Developing practice and theory together: reflecting on a tourism development and research project in Finnish Lapland

Networking and collaboration between academics and practitioners are becoming more intense as a response to the growing demand for tourism research to contribute to the growth and competitiveness of both regional and national economies. Whereas this development challenges the traditional role of academia, it also offers an opportunity to rethink the relationship between theory and practice. The purpose of this study is to reflect on the experiences of a tourism development and research project conducted in Finnish Lapland between 2008 and 2011. In doing so, the study draws attention to the opportunities and challenges faced by academic and tourism workers when combining development and research objectives within a single project.