“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” How a consumption community of climbers contributes to the development of a new market

Abstract

Research on market system dynamics reveals that consumers can play an active role in the development of a market. However, most studies cover contexts where existing markets are questioned by consumers who want new taste structures. Adopting an ethnographic inspired approach, this article examines how consumers engage in the formation of a new market fuelled by the desire of a new lifestyle. I address this issue in the context of the climbing tourism market in Bohuslän, Sweden, and its evolution during the last two decades with emphasis on the role of a consumption community. Drawing on the perspective of market system dynamics, I describe the formation of the climbing market with focus on the role of the Bohuslän climbing community as the entrepreneurial force. The article shows how the institutionalisation of the community, the movement of climbers to the area and the embeddedness of the community into the society were important dimensions for the entrepreneurial activities, the market formation and the challenges encountered. It is argued that this type of community, located in the intersection between consumption, production, local society and politics, illustrates how passion and lifestyle issues may count during market development.