Lecturers from Pärnu College gave presentations at the Nordic Symposium on Tourism and Hospitality Research in Bornholm

Tourism lecturers and doctoral students Marit Piirman and Margrit Kärp from the University of Tartu Pärnu College took part in the 33rd Nordic Symposium on Tourism and Hospitality Research, held on the island of Bornholm, Denmark. In addition to networking, both presented papers based on their doctoral research.

In her presentation “Destination Design: a systematic literature review”, Marit Piirman analysed academic articles on destination design and explored how destination design models can be used to shape the experiences of tourists and residents, enhance the attractiveness of destinations, and support sustainable development.
Margrit Kärp, in her presentation “Beyond Businesses: Promoting Environmentally Responsible Behaviour in Public Tourism Spaces”, examined how visitor behaviour is managed at different levels of governance – who is involved, what their roles and responsibilities are, and where current gaps remain.

Several key insights emerged from the conference discussions:

• Tourism is not only about economics but also a driver of changes in values, attitudes, and identities.
• Destinations and communities can thrive through tourism, but this requires conscious planning and active involvement of local residents.
• Tourism has the potential to influence people’s behaviour, value systems, and regional development.
• Community engagement is essential for building stronger destinations and societies.
• Pilgrimage tourism offers opportunities to link hiking trails with meaningful experiences while avoiding the pitfalls of mass tourism.
• Climate change and extreme weather conditions are increasingly shaping tourism behaviour, making northern destinations more attractive.

Beyond the academic discussions, the organisers also shared intriguing facts about Bornholm. The island is known both as Makers Island and Energy Island, is said to contain gold deposits, and according to local folklore, is even home to trolls.
Marit Piirman’s doctoral supervisors are Professor Jarkko Saarinen and Professor Garri Raagmaa, while Margrit Kärp is supervised by Dr Bianka Plüschke-Altof and Dr Helen Poltimäe.