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Conference paper, 2013

Promoting regional countryside tourism in the Sound region (Denmark/Sweden)

Haaland, Christine; Peterson, Anna

Abstract

Öreferie is an Interreg project on sustainable tourism in the Sound region, which comprises parts of Zealand (Denmark) and the most Southern part of Sweden, Scania. While parts of the region are densely populated including both Copenhagen and Malmö, other parts are very rural. Here large areas of unspoiled landscapes exist including seaside, woodland and agricultural areas, which are often very little exploited for tourism. The objective of the project is to promote and initiate tourism regarding experiencing nature and cultural heritage in the region. Partners in the project are private tourist entrepreneurs, municipalities, the regional council and universities .The focus has been on guided tours on different topics as wildlife, "wild food", geology and gardens with the aim to increase visitors' understanding in these fields. Thus the project aims to contribute to sustainable tourism by emphasizing the attractiveness of the region by promoting tourism which does not involve long distance travelling, emphasizing the use of public transport and at the same time increasing the public's knowledge and awareness about nature, wildlife and cultural heritage. In particular it is attempted to better learn to know and understand the "other side", which means the other side of the Sound, the strait which separates Denmark form Sweden. So far two approaches have been chosen. Firstly new guided tours carried out by private entrepreneurs have been initiated and secondly already existing products have been highlighted. Network meetings have been arranged to strengthen entrepreneurs and the cooperation of different tourist operators has been encouraged (e.g. combination of guided tours with consumption of local food production and overnight stays). Difficulties, challenges and opportunities of the process of promoting regional countryside tourism are analyzed and discussed.

Published in

Title: Conference proceedings: Active Countryside Tourism
ISBN: 978-1-907240-35-5
Publisher: International Centre for Research in Events, Tourism and Hospitality (ICRETH)

Conference

Active countryside tourism