» Play Clip

Sub-Projects – Theme 2 – Labour markets

Sub-theme 3 – Tourism development in border regions

SWG MENT - What has been done?

“It’s not about how “good” but how “unique” we are” (Josef Margreiter, Managing Director of Tirol Werbung). To explore, exploit and market unique tourism assets of border and cross-border regions in terms of historical sites, environment and culture was the main aim of the project MENT which officially started in October 2005. Six European border regions, most of them with dominating rural areas and highly different experiences in cross-border tourism development, were involved in the implementation of the project that was realised in three phases:

• Phase 1: Preparation, kick-off and orientation
• Phase 2: Data collection and processing;
• Phase 3: Final product.

A major event in the first phase of the sub-project was the Initial Meeting in November 2005 aiming to enhance the project partnership, to demonstrate strengths and weaknesses of the involved border regions in terms of tourism development and to exchange information on cross-border cooperation. While comparing the own region with other European border areas, new ideas and approaches emerged that haven’t been considered on regional level so far. Thus, the potentials and deficits of each region involved could better be recognised.

Based on the information and conclusions drawn from the meeting, opportunities for tourism development in the participating border regions were identified and strategies for their exploitation were elaborated in the second phase of the project. In order to gain support for the implementation of new marketing activities or the development of a new tourism product in the own region, workshops and conferences with representatives of local and regional authorities and stakeholders involved in tourism development were organised by project partners.

The Municipality of Monfalcone (IT) e.g. hosted a regional workshop and a study visit providing the opportunity to disseminate information on the MENT-project and to present activities implemented by the municipality to representatives of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia. The focus of Monfalcone was placed on the development of a thematic route in the surroundings of the municipality providing the opportunity to explore the history (First World War) and the unique nature (Carso Mountains) of this area.

In the framework of another regional event of the Borken District, the determining factors, opportunities and possible activities enhancing the attractiveness of the district for tourists were commonly discussed (inclusively Dutch citizens from the neighbouring regions). One important subject referred to the strengths and weaknesses of rural regions in terms of an attractive tourist destination. According to Prof. Dr. Heinz-Dieter Quack from the University of Trier, the following approach is crucial while boosting tourism in rural areas:

• Exploitation of endogenous potentials,
• Inclusion of the rural character of the region, its culture, history and population as elements of the tourism strategy,
• Due to missing unique selling propositions an overall approach is necessary (all unspectacular tourism offers of the region together can create a unique selling proposition).

Based on the results this conference, the district of Borken was working on a concrete tourism product in the third phase of the project. As a result, a new internet website on regional tourism offers was developed and an application for the REGIONALE 2013/2016, a structural programme of the land North Rhine-Westphalia aiming to promote ambitious regions, was elaborated.

Both final products were presented to the project partners during the Final Conference in June 2007 hosted by the Region of South Aegean on the island of Syros. Along with the presentation of regionally realised activities and achieved results, conclusions from the interregional cooperation and overall project implementation were drawn.

For further information, please see www.swg-ment.eu.