Japanese Secular Pilgrimage Tourists in Finland
Ikeuchi-Peltonen, Shizuka (2015)
Ikeuchi-Peltonen, Shizuka
Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulu
2015
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201505117304
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201505117304
Tiivistelmä
The tour patterns of Japanese tourists coming to Finland are changing from traditionally collective ones towards more individualistic direction, because the tourists can obtain information themselves and decide the destinations themselves relating to their own interests thanks to digitalization and network. Some of them are enthusiastic to visit several places related to the specific cultural contents they are interested in, such as film, music, design, architecture and nature, in the form of “secular pilgrimage tour”.
In the primary research, the task is to find an answer to the following question: “what kind of secular pilgrimages are made by Japanese tourists in Finland?” The research starts with quantitative analyzing of the travel stories available on websites to find out some tour patterns. It shows the major places/attractions relating to the interests of the tourists. At the same time, it also shows minor destinations of niche demand.
In the second part of the research, one-on-one interviews are conducted with four of the tourists who have made a secular pilgrimage tour and one tour coordinator in Finland. The data from these interviews add richer description to the result of the primary research, drawing clearer picture of the tourists’ true feelings and more characteristics to the primary analysis of the destinations.
The goal of this research is to find what themes and stories exist behind Japanese tourists’ secular pilgrimages, which lead to the motives of Japanese tourists to travel to Finland. The ultimate research question is to find out what arouses the strong interest of Japanese tourists and what tempts Japanese tourists to secular pilgrimage in Finland. Their “secular pilgrimage tour” gives more clues about their expectation further than typical image of Japanese tourists.
In the primary research, the task is to find an answer to the following question: “what kind of secular pilgrimages are made by Japanese tourists in Finland?” The research starts with quantitative analyzing of the travel stories available on websites to find out some tour patterns. It shows the major places/attractions relating to the interests of the tourists. At the same time, it also shows minor destinations of niche demand.
In the second part of the research, one-on-one interviews are conducted with four of the tourists who have made a secular pilgrimage tour and one tour coordinator in Finland. The data from these interviews add richer description to the result of the primary research, drawing clearer picture of the tourists’ true feelings and more characteristics to the primary analysis of the destinations.
The goal of this research is to find what themes and stories exist behind Japanese tourists’ secular pilgrimages, which lead to the motives of Japanese tourists to travel to Finland. The ultimate research question is to find out what arouses the strong interest of Japanese tourists and what tempts Japanese tourists to secular pilgrimage in Finland. Their “secular pilgrimage tour” gives more clues about their expectation further than typical image of Japanese tourists.