ABSTRACT
The number of Arctic visitors has increased, and the nationalities of visitors have shifted over the years with an escalating number of visitors from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As the tourism industry is becoming more international, there is an urgent need for a better understanding of the cultural differences in Arctic adventure tourism. Relatedly, the Arctic guide has an indispensably imperative role as a gatekeeper to the world of Arctic regions. Yet, there is a lack of empirical studies on both Arctic adventure tourism and its performance by Chinese visitors, especially from the perspective of an “insider” Arctic guide. This chapter emerged from research that was concerned on the relationship between an Arctic adventure guide and Chinese tourists in an Arctic adventure tourism context. The specific aim was to exemplify (1) how do Chinese visitors interpret adventure tourism in the Arctic? (2) how might the client-guide relationship affect such a process? and (3) is there a specific consumption trait observable in Chinese visitors? The chapter employs an analytical autoethnographic approach within a structured vignette framework to offer an in-depth “insider’s” account by analysing the author’s ten years of Arctic adventure guiding experiences with Asian consumers in the Circumpolar Northern regions as a dataset. The results show that a more dynamic understanding of Chinese adventure tourism and their consumption behaviours are key factors to mitigate adventure guides’ emotional labour. Further, autoethnographic research in Arctic adventure guiding settings, utilising a structured vignette framework, suggests a fruitful avenue through which the values of Arctic adventure tourism and its guiding discourses can be enhanced.
