Security, economy, and the touristification of borders

Abstract

Due to large flows of cross-border tourists and their increasing geopolitical and geoeconomic influence, borders have become increasingly touristified. Entailing at least three impulses—commodification, desecuritization, and differentiation, the touristification of borders develops a nuanced understanding of borderscapes and bordering practices. Borders obtain new meanings and functions from a touristic perspective. Tourism as an epistemic frame means that it is not merely a set of economic activities related to the production and consumption of experiences, but also constitutes a perspective through which to explore issues concerning borders as a key space of geoeconomic and geopolitical interactions. Thus, the touristification of borders brings tourism scholars into productive conversations with scholars in other critical studies who investigate the interplay of mobility and power.