Study title

Second Home Tourism in Finnish Lake District 2004

Dataset ID Number

FSD2331

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2331

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Hiltunen, Mervi Johanna (University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development)
• Kokki, Ruut (University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development)
• Pitkänen, Kati (University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development)
• Vepsäläinen, Mia (University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development)

Other Identification/Acknowledgements

• Members of the JET Järvi-Suomi project's steering group
• Representatives of the second home municipalities in the target area

Abstract

The survey charted the use and importance of second housing from the viewpoint of second home owners living in the Helsinki region. Second housing in Finland is a large phenomenon with deep historical and cultural roots, and it represents a significant part of domestic tourism. In this survey, the term "second home" refers to rural recreational residences (holiday homes) mainly used during weekends and holidays, especially during summertime. The key themes of the survey included travelling between and life at the first and second homes, and the use of second homes.

First, the respondents were asked to give some background information on their second homes, such as its size, standard of equipment, whether it suitable for winter habitation, and whether the respondents had purchased, inherited or built it. The distance between the second home and various services, such as town, grocery store, health centre and bus stop was queried. Travelling between the first and second homes was canvassed by asking the respondents to estimate the number of trips made to the second home and the number of days spent there for each month of the year. The distance to the second home, as well as the time spent and the means of transport used for travelling there were also examined. In addition, the respondents were asked whether they usually stop on the way to the second home and for what reason. The reason for travelling to the second home was also investigated.

Further questions pertained to the time spent at the second home. The respondents estimated whether they would like to spend more time there, how they were going to use the second home during the next 5-10 years, which factors prevented the respondents from spending more time there, and who would most likely own the second home after they no longer use it themselves. Some questions focused on remote work, and the respondents also told whether someone in their household commuted from the second home. They listed the advantages and disadvantages of the municipality in which their second home was located, and indicated whether they would be willing to use the municipal services (e.g. health services, social services, broadband Internet access) in that municipality, as well as whether they would be ready to pay for these services.

Life at the respondents' first and second homes was charted by asking them to list advantages and disadvantages of living in the capital area as well as in a second home in a rural area. In addition, the respondents were presented with a list of words (e.g. haste, nature, family, freedom, Finnishness) which they had to associate with either of the aforementioned environments. They were also asked to close their eyes, think about life at their second home and tell about it. Finally, the respondents were asked whether they had responded to the survey by themselves or together with other family members. In addition, they were encouraged to write down thoughts and opinions aroused by the survey.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, household composition, number of household members, household gross income, and type and size of the first home. In addition, the respondent's and spouse's year of birth, education, and employment type were charted.

Keywords

holidays; housing; leisure time; leisure time activities; metropolitan areas; natural environment; neighbourhoods; second homes; telework; travel

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Agriculture and forestry (Fields of Science Classification)
• Housing (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Leisure, tourism and sport (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Community, urban and rural life (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Hiltunen, Mervi Johanna (University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development)
• Kokki, Ruut (University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development)
• Pitkänen, Kati (University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development)
• Vepsäläinen, Mia (University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development)

Data Producers

• University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Centre for Continuing Education and Regional Development
• Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Time Period Covered

2004

Collection Dates

2004-06

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland, Finnish Lake District (Järvi-Suomi), Asikkala, Kuopio, Leppävirta, Liperi, Mikkeli, Mäntyharju, Taipalsaari, Vehmersalmi (Kuopio since 1st January 2005)

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Household

Universe

Households in southern Finland owning a second home in one of the research municipalities in Finnish Lake District

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Total universe/Complete enumeration

Probability: Simple random

The target group of the survey consisted of households in southern Finland (in post code area 00-70) owning a second home in Finnish Lake District. In this survey, the term "Finnish Lake District" is used to refer to the eastern Finnish Lake District and the Päijänne region. The research municipalities are the largest ones accommodating second homes in the area, and the sample is regionally representative of the provinces in the Lake District. The Savonlinna region was excluded from the survey area because of a similar survey already carried out in the area.

The respondents were reached with the help of the Second Home Registry (kesäasukasrekisteri), the Land Registry (kiinteistörekisteri), and the Landowner Registry (maanomistusrekisteri). Random sampling was used to select respondents from the largest municipalities, the sample sizes being 400 for each municipality. In smaller municipalities, all second home owners belonging to the target group were included in the survey.

Altogether 2,553 questionnaires were sent. 143 of them were discarded because they had been returned empty or for other reasons. 1,096 second home owners responded.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

45.5

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

2.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

To prevent identification of respondents, variables connected to question 9 (i.e. the post code, municipality and village of the second home) were removed from the data and substituted with variable bv4 indicating municipality. In addition, open-ended questions were removed with regard to the respodent's and spouse's occupation (k5c, k6c), choice of municipality for second home (k10b9_2), other information regarding second home location (k18miss), and the respondent's and spouse's childhood municipalities of residence (k37a_2, k37b_2).

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Hiltunen, Mervi Johanna (University of Joensuu) & Kokki, Ruut (University of Joensuu) & Pitkänen, Kati (University of Joensuu) & Vepsäläinen, Mia (University of Joensuu): Second Home Tourism in Finnish Lake District 2004 [dataset]. Version 2.0 (2019-01-21). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2331

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Pitkänen, Kati & Kokki, Ruut (2005). Mennäänkö mökille? Näkökulmia pääkaupunkiseutulaisten mökkeilyyn Järvi-Suomessa. Savonlinna: Savonlinnan koulutus- ja kehittämiskeskuksen julkaisuja; 11.

Related Publications

Pitkänen, Kati & Kokki, Ruut (2005). Mennäänkö mökille? Näkökulmia pääkaupunkiseutulaisten mökkeilyyn Järvi-Suomessa. Savonlinna: Savonlinnan koulutus- ja kehittämiskeskuksen julkaisuja; 11.

Pitkänen, K. (2005). Järvi-Suomen kaupunkilaiset kakkosasujat [verkkodokumentti]. Saatavissa: http://mot.joensuu.fi/sivut/tutkimus/vapaa-ajan-asuminen/jaervi-suomen-kaupunkilaiset-kakkosasujat.html [viitattu 11.7.2008]

Pitkänen, K. (2008). Second Home Landscape. The Meaning(s) of Landscape for Second Home Tourism in Finland. Tourism Geographies 10(2), 169-192.

Hiltunen, M. J. (2007). Environmental Impacts of Rural Second Home Tourism - Case Lake District in Finland. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 7(3), 243-265.

Vepsäläinen, M. & Pitkänen, K. & Hiltunen, M. J. (2011). Mökkeilijöiden muuttuvat luontokäsitykset. Teoksessa Niemelä J., Furman E., Halkka A., Hallanaro E-L. , Sorvari S. (toim.). Ihminen ja ympäristö. Gaudeamus, Helsinki. ss. 305-309.

Pitkänen, K. (2011). Mökkimaisema muutoksessa. Kulttuurimaantieteellinen näkökulma mökkeilyyn. Publications of the University of Eastern Finland. Dissertations in Social Sciences and Business Studies No 31. University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu.