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Creating Cross-Border Destinations. Interreg Programmes and Regionalisation in the Baltic Sea Area

Nilsson, Jan-Henrik LU orcid ; Eskilsson, Lena LU and Ek, Richard LU (2010) In Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 10(2). p.153-172
Abstract
European Union financed Interreg programmes focusing on cross-border region building form an important part of the EU integration policy. The region building processes involve many fields of action in which destination development is one. In this article, the latest finished programme, Interreg III, will be highlighted with special focus on cross-border regions in the Baltic Sea Area. The purpose is to analyse how regional identities are re-presented and re-negotiated in connection with cross-border tourism destination development. These questions are analysed with the help of a methodology based on storylines using three selected programme regions as case studies. In our analysis we have found three storylines that in different ways... (More)
European Union financed Interreg programmes focusing on cross-border region building form an important part of the EU integration policy. The region building processes involve many fields of action in which destination development is one. In this article, the latest finished programme, Interreg III, will be highlighted with special focus on cross-border regions in the Baltic Sea Area. The purpose is to analyse how regional identities are re-presented and re-negotiated in connection with cross-border tourism destination development. These questions are analysed with the help of a methodology based on storylines using three selected programme regions as case studies. In our analysis we have found three storylines that in different ways enlighten our understanding of these regions' (actual and possible) political identities: the notion of borders, the practice of history and the future-oriented visions. The study reveals the presence of two fundamental and contradictory visions grounded in the European project: regionalisation and internationalisation. It also shows that the cross-border region co-operation processes share a narrative characterised by liberal economic rationality. Political issues are downplayed in relation to economic issues, even though in the case of tourism political issues like regional identity are not possible to avoid. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
European integration, Baltic Sea Area, cross-border regions, Interreg programmes, regional identities, destination development
in
Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
volume
10
issue
2
pages
153 - 172
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000279458300005
  • scopus:77954273762
ISSN
1502-2250
DOI
10.1080/15022250903561978
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
753bc947-08c3-4b25-aebd-d22ed033e6d1 (old id 1359468)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:30:49
date last changed
2023-01-03 23:18:54
@article{753bc947-08c3-4b25-aebd-d22ed033e6d1,
  abstract     = {{European Union financed Interreg programmes focusing on cross-border region building form an important part of the EU integration policy. The region building processes involve many fields of action in which destination development is one. In this article, the latest finished programme, Interreg III, will be highlighted with special focus on cross-border regions in the Baltic Sea Area. The purpose is to analyse how regional identities are re-presented and re-negotiated in connection with cross-border tourism destination development. These questions are analysed with the help of a methodology based on storylines using three selected programme regions as case studies. In our analysis we have found three storylines that in different ways enlighten our understanding of these regions' (actual and possible) political identities: the notion of borders, the practice of history and the future-oriented visions. The study reveals the presence of two fundamental and contradictory visions grounded in the European project: regionalisation and internationalisation. It also shows that the cross-border region co-operation processes share a narrative characterised by liberal economic rationality. Political issues are downplayed in relation to economic issues, even though in the case of tourism political issues like regional identity are not possible to avoid.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Jan-Henrik and Eskilsson, Lena and Ek, Richard}},
  issn         = {{1502-2250}},
  keywords     = {{European integration; Baltic Sea Area; cross-border regions; Interreg programmes; regional identities; destination development}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{153--172}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism}},
  title        = {{Creating Cross-Border Destinations. Interreg Programmes and Regionalisation in the Baltic Sea Area}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15022250903561978}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/15022250903561978}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}