Ekonomiczne Problemy Turystyki

Foresight offers advantages in regional tourism development by helping tourism stakeholders to proactively anticipate futures´ changes and prepare for possible events. Foresight is a relatively new field of research in tourism research (e.g. Fernández-Güell & Collado, 2013; Kaynak & Kara, 2012; Varum et al, 2011). Therefore, the meaning of regional tourism foresight processes based on locally negotiated research and development themes has not been presented yet in tourism research. Foresight helps to anticipate customer needs, develop new services and keep up the attractiveness of tourism businesses and whole destinations. Foresight is an important part of development processes because in contrast to the traditional planning process that normally has a limited scope of the sector foresight, through active participation, is gradually building an integrated vision of a possible future. Foresight takes into account a wide range of factors, thus building the coherent and plausible visions of the future. It also helps to formulate realistic and innovative tourism strategies that can accept the views of many stakeholders. This study identifies advantages and challenges resulting from the application of foresight in regional tourism development in Finnish Lapland during the years 2010-2013. The empirical data consists of autoethnographic observation, participant feedback and quantitative and qualitative project reports. During the project foresight knowledge of tourism stakeholders increased and they learned to build futures images. New tourism products and co-operation possibilities were established. At the beginning benefits of foresight were not seen and it was difficult to understand the purpose and multidimensionality of long term foresight.