{"title":"Useful funds, disappointing framework: tourism stakeholder experiences of INTERREG","authors":"J. Shepherd, D. Ioannides","doi":"10.1080/15022250.2020.1792339","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Cross-border tourism cooperation is a fruitful form of engagement between borderland destinations, helping them boost their profile and minimise problems arising from operating near a border. European cross-border tourism cooperation is often supported by a European Union project funding arm known as INTERREG. Our study explores the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders involved in three INTERREG projects between tourism destinations in the Scandinavian borderland region of Jämtland-Trøndelag. The aim of the study is to understand why tourism actors in the region decide to apply for INTERREG funds, what their perceptions are towards the project framework, and how their experiences of INTERREG influence their assessment of the programme as a tool for successful cross-border cooperation in tourism. Emerging from a qualitative approach based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, we reveal that the stakeholders involved in the projects see INTERREG as a valuable source of funding in an otherwise under-funded border region, but that they experience a number of problems within the INTERREG framework. The omnipresence of short-term, supranational funded projects is perceived as detrimental to the establishment of sustainable cross-border tourism development within the study region. We recommend that tourism practitioners be more cautious when thinking of (re)applying for INTERREG funding.","PeriodicalId":47630,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism","volume":"20 1","pages":"485 - 502"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2020-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/15022250.2020.1792339","citationCount":"9","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2020.1792339","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 9
Abstract
ABSTRACT Cross-border tourism cooperation is a fruitful form of engagement between borderland destinations, helping them boost their profile and minimise problems arising from operating near a border. European cross-border tourism cooperation is often supported by a European Union project funding arm known as INTERREG. Our study explores the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders involved in three INTERREG projects between tourism destinations in the Scandinavian borderland region of Jämtland-Trøndelag. The aim of the study is to understand why tourism actors in the region decide to apply for INTERREG funds, what their perceptions are towards the project framework, and how their experiences of INTERREG influence their assessment of the programme as a tool for successful cross-border cooperation in tourism. Emerging from a qualitative approach based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, we reveal that the stakeholders involved in the projects see INTERREG as a valuable source of funding in an otherwise under-funded border region, but that they experience a number of problems within the INTERREG framework. The omnipresence of short-term, supranational funded projects is perceived as detrimental to the establishment of sustainable cross-border tourism development within the study region. We recommend that tourism practitioners be more cautious when thinking of (re)applying for INTERREG funding.
期刊介绍:
Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism is the leading Nordic journal for hospitality and tourism research. SJHT aims at initiating and stimulating high-impact and innovative research relevant for academics and practitioners within the hospitality and tourism industries. The journal takes an interdisciplinary approach including, but not limited to geography, psychology, sociology, history, anthropology, and economics. SJHT encourages research based on a variety of methods, including both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The journal covers all types of articles relevant to the Nordic region, as well as the North Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic regions. We also welcome reviews and conceptual articles with a broader geographical scope that clearly enhance the theoretical development of the hospitality and tourism field. In addition to research articles, we welcome research notes and book reviews. Published articles are the result of anonymous reviews by at least two referees chosen by the editors for their specialist knowledge.