Purpose: The purpose of this degree project is to examine the possibilities and challenges that are linked to the construction of housing on the countryside in Sweden. Building permits, travel options, environmental solutions and the style of houses being built on the countryside have been reviewed. Method: Research of previous studies conducted in the field has been used. A case study has been conducted in collaboration with the company Reinhold Gustafsson Förvaltning AB, where the area of Ottebro village 30 km from Eskilstuna has been examined and visited. Interviews, elevation drawings and 3D- images were made to further improve the study. Results: Getting a building permit on the countryside poses many challenges, for instance, areas without detailed development plan or forest and agricultural land can face great difficulties. Two environmental solutions that are well adjusted to the countyside are solar roofs and passive houses, which is also is in line with our findings in this study. When discussing the potential changes, the historic characheristics of the countryside has been taken in to consideration, to better match the proposed house of the study with the area of Ottebro village. Different suggestions that have been made, to make the travel options better in the area. Conclusions: Difficulties with building permits on the countryside is mostly due to lack of a detailed development plan, which is a regular occurrence areas that are mainly forest and agricultural land, contain cultural and historical findings or are experiencing unclarities with the building committee. Solar roofs and passive houses can be a viable solution for Ottebro village. It is beneficial for the area to mix modern and rustic type of houses. Demand controlled traffic, carpooling, car pools are sustainable options for Ottebro village.

Today in a modern society the pace is high and the need for flexibility and mobilityis big. Despite the increasing access and great digital solutions for online-meetings,the need for short distance transportation remains. With an increasing number ofeasy-to-use mobile applications, the many offered solutions for personal transporta-tion have in the last few years expanded. Besides the effect of an increasing pressureof road space, the pressure on the transportation solutions has escalated. This is the current situation of the company we came in contact with. Their currenttravel service provides on-demand transportation in small electric, emission free andchauffeur driven vehicles they call pods. As a step of claiming their space in thetransportation sector they are developing their application letting customers planand book a transport. For the ability to test their new booking solution this project took form. With asimulation it would be possible to test the various probabilities of a travel outcome.The aim was to develop a simulation software, simulating the events of multipletravels taking place in the system. With the simulation it would be possible to eval-uate the configuration for the booking feature, analyse how it works with the rest ofthe system and to help the company to predict how the intensity of customers in re-lations to the number of available drivers would affect the outcome of a travel request. The project covered the study of how to interpret the factors, that a transportationdirectly depends on, into events in the system and how to use historical events tocreate probabilities of the simulation outcome. The simulator software was not suc-cessful with simulating multiple rides as intended, but parts of the software could beevaluated in relation to historical events. Statistical models were built using aggre-gated events from the system. When comparing the average result of the statisticalmodels with the historical event count of the system, it resulted in an outcomewithin an acceptable range. This shows that it was possible to use aggregated his-torical events to create probabilities and that these probabilities were reliable.

Travel writing studies spans a vast section of literature from travel diaries to tales of explorations and fantastical adventure stories. One area that has been less examined by travel writing is children’s literature. This paper examines the relationship between travel writing and children’s literature from the basis of children being inherent explorers. That is, as persons that are constantly exploring new environments and confronting otherness as a vital part of their development. This relationship is studied by focusing on children’s literature narratives that show the interaction with nearby or everyday environments that are foreign to the child. Environments like “the woods” or a nearby field might fall within what an adult would call nearby surroundings, but to a child they are areas outside of the known world. These aspects make the child’s nearby journey into a narrative that can use or subvert tropes and themes from classic travel writing about exploration or adventure. By studying three children’s texts - “Pippi Longstocking arranges a picnic” (Astrid Lindgren 1945), Bridget and the gray wolves (Pija Lindenbaum 2000) and Lilly vill ha äventyr [Lilly wants an adventure] (Sanna Töringe & Kristina Digman 2007) – this paper examines the relationship between children’s narratives of exploring one’s near surroundings and the explorations of far away and exotic lands in travel writing. Several connections are shown where the texts use motifs from travel writing, such as highlighting elements of fear connected to unknown environments and animals in the explorations of new spaces.

