Ekaterina A. Shlapeko
Articles
Geographia Polonica (2021) vol. 94, iss. 4, pp. 555-572 | 
Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.0220
Abstract
The study aims to examine travel preferences of Finnish cross-border tourists with special reference to the Republic of Karelia, Russia. Data were collected using paper-based and online surveys from 300 respondents travelling from Finland to the Russian Karelia. Although cross-border tourists are a significant part in the inbound tourist flow to Russian Karelia, several obstacles for this type of tourism have been revealed. Measures to stimulate Finnish tourists to travel to Russian Karelia are suggested. The results of this study can be used to improve Karelian tourist products by providing services as expected by tourists. The findings are limited to visitors of Russian Karelia and should therefore be interpreted with caution.
Keywords: cross-border tourism, Finnish cross-border tourists, Republic of Karelia, travel preferences, border region
[svkorka@mail.ru], Department of Regional Economic Policy, Institute of Economics Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences 50 Al. Nevsky Prospect, 185030 Petrozavodsk: Republic of Karelia, Russia
[shlapeko_kate@mail.ru], Department of Regional Economic Policy, Institute of Economics Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences 50 Al. Nevsky Prospect, 185030 Petrozavodsk: Republic of Karelia, Russia
Cultural integration: Positive and negative perceptions (case of Tornio, Finland)
Geographia Polonica (2018) vol. 91, iss. 3, pp. 301-315 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.0122
Abstract
Increase in the migration flows has become a challenge in the world today. In Finland there is considerable shift in the number of migrants from Africa and the Middle East countries. The paper is based on the sociological research conducted in August-September, 2016 in Tornio (Finland). The empirical observations were gained from the interviews with 12 migrants and the questionnaires on the city Tornio attractiveness (73 locals) and the human mobility challenges (89 locals). The obtained results highlight the significant role of the communication activities with the joint participation of locals and newcomers in understanding each others’ culture,decreasing negative perceptions and reactions in the integration process.
Keywords: cultural integration, migration, newcomer, asylum seeker, host community, Tornio
[shlapeko_kate@mail.ru], Department of Regional Economic Policy, Institute of Economics Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences 50 Al. Nevsky Prospect, 185030 Petrozavodsk: Republic of Karelia, Russia
[svkorka@mail.ru], Karelskie Centrum Naukowe Rosyjskiej Akademii Nauk, Instytut Ekonomii