From the policy analyses conducted, it becomes clear that the Nordic tourism policies do in many ways cover the main topics that the academic literature review and analyses of existing sustainable indicator frameworks consider essential in assessing the social dimension of sustainable tourism development. Understandably, each unique country customises its tourism policies to certain priorities that take note of its particular advantages as well as address certain challenges or obstacles. On the national policy level, the Nordic countries therefore all reflect a strong commitment to sustainability in general, with varying degrees of emphasis on social aspects.
The academic literature review on socially sustainable tourism highlights the importance of community engagement, cultural preservation, and social inclusion among other things. These themes are to some extent included in existing frameworks and indicators, such as the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism and the UNWTO’s indicators for sustainable tourism. These frameworks aim to capture the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of tourism, although the social aspects are often less developed and harder to measure (UNTWO, 2023; WTO, 2004; OECD, 2024).
The operationalisation of socially sustainable tourism in Nordic policies varies as it does in existing indicator frameworks. While some policies set broad goals, others provide more detailed actions. For example, Norway’s policy includes specific sectors responsible for turning the tourism sector green, such as transport and accommodation (Visit Norway, 2021) and Iceland’s tourism policy is accompanied by a specific action plan that is meant to put certain priorities in motion (Menningar- og viðskiptaráðuneyti, 2024b). Overall, many policies lack concrete measures and operationalisation for social sustainability, focusing more on measurable economic and environmental aspects (Karlsdóttir et al., 2020; Bogason et al., 2021; Broegaard, 2022). It should also be noted that these measurements and concrete actions are in some instances further discussed and put into practice in separate proposals or plans that are developed on the regional or local levels or meant to do so in the future.
In the context of the Nordic countries, identifying and operationalising social indicators for sustainable tourism development involves several common and shared key aspects. Firstly, from the policy review, the community well-being appears as a crucial indicator, encompassing the overall quality of life for local residents, including access to public infrastructure and services like healthcare, education, and recreational facilities. Social equity is also important as stressed in the national tourism policies. The discussions mainly relates to ensuring that the benefits of tourism are distributed fairly among different community groups, including marginalised populations, that local benefits are maximised, and that tourism development happens on the terms of the local community.
Cultural preservation is another vital aspect as it spears in the policies. Possible indicators that are discussed in some policies aim to track the conservation of cultural heritage sites and traditional practices. The extent and quality of interactions between tourists and local communities are also frequently mentioned and can form a basis for another indicator that could be measured and utilised to promote mutual understanding and respect. Employment and economic opportunities are significant indicators that are part of existing indicator systems and have a specific economic focus. Those indicators do however also have a social component to them as they could further focus not only on the number of jobs, but also quality of jobs created by tourism, fair wages, stable work and working conditions in general. Additionally, the contribution of tourism to diversifying the local economy and reducing dependency on a single industry could be assessed, not only in economic terms but also social terms.
Capacity building is another crucial aspect that appears throughout the tourism policies. Ideas like training programs being offered to local residents appear to enhance their skills and employability in the tourism industry are sometimes mentioned in this context. Conducting awareness campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable tourism and community participation among tourists and locals is another example. Collaboration and partnerships are also very prominent in the Nordic tourism policies. Frequently cooperation is said to be best fostered through multi-stakeholder platforms that bring together the relevant authorities, the private sector, and local communities to address the development of tourism. However, the social dimension of tourism development is generally not addressed directly in reference to such platforms in the policies.
From the policy review it also becomes clear that the national tourism policies are in agreement with literature on the subject of sustainable tourism development that community participation is essential. Indicators measuring the involvement of local communities in tourism planning and decision-making processes could therefore be beneficial, but the measurement of such participation is discussed in a very limited way in the Nordic policies despite the fact that this is highlighted in every tourism policy. Furthermore, the effectiveness of local governance structures in managing tourism development sustainably should also be evaluated to meet the standards and aims that are put forward in the tourism policies. Local governance and local participation of tourism development is a shared priority goal in all of the Nordic tourism policies. Evaluation and feedback mechanisms of such frameworks are however to a limited extent addressed in the national policies. In the same way, social infrastructure – including the adequacy of public services such as transportation, sanitation, healthcare, safety and security – should also be assessed in a more systematic way to support both residents and tourists.
To operationalise these indicators, data collection and monitoring are key. Regular surveys and questionnaires are one way to gather data on community well-being, cultural preservation, and employment conditions. Establishing platforms for local residents to provide feedback on tourism impacts and development plans is also important. But for this to be possible, it requires both resources and a methodologically comprehensive approach. Beyond regular surveys and feedback platforms – which require both commitment and funding from those that govern the tourism development at both local, regional and national level – several technical and methodological steps need to be taken. Establishing baselines for the things to be measured is a critical first step. Baselines provide a reference point against which changes can be measured over time. To set these baselines, initial data collection should be conducted before any significant tourism developments begin. Since this is impossible in many instances where the tourism landscape has already transformed in recent years, this is a step that should be taken as soon as possible. Creating baselines would involve gathering detailed and relevant information about the current state of community well-being, cultural practices, employment conditions and so on.
Once baselines are established, ongoing data collection is essential to monitor changes and trends. This requires the development of standardised data collection protocols to ensure consistency over time. Such protocols include clear definitions of indicators, standardised survey questions, and consistent data entry and management practices. Methodologically, and as discussed, the possible social indicators are harder to measure since they can be less consistent, they are intangible and often possess both objective and subjective elements. Therefore, it is important to employ both quantitative and qualitative research methods. While quantitative data provides measurable and comparable results, qualitative data offers deeper insights into the experiences and perceptions of local communities. Combining both methods better ensures a holistic understanding of social impacts. Since qualitative data can be inconsistent, validation of the data gathered can be done with e.g. triangulation by cross-verifying results from multiple sources. For example, survey results can be compared with feedback from focus groups and interviews to ensure reliability and accuracy.
The gathering of more qualitative information can then be utilised in different ways. Longitudinal studies can be conducted to track changes over extended periods, providing a more comprehensive view of the long-term impacts of tourism. Geospatial analysis of social indicators could also be utilised to better understand the spatial distribution of tourism impacts. This would involve mapping community well-being and other social indicators and compare them geographically to identify patterns and areas of concern. More advanced statistical techniques, such as regression analysis, could in this way help identify causal relationships and thus also predict future trends.
Stakeholder engagement is another critical aspect throughout the data collection and monitoring process. Involving local communities, tourism operators, and government agencies in the design and implementation of monitoring systems ensures that the indicators are relevant and that data collection efforts are supported and accurate. Regular reporting and communication of findings to all stakeholders enhance transparency and accountability. Creating accessible reports and visualisations of the data analysed can in this way assist communities and policymakers to use the data to perform informed decision-making.
As mentioned before, the methods mentioned here require a commitment from those that govern the tourism development, and they are demanding on resources. However, applying adaptive management practices that take social considerations into account can only applied if the relevant information is available. Implementing and integrating, and thus allowing for the continuous review and adjustment of policies and strategies based on monitoring results rely on information gathering. Such iterative processes ensure that tourism development remains responsive to the needs and well-being of local communities, leading to more sustainable and equitable social outcomes.