The theme of this essay arises from problematic pictures which travel journalism can bring about foreign countries, and in this specific case Mexico. These pictures can be problematic in the way that they can carry colonial elements and form colonial discourses. The main purpose of this study is therefore to investigate the Swedish travel magazines, Vagabond, RES and Allt om resor, and how they portray places and people in the written texts and photographs. This was done with a postcolonial and discourse theoretical framework, whereas empowerment of certain pictures can lead to formation of discourses, myths and stereotypes about places and people in Mexico. The method used to reveal different aspects of the travel reports was semiotic analysis, Norman Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis and critical linguistics. These together allowed a closer reading of the texts and the photographs, with regards to the context of the text and the magazine’s development. The analysis was conducted with help of linguistic tools such as transitivity and lexical structure, and a thematic structure consisting of themes such as metropolis Mexico city, Mexico’s hinterland and Mexico’s coast. The result showed on many differences and similarities in the nine travel reports which have been studied, depending on the theme, magazine and publication year. The articles published in the 1980’s and 1990’s focused more on people as Indians and Mexicans which mostly were described by their attributes rather than their actions, and therefore objectified and stereotyped as Indians and cowboys, poor and childish. In articles from the 20th century there has been a shift in focus from people to places, these places were often beaches and the sea, constructing the myth of the relaxing paradise. Sometimes these pictures were combined with the Mayan culture to show a variation of destinations, and to meet new tourism trends such as ethnic and culture tourism.

Syftet med den här rapporten är att undersöka hur mötena på distans inom Trafikverket Region Mitt fungerar ur ett användarperspektiv och vilka förbättringar som kan göras för att få en effektivare verksamhet och ge användare en bättre arbetsmiljö. Det visar sig att de anställda generellt är positivt inställda till resfria möten som mötesform men att det finns vissa problem. De vanligaste problemen är att ljudet inte fungerar korrekt och att användarna blir understimulerade av att ha tittat länge på en skärm. Tre förslag på lösningar presenteras. Det första är att satsa mer på utbildning för användarna samt att ställa krav på dem att lära sig visa funktioner i och med att Live Meeting används i deras dagliga arbete. Det andra är att använda kameran vid alla möten. Det finns stöd för kameraanvändning men det är något som idag inte används i särskilt stor utsträckning men som jag anser ger mer gemenskap och fler uppmärksamma deltagare. Det sista förslaget är att Trafikverket ska se över vilka mål de har med resfria möten och vilka möten som bör vara fysiska möten även i framtiden. Detta efter att ha noterat en tendens till att allt fler möten genomförs via Live Meeting. / The purpose of this master thesis was to identify some of the problem areas concerning the use of computer based web conference systems at Trafikverket Region Mitt in Sweden. The aim was to propose some solutions to the problems found. The material was gathered by meeting observations and a survey among the users of Live Meeting at the department Samhälle at Trafikverket Region Mitt. The results show that most problems are related to sound and attention issues during the meetings. Most users are pleased with the benefits given by this way of meeting at a distance, but they are bothered by details that do not work properly such as confusion in how to use certain functions. The results were analysed seen in a usability perspective. There are three solutions presented. The first is to give the users more education for them to be able to use the system properly and with greater skill. The second solution is to use the camera at all meetings.The third proposal for better meetings is for Trafikverket to discuss the goal with having distance meetings and what types of meetings that always should be physical to guarantee high quality in the company.

Purpose: My purpose of this study was to examine the factors that motivate Swedes to travel to Egypt and Thailand. To answer the question, I have used two questions. What are the factors that motivate Swedes to travel to Egypt and Thailand? What is the motive for Swedes choose to travel to destinations such as Egypt and Thailand? Method: The method I am using  is the qualitative method. The qualitative method has been processed through interviews of Swedish travelers, the Swedish travel agencies as well as Egypt and Thailand tourist agencies specializing in trips to Egypt and Thailand via phone and e-mail. Theory: The theory I am using are motivators and push-pull factors in achieving an understanding of the factors that influence choice for Swedes to travel to destinations such as Egypt and Thailand. Empiricism: The goal was to get a much more qualitative data from the response from the Swedish travel agencies, Egypt and Thailand tourist agency and Swedish travelers who have traveled to both of these destinations. Result: What I have come up with in my study is that the factors that motivate Swedish travelers to travel to Egypt and Thailand, is the warm climate, sun and sea, culture, variety, the cheap price situation and that there are activities for different age groups. This has led to the heat in both Egypt and Thailand has attracted Swedish travelers to travel to both destinations. The reason for this is due to the bad weather here in Sweden which includes the winter and snow. / Syftet: Mitt syfte med uppsatsen har varit att undersöka vilka faktorer som motiverar svenskar att resa till Egypten och Thailand. För att besvara syftet har jag använt mig av två frågeställningar. Vilka är de faktorer som motiverar svenskar att resa till Egypten och Thailand? Vad är motivet till att svenskar väljer att resa till destinationer som Egypten och Thailand? Metod: Den metod jag har använt mig av är den kvalitativa metoden. Den kvalitativa metoden har bearbetats genom intervjuer av svenska resenärer, de svenska resebyråerna samt Egypten och Thailand turistbyråer som specialiserar sig på resor till Egypten och Thailand, via telefon och e-post. Teori: Den teori jag har använt mig av är motivationsfaktorer och push- pull faktorer för att uppnå en förståelse för vilka faktorer som påverkar valet för svenskar att resa till destinationer som Egypten och Thailand. Empiri: Målet var att få en mycket mer kvalitativ data från responsen från de svenska resebyråerna, Egypten och Thailand turistbyråer och svenska resenärer som har rest till båda dessa destinationer. Resultat: Det jag har kommit fram till i min studie är att de faktorer som motiverar svenska resenärer att resa till Egypten och Thailand är: det varma klimatet, sol och bad, kultur, dess variation, det billiga prisläget och för att det finns aktiviteter för olika åldersgrupper. Detta har lett till att värmen i både Egypten och Thailand har lockat svenska resenärer att resa till båda dessa destinationer. Anledningen till detta beror på det dåliga vädret här i Sverige som bland annat består av vinter och snö.

