Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—a review
During the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in outdoor recreation increased in several countries, with nature taking on an expanded role as a social space for meetings and activities with food. This development may have created opportunities for nature-based hospitality providers to navigate the pan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsut.2025.1529233/full |
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| _version_ | 1850196172782698496 |
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| author | Anna Calvén Thomas Beery Hannah Kristofers Hannah Kristofers Marcus Johansson Mats Carlbäck Karin Wendin Karin Wendin |
| author_facet | Anna Calvén Thomas Beery Hannah Kristofers Hannah Kristofers Marcus Johansson Mats Carlbäck Karin Wendin Karin Wendin |
| author_sort | Anna Calvén |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | During the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in outdoor recreation increased in several countries, with nature taking on an expanded role as a social space for meetings and activities with food. This development may have created opportunities for nature-based hospitality providers to navigate the pandemic crisis. This review examines how food and eating were part of outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism during COVID-19, focusing on hospitality providers in rural Sweden. A literature search was performed for research articles, newspapers, and magazine articles. The results show creativity in adapting to new outdoor and nature tourism situations. The main findings that emerged focused on local and national guests, preventing the spread of infection, food as part of the experience in nature, experience packages, comfort, local food, food trucks and takeaway food, and other hospitality industry changes. Trends observed before COVID-19 but accelerating during the pandemic were also highlighted. Further research is needed to improve our understanding of food as part of outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism and how this knowledge can support sustainable thinking in the hospitality sector while contributing to resilient rural development. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0febf837737c42a1a83fc3977ddb397e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2813-2815 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism |
| spelling | doaj-art-0febf837737c42a1a83fc3977ddb397e2025-08-20T02:13:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism2813-28152025-02-01410.3389/frsut.2025.15292331529233Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—a reviewAnna Calvén0Thomas Beery1Hannah Kristofers2Hannah Kristofers3Marcus Johansson4Mats Carlbäck5Karin Wendin6Karin Wendin7Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, SwedenFaculty of Natural Sciences, Sustainable Multifunctional Landscapes, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, SwedenFaculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, SwedenSchool of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Meal Science, Örebro University, Örebro, SwedenFaculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, SwedenSchool of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Meal Science, Örebro University, Örebro, SwedenFaculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, SwedenDepartment of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg Campus, Frederiksberg, DenmarkDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in outdoor recreation increased in several countries, with nature taking on an expanded role as a social space for meetings and activities with food. This development may have created opportunities for nature-based hospitality providers to navigate the pandemic crisis. This review examines how food and eating were part of outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism during COVID-19, focusing on hospitality providers in rural Sweden. A literature search was performed for research articles, newspapers, and magazine articles. The results show creativity in adapting to new outdoor and nature tourism situations. The main findings that emerged focused on local and national guests, preventing the spread of infection, food as part of the experience in nature, experience packages, comfort, local food, food trucks and takeaway food, and other hospitality industry changes. Trends observed before COVID-19 but accelerating during the pandemic were also highlighted. Further research is needed to improve our understanding of food as part of outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism and how this knowledge can support sustainable thinking in the hospitality sector while contributing to resilient rural development.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsut.2025.1529233/fullCOVID-19 pandemicfriluftslivnature-based outdoor recreationresiliencerural tourismSweden |
| spellingShingle | Anna Calvén Thomas Beery Hannah Kristofers Hannah Kristofers Marcus Johansson Mats Carlbäck Karin Wendin Karin Wendin Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—a review Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism COVID-19 pandemic friluftsliv nature-based outdoor recreation resilience rural tourism Sweden |
| title | Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—a review |
| title_full | Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—a review |
| title_fullStr | Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—a review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—a review |
| title_short | Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism and food: experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic—a review |
| title_sort | outdoor recreation nature based tourism and food experiences and adaptations in the hospitality industry during the covid 19 pandemic a review |
| topic | COVID-19 pandemic friluftsliv nature-based outdoor recreation resilience rural tourism Sweden |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsut.2025.1529233/full |
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