Off the Beaten Track - Commercialisation of characteristics of Finnish national identity in travel posters in 1930’s–1960’s by the Finnish Tourism Board and Finnair, to suit the economic and sociological changes of the state

This thesis is about the commercialization of the characteristic of Finnish national identity in travel posters in the 1930’s–1960’s by the Finnish Tourism Board and Finnair, to suit the economical and sociological changes of the state. The origin of the characteristics of Finnish national identity will be examined in the beginning of this thesis to better understand how they have been incorporated in travel advertising. It will be discussed in detail, how the characteristics of national identity have been used to suit different audiences and how they have been modified according to global trends and sociological movements of the nation. It will be argued in this thesis whether the Tourism Board and Finnair had an impact on building of the image of the Finnish national identity in the 1930’s–1960’s with the spread of travel poster advertisements. It will also be discussed whether the representation of those characteristics was authentic to the original source or not.