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I Sverige finns en enighet om att kollektivtrafiken måste utvecklas om målsättningar för klimat och attraktiva städer ska kunna nås. Trafiksystemets utformning har i sin helhet stor betydelse för en långsiktigt hållbar utveckling. Resecentrumen håller på att få en allt viktigare roll i stora som små städer. I Gällivare pågår den så kallade Samhällsomvandlingen som en konsekvens av LKAB:s gruvdrift i Malmberget och det finns önskemål från Gällivare kommun om att utveckla Gällivares resecentrum som en del i att göra staden mer attraktiv för invånare och besökare. Syftet med studiens första del var att undersöka vilka funktioner och designfaktorer som är viktigast för att ett resecentrum ska upplevas som användbart och attraktivt av resenärer och andra som rör sig kring resecentrumet, samt undersöka hur dessa funktioner och designfaktorer skulle kunna anpassas till ett subarktiskt klimat. Många lösningar för utformning av urbana miljöer är främst anpassade för varmare och mindre varierat klimat än det subarktiska. Studiens andra del var att ta fram ett konceptförslag för resecentrumet i Gällivare, där subarktiska klimatförhållanden råder. Konceptförslaget bygger på resultatet av arbetets första del och på analyser som utförts i Gällivare. Arbetet började med en litteraturstudie som resulterade i två analysmallar, en för analys av generella funktioner och design i resecentrum och en för analys av hur klimatfaktorer påverkar utformningen. Därefter utfördes referensstudier som analyserades med hjälp av den första mallen. Gällivare resecentrum utvärderades med båda analysmallarna och en platsanalys utfördes på Gällivare. En syntes togs fram och användes tillsammans med platsanalysen för att ta fram konceptförslaget. Syntesen visade att viktiga faktorer kunde kategoriseras inom områdena ljus, rumslighet, attraktivitet, struktur, prioritering, nod i staden och trygghet. Ljuset fick stor betydelse i konceptförslaget, både för att platsen ska upplevas som trygg och tydlig men också för dess estetiska kvaliteter. Under årets mörka period är belysningen det mest framträdande i utemiljöerna, särskilt när snö täcker marken, belysningen kan då användas för att göra utemiljöerna mer attraktiva. En förbättrad rumslighet i utemiljöerna kan skapa bättre mikroklimat och på så vis skapa mer attraktiva utemiljöer även under delar av året med mer krävande klimatförhållanden. Resecentrumets olika delar bör förhålla sig till varandra på ett tydligt och logiskt sätt och plats lämnas för förvaring av snö. Det ska finnas gott om ytor för gående och cyklister och det ska vara lätt att röra sig inom resecentrumet. För att säkerställa framkomlighet även under vintersäsongen kan markvärme användas på de viktigaste stråken. De klimatförhållanden som är vanliga i subarktiska miljöer, exempelvis snön, kan lyftas fram på ett sätt som gör att de bidrar till platsens identitet och attrraktivitet. / There is a consensus in Sweden that public transport must be developed if goals for climate and attractive cities are to be achieved. The overall design of the traffic system is of great importance for long-term sustainable development. Travel centers are gaining an increasingly important role in large as well as small cities. Gällivare is undergoing the so-called Urban Transformation as a consequence of LKAB’s mining operations in Malmberget and there is a request from Gällivare municipality to develop Gällivare travel center as a part of making the city more attractive to residents and visitors. The purpose of the first part of the study was to investigate which functions and design factors are most important for a travel center to be perceived as useful and attractive by travelers and others passing through the center, and to investigate ow these functions and design factors could be adapted to a subarctic climate. Many solutions for the design of urban environments are mainly adapted to warmer and less varied climates than the subarctic. The second part of the study was to develop a concept for the travel center in Gällivare, where subarctic climatic conditions prevail. The concept is based on the results of the first part of the study and on analyzes performed in Gällivare. The study began with an extensive literature study that resulted in two templates for analysis, one for analysis of general functions and design in the travel enter and one for analysis of how climate factors affect the design. Subsequently, reference studies were performed, analyzed with the first template. Gällivare travel center was evaluated with both templates and a site analysis was performed at Gällivare. A synthesis was developed and used together with the site analysis to produce the concept. The synthesis showed that important factors could be categorized in the areas of light, spaciousness, structure, prioritization, city node and safety. During the dark part of the year, the lighting is the most prominent in the outdoor environments, especially when snow covers the ground. The lighting can then be used to make the outdoor environments more attractive. An improved spatiality in outdoor environments might create a better microclimate and thus create more attractive outdoor environments even during parts of the year with more demanding climatic conditions. The different parts of the travel center should relate to each other in a clear and logical way and space should be left for snow storage. There should be plenty of space for cyclists and it should be easy to move within the travel center. To ensure availability even during the winter season, ground heating can used on the most important lanes. The climatic conditions that are common in subarctic environments, such as the snow, can be highlighted in a way that makes them contribute to the identity and attractiveness of the place.

