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Observatory PASCAL
Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions PURE Regional Briefing Paper (RBP) JAMTLAND, SWEDEN Part 1 1. Clarify what is meant by the region in this project e.g. historical and cultural, long-term administrative and legal, or specially created for a particular development purpose. Comment on the advantages and difficulties of the nature and understanding of the region involved. [One general benefit from the PURE project should be to gain a better understanding of what kind of region is effective for what purposes.] The region of Jämtland has a long history as a province, geographically, culturally, and politically held together. Until 1645 the province belonged to Norway. Communications with other areas and trade have traditionally taken part in eastern-western direction, towards the Swedish coast and Norway. This pattern is still valid today within tourism, where many visitors come from Norway. The region is governed by a county council (landstinget), a county administrative board (länsstyrelse). The region is divided into eight municipalities which are run by municipality councils. The dominating municipality is Östersund which is situated right in the middle of the region and which is inhabited by almost half of the population of the region as a whole. 2. Set out briefly the key characteristics of the region in terms of geography, economy, demography, social structure, trends and changes, as these affect PURE and the development agenda. It is a quite large region (about 49 000 km ), but sparsely populated (3 inhabitants/km ), which means that distances between people are long. There is clear centre in this region, the region’s capital Östersund, in which you can find the university, the hospital and many other important institutions and organisations. The region has mountains in the west, on the boarder to Norway, and it is to a large extent covered with forests. The area around lake Storsjön is an agricultural area, in the rest of the region there is mainly small-scale farming, often based on cattle and combined with other sources of income, such as the tourism. The only major industries in the region are forestry and (water) power industry. Tourism is a great source of employment and income. One of the most visited skiing-resorts in Sweden, Åre, is located within this region, but there are also tourists attracted to hiking in the mountains, travelling around to the small-scale food producers/farmers and those attracted to cultural heritage. The demography of the region is disproportional with more men than women. There is also an increasing proportion of the population which is old. The average educational level of the population is relatively low. Municipalities The region of Jämtland Härjedalen is situated in central Sweden and forms the County of Jämtland. The region comprises the municipalities of Berg, Bräcke, Härjedalen, Krokom, Ragunda, Strömsund, Åre and Östersund. Population Jämtland Härjedalen has a population of around 127,000 people. Some 58,200 live in the municipality of Östersund. Östersund is the only city in the county of Jämtland, founded in 1786. Ragunda is the smallest municipality with a total population of close to 6,000 people.
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions Area Jämtland Härjedalen accounts for 12 % of the total area of Sweden, 49,443 km2, but only 1.5 % of the total population. The population density is just 2.6 people per square kilometre while the average for Sweden as a whole is 21.6 people per square kilometre. If Jämtland Härjedalen had as many people per square kilometre as the Netherlands, then the county would have a population of over 23 million. Infrastructure Jämtland Härjedalen can be reached by air, train, bus and car. There are two airports – Åre Östersund Airport and Sveg Airport. There is a regular train connection – Nabotåget – between Trondheim in Norway and Östersund, with several departures daily. There are several connections daily to Stockholm, Gothenburg, Sundsvall and Malmö. The Inlandsbanan railway also runs through the county from south to north, and offers a ride with great touristic value throughout the summer. The most important road connections are the roads E14 between Sundsvall and Trondheim in Norway, and E45 between (Italy) Gothenburg and Karesuando. Jämtland Härjedalen has almost 6,000 kilometres of public roads. Sweden’s highest public road crosses the Flatruet mountain in Härjedalen at a height of 975 meters. Education Östersund has the largest campus within the Mid Sweden University. The focus areas are social sciences directed towards studies within sports, tourism and health. There are also programmes within nature science, technique and IT. Within the Campus Area there is also a National Wintersportscentre with highly advanced testing equipment for physiological abilities. The national Olympic Committee has approved it for tests with the national ski teams. Occupation Östersund is a strong commercial Centre for the region. The annual sales amount to a 30% higher level than the population should normally account for. The County industry is dominated by small companies. Only 50 companies out of Jämtland Härjedalens 700 companies have more than 50 employees. Tourism Tourism has a long history and tradition in the county. More than one hundred years ago, the first so-called “air tourists” came to breathe and recuperate in the fresh air of the mountains and the beautiful nature. During the 20th century tourism has developed into one of the most important industries in Jämtland Härjedalen. The tourists who visit Jämtland Härjedalen generate a turnover of around SEK 3.1 billion per annum, and accounts for around 7,9 million overnight stays in the county. Employment linked to the tourist industry totals 3,700 man years. The winter season is particularly important for Jämtland Härjedalen as two-thirds of all overnight stays in the area fall into the six winter months. Foreign visitors account for 25 % of total commercial overnight stays. The Norwegian market is by far the most important, followed by Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands and Finland. Climate The coldest month is January with temperatures averaging – 8,6 degree Celsius in Östersund. The warmest month is July when the average temperature reaches 13,4 degree Celsius. The longest day is at the end of June when the sun sets at 22.16 and rises at 01.50 in Östersund.
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions Between sunset and sunrise there is twilight, so it doesn’t get dark. During the darkest period at the end of December, the sun rises at 09.42 and sets at 14.20 in the Östersund area. Fauna and Flora The region has a unique flora and fauna and is often referred to as “the lungs of Europe”. In addition to the clean air, it is well known for its wilderness, the contrasts of the midnight sun and the winter darkness and its four clearly defined seasons. In Jämtland Härjedalen it is still possible to catch sight of some of the large predator animals of Sweden, such as lynx, wolf, wolverine, brown bear, there is also Arctic fox and elk. And the ancient, protected musk ox still roams the mountains of Härjedalen. Jämtland Härjedalen has a rich and varied flora thanks to the lime-rich Silurian soil of the area. Many orchids thrive here, for instance the lady’s slipper, the fairy slipper, the ghost orchid and the coral root. Mountains The highest mountain peak in the area is Helags, which has Sweden’s southernmost glacier and stands 1,796 metres above sea level. Templet, or Storsola, and Lillsylen are part of the Sylarna massif, and reach 1,728 metres and 1,704 metres respectively. Åreskutan’s summit is 1,420 metres above sea level. Lakes Lake Storsjön in the centre of Jämtland Härjedalen is Sweden’s fifth largest lake with an area of 456 km2. Ströms Vattudal and Kallsjön are the second and third largest lakes in the county. Lake Storsjön is the home of the Storsjö Monster. It was first mentioned in a legend that was written down in 1635 and today there are more than 200 witness reports from 500 people who claim to have seen the Storsjö Monster. Sonfjället in Härjedalen is the county’s national park. The area also has some 50 nature reserves, for instance Hoverberget, Rogen, Döda Fallet, Korallgrottan, Vålådalen, Skäckerfjällen and Andersön. There are a number of nature information centres that provide information on the area’s geology, flora, fauna and heritage. Here you will also be able to obtain information on excursion sites and hiking trails. Nature centres can be found in Vålådalen, Frostviken, Rogen and Sonfjället. The Sami The Sámi culture, with its own history and traditions, has had a major influence on the region. Jämtland Härjedalen has a total of 11 Sámi villages and around 44,500 reindeer. Some 95 companies here are mainly involved in reindeer herding Activities Most activities in Jämtland Härjedalen are related to outdoor life and nature. In summertime, visiting sights comes first hand and then doing all sorts of activities. Among the activities traditional hiking is most popular, followed by fishing. Other summer activities are hiking, canoeing, cycling, mountain climbing, bear, beaver and elk safaris, riding, golf, paragliding, adventure sports etc. In wintertime, skiing is the most popular activity in Jämtland Härjedalen. Activities include alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowmobile safaris, dog sledding, ice fishing, riding, ice climbing, reindeer sleigh ride, paragliding etc.
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions 3. Identify and draw together a reference list of the main data sources available on the socio-economic, environmental, etc. condition of the region, and recent trends. Information can be found at http://www.regionfakta.com/StartsidaLam.aspx?id=2861 4. Summarise any existing efforts to monitor and benchmark progress against purposes and targets. Please comment on any interest in and pressure for the measurement of quality and outcomes, including value for money auditing, that you are aware of in the region. [It is hoped that the project will assist an understanding of what kinds of indicators and quantitative measures of regional development and the contribution of HEIs to this work and are useful.] Jämtland Härjedalen Turism, JHT, is the professional organization and platform for the development of the tourism industry in the county of Jämtland and represents the industry both nationally and internationally. JHT cooperate with the destinations as well as the tourism companies and the public sector and on the board there are representatives for all these organizations. Tourism 2020 The project Tourism 2020 is run by JHT, Jämtland Härjedalen Turism, during a three year period of 2008-2010. This is a venture that aims to increase the turnover of the tourism industry as well as to gain more visitors to the area through destination and product development. Sustainability and good hostmanship are both important grounds for the workprocess and an investment of 44 000 000 SEK has been done, by the European union and other investors, to achieve the project goals. Together with private financing the total amount of money invested in the project will be somewhere between 50 000 000-55 000 000 SEK. Tourism 2020 aims to get the tourism industry to grow and become even bigger. The mode of operation used is based on prior knowledge to focus on the different roles of the destinations. The mission is to find forms of how our destinations can practise a long-term sustainable business together with the ability to develop both currant and new products. Tourism 2020 has the following main objectives: o Sustainability and hostmanship o Reason for travelling; Destination and product development o Event strategy o Research, analysis and evaluation Present day status, January 2009 Several part projects have been initiated with background of the work made with the sustainability policy that the board of JHT has accepted. The process of developing a support method to be used in destination development with ground of the sustainability policy is also undertaken. Within destination development the area Härjedalen is mainly focusing on availability of transportation, marketing and hostmanship. Destination Östersund also focuses on availability but also with developing and attracting more events and conferences. The main objective of Ragunda is to cooperate several activities in one context, where destination development is a big part of it. Destination Åre focuses on hostmanship, social sustainability and on developing an information platform for short- and long-term planning. In the southern parts of Åre a study is conducted where all parts of the destination discusses mutual goals and missions, and a coordinated organisation for the whole area. A similar project is started
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions in southern Storsjöbygden where activities concerning The great lake monster is in focus. In Vemdalen a process has started with the goal to establish a stronger destination company. Initial discussions are also held with Bydalsfjällen, Storlien, Östra Härjedalen and Turistkompaniet Krokom. Within Product development a project concerning fishing-tourism has started in cooperation with among others the county council and entrepreneurs. The mission to make Smakupplevelser (food and taste travels) a reason to travel has started with the goal to make food producers more available for the tourists. The development of Hike&Bike is conducted with the mission to make hiking and biking even more interesting and available. A continued product development is to be done on Storsjöodjuret, The great lake monster. New products and activities are currently discussed. In the area of Market communication a new structure is built for our websites and our new website www.jamtland.se is now available. The country’s tourism database will be updated as well as our travel guide Discover. JHT cooperates with Visit Sweden in a B2B-project on the Dutch market and is also part in a business partnership aiming to establish direct flights from Holland to Åre Östersund airport. A continued work is done producing an event strategy that among other things will concretizes the present situation concerning events in the area and build better systems for evaluation of events. The strategy also includes setting up a network to continue to collect the knowledge gained in previous events in the area. Within research, analysis and evaluation the cooperation with The European Tourism Research Institute – ETOUR at Mid Sweden University continues, partly as the researchers of Etour joins and follows the work performed at JHT, partly as Etour together with JHT and the destinations within the area identifies different research projects. Current tasks are among others financing models for destinations, information sources for the tourism industry and the event strategy. Members of JHT takes part in Visit Sweden’s network for analysis. This gives us access to marketing reports from a number of countries as well as the possibility to attend educational seminars on the topics of trend analysis and external environment monitoring. Tourism 2020 - vision ”With sustainability, good hostmanship and internationalisation as main objects, Tourism 2020 will elucidate Jämtland Härjedalens attraction on the foreign and domestic market, so that the region and its destinations will become one of Northern Europe’s most frequently visited, most appreciated and most sustainable places.” Tourism 2020 - goals o Sustainable development of tourism– economic, ecologic and social o Good hostmanship o Increased number of foreign visitors o Increased all year tourism o Increased number of international events o Sustainable organisations and stronger destinations.
