Experiencing untouched nature in the great indoors: On the production of wilderness in Arctic tourist enclaves

This chapter unravels the nature–society dichotomy in the context of nature-based tourism. Drawing upon Neil Smith's production of nature thesis, the chapter examines how Arctic-themed resort enclaves in northernmost Sweden, Finland and Norway, as well as Iceland, produce wilderness for international markets. Even though the studied venues evoke imaginaries of pristine wilderness to attract travellers, these touristic environments are a product of globally circulating ideas of Arctic nature coupled with tourism businesses' need to create exchange value. As such, the key characteristic of this wilderness is that locally specific flora and fauna are overlooked in favour of distant landscape sceneries and the skies above. Unlike all other human sensations involving wilderness, the view is the easiest to commodify and is incorporated by the Arctic-themed enclaves into a highly standardised, safe and comfortable accommodation environment. Thus, wilderness is largely confined to an indoor experience in which the visual sensations dominate.