study focused solely on Finland, leaving out international comparisons to provide a detailed understanding of its unique tourism landscape.
The theoretical framework is based on LGBTQ+ tourism literature, emphasizing the importance of safety and inclusivity as key factors that attract travellers. The study used a qualitative approach, gathering data through semi-structured interviews with four LGBTQ+ travellers who had visited Finland. The interviews, conducted between 23–24 November 2024, were analysed thematically to identify recurring themes and meaningful insights.
The findings show that Finland is widely perceived as a safe and inclusive destination, particularly in urban areas like Helsinki and Tampere. Participants praised Finland’s low crime rates, progressive social values, and visible support for LGBTQ+ rights. However, challenges such as a lack of visible inclusivity symbols in rural areas and language barriers for non-Finnish-speaking travellers were noted. These results highlight opportunities for improvement, including expanding inclusivity efforts to rural regions and developing multilingual resources for international visitors.
The thesis concludes that while Finland already meets many expectations of LGBTQ+ travellers, there is potential to build on these strengths. Suggestions include increasing visible markers of inclusivity across the country and creating tailored experiences that connect inclusivity with Finland’s natural and cultural attractions. These findings aim to support Finland’s efforts to remain a leading LGBTQ+-friendly destination while enhancing the travel experience for all.
The theoretical framework is based on LGBTQ+ tourism literature, emphasizing the importance of safety and inclusivity as key factors that attract travellers. The study used a qualitative approach, gathering data through semi-structured interviews with four LGBTQ+ travellers who had visited Finland. The interviews, conducted between 23–24 November 2024, were analysed thematically to identify recurring themes and meaningful insights.
The findings show that Finland is widely perceived as a safe and inclusive destination, particularly in urban areas like Helsinki and Tampere. Participants praised Finland’s low crime rates, progressive social values, and visible support for LGBTQ+ rights. However, challenges such as a lack of visible inclusivity symbols in rural areas and language barriers for non-Finnish-speaking travellers were noted. These results highlight opportunities for improvement, including expanding inclusivity efforts to rural regions and developing multilingual resources for international visitors.
The thesis concludes that while Finland already meets many expectations of LGBTQ+ travellers, there is potential to build on these strengths. Suggestions include increasing visible markers of inclusivity across the country and creating tailored experiences that connect inclusivity with Finland’s natural and cultural attractions. These findings aim to support Finland’s efforts to remain a leading LGBTQ+-friendly destination while enhancing the travel experience for all.