Användningen av sociala medier har under de senaste åren ökat radikalt och allt fler människor väljer att dela med sig av bilder och upplevelser på sociala medier, där turistupplevelser har blivit allt vanligare. Att uppdatera Facebook och Instagram under en resa är vanligt idag, där vissa resenärer är motiverade till att begränsa sin teknikanvändning under en resa, medan andra har väldigt svårt att komma över teknikbehovet. I den här studien undersöks unga myndigas generella användning av sociala medier under en resa, samt om de kan ha en inverkan på en turismupplevelse. Studien undersöker hur unga myndiga upplever att de påverkas av sociala medier innan, under och efter en resa. Därmed fastställer studien flera mönster och teman som kan vara de bidragande motivationerna till att dela med sig på sociala medier, där respondenterna har likasinnade åsikter och tankar kring sociala medier under en resa. Studien är också till för att öka förståelsen för vad unga myndigas motivationer för att dela innehåll på sociala medier är. Dessutom undersöker den här studien hur unga myndigas turistupplevelser blir påverkade av sociala medier och om detta har positiva eller negativa effekter. Denna studie tar avstamp i tidigare forskning som studerar sambandet mellan sociala medier, upplevelser och resor, för att sedan jämföras med egen empirisk insamling där både en enkätundersökning och 8 intervjuer har genomförts. Från det empiriska materialet framgår det att unga myndiga till stor del påverkas på ett eller annat sätt av sociala medier innan, under och efter en resa. Kopplat till den teoretiska bakgrunden framgår det även att det finns flera bidragande faktorer som avgör i vilken utsträckning unga myndigas turistupplevelser påverkas av sociala medier. / The use of social media has increased radically in recent years, with more and more people choosing to share pictures and experiences on social media, in which tourist experiences are all more common. Updating Facebook and Instagram during a trip is habitual today, where some travelers are motivated to limit their technology use during a trip, while others find it very difficult to overcome the need for technology. This study examines young adults' general use of social media while traveling, and whether they can have an impact on tourist experiences. The study examines how young adults perceive that they are affected by social media before, during and after a trip. In doing so, the study identifies several patterns and themes that may be the contributing motivations for sharing on social media, where respondents have like-minded opinions and thoughts about social media during travel. The study also aims to increase the understanding of what young adults' motivations for sharing content on social media are. Furthermore, this study examines how young adults' tourism experiences are affected by social media and whether this has positive or negative effects. This study is based on previous research that studies the connection between social media, experiences, and travel, and is then compared with own empirical data where both a survey and 8 interviews have been conducted. The empirical data shows that young adults are largely influenced in one way or another by social media before, during and after a trip. Connected to the theoretical background, it also appears that there are several contributing factors that determine the extent to which young adults' tourist experiences are influenced by social media.