LINGER IN NATURE – Niche formation to urban ecotourism in Denmark

1. Presentation at TEFI Puhätunturi, Finland 2-6th of June 2018 LINGER IN NATURE – Niche formation to urban ecotourism in Denmark Jesper Holm, Associate Professor & Jane WidfeldtMeged Associate Professor Roskilde University, Denmark

2. Merging urban- and ecotourism in new waysThe project on Urban Ecotourism focus on establishing a number of guided tours in two protected areas: National Park Skjoldungernes Land around Roskilde and Nature Park Amager very close to the city center of Copenhagen. • Land of Beowulfs / Roskilde City Amager nature Park/Copenhagen

3. Review of Urban Ecotourism, guides role and learning Historicalreview: DK´s STD Roskilde University Urban Ecotourism2017 - 2019 Bottom up participatory Development of narratives, identity and physicalinfrastructure Norrøn Arhictects Territory for Dreaming Roskilde University The Tourist Guide Diploma Program The Forest School. KU Guide/Entreprenuers Product Development Guide Entrepreneurs Educating the travellers A theoretical model for development of Urban Ecotourism + blueprint for other parks Roskilde University Copenhagen University Dissemination and networking

4. Historical review finding: Background on Denmark • No Sustain/Eco-Tourism! Why? • Nature and National Parks in Denmark – new, urbanized and full of culture • Guides` historical role • Guide`s role in ecotourism - state of art • INUT carves out new roles for the entrepreneurial urban eco guides

5. What about urban Ecotourism ? Conventional Tourism – all types and all places Urban Ecotourism On more sustainable nature/city balance + interpretation and education

6. Forming a niche to impact the regime - Transition TheoryGrin, Schot, Rotmans, KEMP Socio technical landscape - ‘external variables: • Macro economics, political culture and coalition, social values, belief systems and paradigms, demography, natural environment, new global middle classes traveling Regimes: dominant practices, norms and shared assumption that structures the conduct of private and public actors • Path dependencies – standard tours • Biased towards system optimization Niches: local domains where non-standard practises and technology develops • Strategic niche management or experimentation– eco-tourism, ecological farming and eco-housing • Learning processes and social experiments

7. Forming a transition arena vithchange agents The touristindustry Attractions The munici- pality TGDP Tourist Guide Diploma Programme NAKU Nature and Cultural Interpreter Education 10 Workshops DMOs Interestgroups Lifestyle/Social Entreprenuers in the Two parks 34 students TGDP (RUC) NAKU (CU) Architects 21 Diploma Guides/nature guides/ artists entreprenuers Researchers

8. Workshops & Tours 2018

9. Preliminary results 2 new modules in Tourist Guide Diploma Program A vibrantnetwork of tomorrowseco-guides 11 new tour products with nature-ecofocus, an event and a webpage. All in the pipeline or on the market A theoreticalframework of Urban ecotourism 2 prospects for both parks 34 students Have successfullypassedexams in urban eco -tourism

10. Points of reflection • The guides do become transition agents; adopt the notion of urban eco-tourism and network with eco-pioneers, the tourism trade, and each other • Guides use different “roles” in their own practice and understanding – a challenge to be a normative guide, a role model or deliver messages of contingency • Network between different stakeholders and trades is the key to innovation and development – but it needs to be facilitated • The industry appears to be more ready than before – however attention on green washing & urge to “fit”= compromise time and scope for ecotourism