Kestävä maankäyttö matkailualueella

This master’s thesis examined sustainable land-use planning in tourism areas, focusing on two municipalities in Lapland, Rovaniemi and Inari. The purpose of the study was to examine how the different aspects of sustainable development are taken into account in tourism destination planning and how tourism and its growth affect the planning of these areas. The empirical part of the study was conducted as qualitative research, using publicly available planning documents from the research municipalities as well as interviews with experts. The research data was examined using a theoretical framework developed based on the literature review. Content analysis of the document material involved qualitative coding of the data and thematic analysis. Based on the analysis of the document material, a framework was formed for the expert interviews. The semi-structured interviews involved four municipal-level land use experts. The results of the study showed that the different aspects of sustainability are recognized and considered in land use planning in the municipalities included in the study. However, combining tourism activities with the interests of local people creates an additional challenge for area planning. The results highlighted the importance of participation in planning in order to secure the well-being of residents as well as the benefits that tourism brings in terms of economic independence and vitality. The study also identified a challenge in measuring the sustainability impacts of land use decisions. Based on the research findings, it was recommended that indicators for monitoring sustainability should be developed for the Lapland area, and that there should be improved transparency in sustainable development activities.