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions Tourism 2020 – goals for 2010 o Swedish guest nights +5% A development that is 5 % higher than other comparable regions 2006 totally 1.3 millions o Nordic guest nights A development that is 5 % higher than other comparable regions 2006 totally 275 000 o Extra Nordic guest nights +10% A development that is 10 % higher than other comparable regions 2006 totally 142 000 o Turnover +12% 2006 3,3 mdr o Average expenses per day +20% 2006 371 SEK/day o Number of all year employed +15% 2006 3 693 o Increase of international events o More products in foreign travel agents sales catalogues or on the internet o Shares of travels with train or other environmental friendly ways of transportation to the region was during the winter period 2006-2007 14%. This share will 2010 increase to 18% o Several flights/aircraft connections to Europe without stop-overs. Sustainable tourism development In order for long term sustainable tourism to become a reality, it is of vital importance that both economical as well as ecological and social aspects are taken into consideration. This because of the tourist industry’s special relationship with the environment and the surrounding society. A tourism development which focuses on sustainability maintains or increases revenues from tourism as well as it helps to preserve and develop natural and cultural places of interest. Support of the local communities, respect for the needs of the local population, availability, security and a stable labour market contribute to the experience of the visitor and lead to good hostmanship. Good hostmanship creates quality tourism and is therefore an essential element in the process of developing sustainable tourism. All activities within the project “Tourism 2020” shall embody the sustainability policy. The policy, in its turn, is intended to affect other tourism development in the same positive way and contribute to a sustainable growth in the tourism industry and in the region. In order to develop sustainable tourism the strategic actions of the destinations and the regions should be aimed at: o o o o o o o o Creating stable economical foundations based on an active approach towards sustainability. Following trends and coming changes through analysis. Preserving, valuing and develop the natural and cultural inheritance. Reducing resource consumption and waste production. Limiting the impact of tourism transport. Working for an attractive and lively society where the tourist industry and its importance are supported strongly by the local population. Collaborate with the local population, companies and other partners at and outside the destination. http://www.obs-pascal.com/
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions o o o o o Developing the labour market of the tourism industry through, for example year-round employment and investment in competence development. Through good hostmanship letting the visitors live and experience beyond their expectations. Creating destinations and activities that contribute to the security and safety of the visitors, personnel and the local residents. Increasing the availability for different target groups. In Jämtland Härjedalen and among the destinations in the region there are great differences in both economical as well as social and ecological conditions. Certain destinations probably have to focus more on one of these three dimensions depending on the preconditions of that particular destination. This implies that all destinations have to develop their own strategic actions in order to respect the policy and achieve the goals of Tourism 2020. Sustainable tourism development does not reach a final form but is an ongoing process that takes into account today’s and future needs. The policy should therefore be reviewed and updated periodically implementing achieved results and changed circumstances.
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List the main existing forms of collaboration between HEIs and the region. You may need to consider the region as a single administrative entity, but also note and include more localized and specialized significant HEI partnerships with other stakeholders - public, private, and NGO or third sector. Tourism Research at ETOUR ETOUR (European Tourism Research Institute) at the Mid Sweden University is a research institute engaged in the development and transfer of knowledge of tourism and travel. ETOUR was established in 1997 by the Swedish Tourist Authority, the Swedish Travel and Tourist Association and the Mid Sweden University. Between 1997 and 2004 ETOUR was financed by the EU Structural Funds and national co-financers, such as the Ministry of Industry, the County Administration Board and the Mistra Foundation. Today ETOUR is funded through the Mid Sweden University and through projects with research foundations, public authorities and the tourism industry. The institute has three areas of activity; tourism research, education and transfer of knowledge. The ETOUR staff represents a broad range of academic competences and research is often interdisciplinary. Many of the projects are built on the connection between the university – public bodies – enterprises. Three broad themes make up the research focus of ETOUR: Destination development: covering themes such as local and regional development, business and society, seasonality, governance and organisation, human resources, accessibility and information. Nature and culture-based resources: covering themes such as tourism in protected areas, heritage tourism, eco-tourism, resource management, indigenous peoples and planning for tourism. Tourism in the experience economy: covering themes such as information and communication technology, product development, innovations and customer satisfaction. The last theme is closely linked to the Mid Sweden University profile “Tourism, Sports Sciences and Adventure Technology", in which the Social Sciences collaborates with departments of the Faculty of Science, Technology and Media. As part of the Department of Social Sciences at the Mid Sweden University, ETOUR staff members are involved in teaching in particular tourism studies, human geography and business
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions administration. Today tourism programmes are offered at both ground (bachelor) and advanced (master) level. Many of the tourism students write their thesis, or carries out their practice periods, at various places in the region. Transfer of knowledge has a high priority at the institute. Through ETOUR, businesses, authorities and educational institutions are offered unique access to research findings in publications, newsletters, website and personal contacts. The exchange of knowledge also takes place in joint development projects where researchers work together with operators within the tourism industry. Research projects are ideally generated by the needs of the tourism industry, which is why ETOUR put a lot of emphasis on continuous dialogue with business and society. Peak Experiences – an example of how ETOUR works As said before many of the research projects are built on regional cooperation between the university, public bodies and enterprises. To exemplify this, the ongoing project “Peak Experiences – customer-based service innovation” is very briefly presented below. The project Peak Experiences is based on a demand for deeper knowledge about visitors and their experiences at events and destinations. Focus is on two key activities. The first is named Experience Tracking and aims at improved understanding of visitor behaviour and emotions in connection to the experiences in time and space. The second area is Customer Involved Creativity and is about generation of ideas for new and improved services from different market segments. The project is funded by VINNOVA (The Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems), the Mid-Sweden University, Biathlon 2008, Skistar Åre and Holiday Club. A number of case studies, relating to the private stakeholders are being carried out throughout the region. Researchers from ETOUR, Psychology and Quality Technology and Management by the MidSweden University makes up the interdisciplinary research team. Recently the project has gained more funding and will continue for another three years. 6. If there are any examples of good practice in HEI-regional engagement that you think of special interest, perhaps for inclusion later in a PURE Good Practice Manual, please make a note of them to call to the attention of the CDG.
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions Part 2 1. What are: 1.1 The main problems and challenges 1.2 The main development aspirations that are shared by stakeholders in the region?
Please consider the full spectrum of civil, economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors, including issues of sustainability, where these apply. In particular, what impact is the current global financial and economic crisis – and the global environmental crisis (global warming etc) - having on your thinking and long-term planning as a region and different stakeholders? What has really altered (or is changing) in your policy planning since one year ago? The region has a challenge in trying to prevent the population from decreasing, especially the working part of the population since the balance is shifting towards an increasing part of the population being old. There are aspirations to increase the average education level among the population and to create new jobs, especially within the tourist industry. In a larger perspective, factors such as climate changes will have impact on the environment and nature, with for example shorter winters and trees growing higher up in the mountains. To develop the region tourism is an important part, but it is important that many different organisations cooperate around this in order to adapt to new situations and demands. 2. What are the main changes that are looked for in taking part in PURE: 2.1 For the region as a whole, and for particular communities and interests within it? By finding better ways for cooperation between the university and other regional organisations within the field of tourism there is a greater potential for better development in that field. Finding ways of developing sustainable tourism based on nature and culture. Developing tourism both during summer and winter. 2.2 Within and on the part of higher education institutions i.e. sought by the HEIs themselves, and looked for by other stakeholders from HEIs? Mid Sweden University has education and research in tourism which can be further developed by expanding this sector in the region. 2.3 2.4 In terms of how regional and local government are managed? In terms of the role and policies of central government?
3. What key issues do you wish to discuss with the CDG when it visits your region? How do we develop the benchmarking of the collaboration between region and university on the theme of tourism? What could be gained other than mutual inspiration by working in structured partnership with another European or international region and university within the theme of tourism? How is such collaboration financed outside Europe?
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