XV Symposium of Finnish Tourism and Leisure Research

"The Experience Economy revisited: Towards meaningful, sustainable and transformative value in tourism and leisure" 

Welcome to the XV Symposium of Finnish Tourism and Leisure Research on April 28th–29th 2026, at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

Call for Abstracts

The Experience Economy revisited: Towards meaningful, sustainable and transformative value in tourism and leisure

The symposium explores how tourism and leisure research engages with the experience economy in an era of digitalisation and sustainability transitions. Tampere has developed into a lively city with a vibrant experience industry, including e.g. cultural and nature-based tourism and large-scale events. Expertise in these sectors is also reflected in higher education; TAMK offers Master’s programmes in designing meaningful and responsible experiences, while at Tampere University, the Professor of Practice leads a research programme dedicated to advancing the Experience Economy. The symposium provides an inclusive arena by bringing together researchers, educators, and industry professionals to exchange perspectives, share practices, and examine emerging trends in tourism and leisure research and practice.

We look forward to diverse presentations exploring the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities within the research field. Participants are welcome to present both state-of-the-art empirical and conceptual research papers, which will provide the basis for constructive and inspiring sessions.

The range of sub-topics includes:

• From Experience Economy to Transformation Economy

• Personalisation and hyper-personalisation of tourism and leisure experiences

• Phygital experience co-creation

• Immersive experiences through cross-disciplinary expertise

• New business models of the experience economy

• The interconnectedness of the natural environment and the recreation experience

• Sustainability and responsibility in tourism and leisure experiences and industries

• Sustainable hospitality and just food system transition

• Tourism entrepreneurs and businesses

• Stakeholder engagement and tourism development

• Marketing and communication of tourism experiences, services and destinations

• Sustainability labels and certifications

• Understanding the impacts of tourist activities

• The role of interpretation in tourism

• Monitoring, measuring, and evaluating tourism experiences and strategies

• Theoretical and methodological approaches for assessing tourism and leisure

• Other current topics in tourism and leisure research and education

We invite authors to submit an abstract for consideration by the symposium’s scientific committee. Please send the abstracts to matkailututkimuksenseura@gmail.com by February 22nd 2026. Abstracts should be 200-300 words long, written in Times New Roman (12), double-spaced and with references in APA format. Please include authors’ full names and contact information below the title. Abstracts can be submitted in English, Finnish or Swedish.