Theme1
Sub-Projects – Theme 2 – Labour markets
“ MENT” - The Memory Environment and Tradition trails on Borders
General description of the project
Tourism is becoming more and more important in the service-based economy. In rural areas, in particular, the efforts are increasing to base the economy on tourism. For border regions, which usually do not have a high concentration of companies, the tourist market is seen as a possible source of income. But what are the best ways to attract tourists to the border regions? How should competition be dealt with, when the – often similar – region on the other side of the border tries to attract the same target group? These are the questions addressed in this project by experts from five countries.
The key issue of the project is to work out a method which helps border regions to exploit cross-border cooperation in order to develop a common tourist product. Tourists should be attracted by the special features of the region no matter on which side of the border they are to be found. The possibility to stay the night in one country and visit an attraction in the other, for example, should be offered within one package. It is considered important that the offers reflect the characteristics of the region. In this context Memory (memorials of the past), Nature (natural sites and landscapes) and Tradition (multicultural environment & heritage) are the key points of focus in cross-border tourism development. By working together, regions on both sides of the border can offer more attractions and benefit from a common marketing strategy that combines local and regional resources.
