Photo:Visit Rovaniemi.
Photo: Visit Rovaniemi.

Course Content and Programme

Synopsis

This course introduces the concept of tourist experience as an individual and socio-cultural process by relying on the case of Rovaniemi and its Christmas brand. The theoretical part of the course offers insights into the experience economy and Christmas as an organizational phenomenon. In addition to lectures, the course follows a case study approach to identify and evaluate the relationship between the Rovaniemi Christmas brand values and the service offered by local tourism companies. Particular attention will be given to the role of storytelling, gastronomy and Arctic nature in the creation of Christmas experiences. The course is based on a balanced combination of lectures, business cases and workshops.

Why experience economy? One of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy is related to the production and consumption of experiences. This is particularly relevant in tourism and hospitality. Today’s travellers are not just buying services but they have become experience producers and consumers. This new demand for meaningful experiences requires tourism companies and destinations to develop a distinct value-added provision for their services. This is a task that requires managers who have the ability to identify and manage elements that influence the experiences of travellers.

Why Christmas? Christmas is annually celebrated around the world, even in countries which do not have a Christian tradition. Christmas usually involves family gatherings and gift giving. Christmas spending represents around a third of the annual retail turnover in many Western economies. Moreover, Christmas is also a tourism experienced sold all year around. There are several tourism destination which are based on the Christmas theme. Rovaniemi, which has been acknowledged as the official residence of Santa Claus, is one of these places. The number of Christmas theme parks and alike activities will continue to increase in the future.

Learning Objectives and Assessment

Learning objectives

The course will be based on online and on-site teaching: lectures, two guided tours, workshops with organizational partners, and independent work. The course requires active participation in lectures, workshops and the one-week intensive programme in Rovaniemi, Finland. The course assignments will consist of short assignments carried out online prior to the intensive week, a group presentation on the last day of the intensive week, and an essay. Upon successful completion of the Christmas Experience Academy the student should be able to:

  • recognize the organizational characteristics of Christmas as an economic and socio-cultural phenomenon
  • recognize central theoretical discussions on tourism experience
  • understand the production and consumption of tourism experiences
  • critically evaluate how the theories and models related to the experience economy can be used to develop commercial tourism experiences

Means and criteria of assessment

Preliminary assignment (before the intensive week). During each day students take notes that feed into their group presentation at the end of the intensive week. The assessment criteria for all assignments, including the final essay: Pass/fail: The assessment is based on active participation, group work and presentations.

Target Students and Course Format

Target Students

This course is designed for students enrolled in the Master’s Degree Programme “Tourism, Culture and International Management” and those students from partner universities who are interested in the production and consumption of tourism experiences. It is recommended for MA students of tourism, hospitality, cultural and business studies. Previous studies in experience economy and service marketing are helpful but not required.

Credits: 5 ECTS

Course format and teaching methods

Lectures, course literature and blended learning elements as well as visits to tourism companies. Small group assignment in class and at home are designed to make connections between theoretical concepts and the case studies.

Programme

Course schedule 
The time listed are the local times for Finland (EEST). 

Online Sessions:

  • Wednesday 2 September 2026 from 14:00-15:00: Course introduction
  • Monday 7 September 2026 14:00-15:00: Experiences lecture with Minni Haanpää
  • Wednesday 9 September 2026 14:00-15:00: Augmented Reality Content Creation: Practical Insights and Tools with Tjaša Alegro

Mobility week:

9:00–10:30 Welcome to Rovaniemi and the University of Lapland, registration, and group allocation

10:30–11:00 Information about exchange programmes at the University of Lapland with Tijl Van Daal, Advisor, Internationalisation Services

11:00–11:30 Introduction to Rovaniemi as a tourism destination by Katariina Lehtonen, City of Rovaniemi

11:30–13:00 Lunch in Petronella Restaurant (own cost with student card)

13:00–14:00 Value creation and Experience Economy with Professor Vicente Ramos, University of Balearic Islands

14:15–15:15 Workshop on group presentations 

15:30–16:30 Designing Tourism Experiences: Integrating Physical and Digital Realms with XR Technologies with Tjaša Alegro, University of Maribor

Closing and reflections

17:00–19:00 Students only social: Light dinner and sauna at University of Lapland

Focus on Food. We will get acquainted with the meaning of food in tourism experiences by visiting the Korundi House of culture and hearing on its restaurant concept. Afterwards, there will be an expert lecture on Finnish food experiences and the day ends with an Eat and Walk tour led by Minni Haanpää in the Rovaniemi city centre where we will get to know the city by tasting its local delicacies.

Focus on Santa Claus. Studying takes place in the Santa Claus Village where we first here on the history and development of the place and then have an expert lecture on tourism attractions by Johan Edelheim. There will be also free time to familiarize with the place and meet Santa himself, of course. In the afternoon, we’ll hear about different accommodations and their business ideas from the companies based in the Santa Claus Village.

Focus on animals and Northern Lights. We will travel a little outside the town to Bearhill Husky Tours where we will hear about the company and the sled dog experiences. Tiamat Warda will provide an expert lecture on animal work in tourism and afterwards we will have the opportunity to meet the dogs. After this visit, we will return to the city where we will have more expert lectures: on astro tourism experiences by Filipa Fernandes and Sami businesses in tourism by Monika Lüthje. We will also have a guided tour in Arktikum museum and the day ends with a Lavu evening where there is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of Northern lights!

9:00–12:30 Individual working time on the group assignment, University of Lapland

12:30–13:30 Lunch in Petronella Restaurant (own cost with student card)

13:30–16:00 Presentations of the group work, University of Lapland

16:00–16:15 Directions for course completion and closing words

Please note! A more detailed programme will be published in August 2026. The programme may be subjected to changes. All learning activities take place at the University of Lapland and the premises of the companies involved in the programme.

I will definitely remember this experience for the rest of my life and try to use this in my future school experience. I really loved how open the teachers were to us as students.

Belgian student
Last updated: 26.6.2026