Northern Lights Tourism in the Nordic Countries
This is an essay I wrote earlier in the year, and as such informs about current trends in aurora tourism, and whether it is an authentic experience.
Synopsis:
Northern lights tourism in the Nordic Countries has been examined. Northern lights have the capacity to bring profound pleasure to its viewers. The essay discusses topics such as the shifting ‘tourist gaze’, authenticity, the tourism industry and photography in an integrated way in relation to this topic. It has discussed the impacts of tourism on the region and on the tourists themselves. The main argument is that due to being such a profoundly unique thing, the northern lights are generally a highly authentic experience. However, this authenticity is reduced when the lights are experienced in a more commercial way, something that is becoming increasingly common.
Introduction
The aurora borealis, or northern lights, have captured the gaze of generations of star-gazers. Many myths and legends have been woven about the meaning of these lights. The Nordic has featured prominently in the aurora legendarium, especially in Norse mythology. Appearing around the earth’s Polar Regions on dark nights, the science behind the enchanting phenomenon has only become well-understood recently; they are caused mainly by charged solar particles…
