Regional economic impacts of fishing tourism: a case study of the municipalities located in the catchment area of the River Iijoki

There has been comparatively little research in Finland on the regional economic impacts of fishing tourism. This research report investigates these impacts using the so-called expenditure method of the Nordic model that is widely applied in tourism research in Finland. Use is also made of the business register and statistics on wages and salaries produced by Statistics Finland, the method applied thus resembling the characteristics of the so-called Koillismaa model. The report also contains critical discussion on the problems related to measuring such impacts. The study area covers the municipalities located in the catchment area of the river Iijoki.

The population of the expenditure method was made up of fishing tourists who visited the catchment area in the summer of 2009. A total of 1,142 fishing tourists were selected by systematic random sample and sent a questionnaire by post in which they were asked for their spending by category in the study area. The return of 421 questionnaires equated to a response rate of 37 per cent.

In 2009, the fishing tourists spent an average of 131 euros per capita during one fishing trip in the municipalities located in the catchment area. Scrutinised by industry, spending was directed particularly at retail trade, service stations and garages, as well as accommodation and catering services. Altogether, the direct revenue from fishing tourism in 2009 was about 1.2 million euros, including VAT. Direct employment, including induced employment, amounted to 5.0 man-years. For the municipalities of the catchment area these employment impacts generated a total of about 160,000 euros in earned income and about 30,000 euros in tax revenue.

Defining the regional economic impacts of fishing tourism is, generally speaking, challenging. When applying the process model presented here, attention must be paid to the concept of fishing tourist and the assessment of the number of fishing trips. The principles of the process model, however, could also be applied to examining the economic impacts on other fishing areas.