Living landscapes are projects focused on creating cross-border added value by promoting diversity in lulesamic nature and cultural heritage as a basis for experiences and tourism. Nature-based tourism has experienced growth in the 21st century. Ájtte and Árran want to develop and communicate knowledge about the diversity of Sami culture in the Lulesami area. Luleå University of Technology (LTU) wants to contribute with the development of service design and digital innovative user solutions (applications) with the potential to further strengthen and develop nature-based tourism in northern areas. The landscape of the Lule Sami area is composed and dramatic — from forest areas and river valleys to the east, with the World Heritage Laponia at its centre, to the border mountains and the Norwegian fjord landscape in the west. In this landscape, a distinct Sami culture was developed, which was mainly carried up by the common Lulesamic language. Knowledge of the Lulesams — as a people shaped by nature and culture in a dramatic landscape divided between two nations — will help to deepen and develop the image of Sami culture as diverse. Against this background, the project’s main goal is to increase understanding of the Lule Sami area as a common, complex landscape in Sweden and Norway and to convey Sami use and understanding of the landscape as a basis for experiences and nature-based tourism in northern areas. The project will provide knowledge about the diversity of Sami history and this knowledge in turn provides the basis for new travel experiences. The project includes three areas: The research area Lulesami landscape with four thematic areas, Digital exhibition Living landscape for communication on the Swedish/Norwegian platform Digital Museum and Europeana and the application Sami landscape for development of service design and digital user solutions. The result will be new knowledge of Sami nature use, history and culture generated in cross-border cooperation. Business development through service design and digital communication will then be divided into two parts: joint digital exhibition and digital user solutions/applications. The dissemination of research results across digital platforms will be able to form the basis for new experiences and tourism products. The collaboration with the technological research environment will create unique digital mediating of Sami nature and culture. The project will be able to generate growth opportunities for both established and new Sami tourism companies.
