Applying Swedish Eco-labelling to Finnish Tourism Operation: Which Associations does it elicit amongst Customers

Abstract

Eco-tourism labels convey promises and are effective when they are recognized by the markets, generate the desired associations, are trusted, used as decision tools, and direct behavior. Despite the fact that labels have been recognized as central marketing tools, few research projects have been devoted to this area. The associations that the recently launched Swedish eco-tourism label produces among Finnish tourists, one important customer segment, are analyzed in this article and compared to the value structure the launching organization wants to communicate. The respondents were of the opinion that the Swedish eco-tourism label only partially represented a high quality travel arrangement, local anchorage, protection of nature, environmentally friendly traveling, and a responsibility for nature and culture. A content analysis of the associations the eco-label generated resulted in the following four main knowledge categories, “parents playing with their children”, “poverty”, “Vikings”, and “environmentally friendly”, not all of which are relevant in eco-tourism. A large share of the respondents were also of the opinion that it is not suitable for Finnish eco-tourism firms to use the Swedish eco-tourism label without modifications, results which justify further discussion about the development of a comparative Finnish eco-tourism label.