Matias Thuen JØRGENSEN, Roskilde University, Denmark
Lars FUGLSANG, Roskilde University, Denmark
Jon SUNDBO, Roskilde University, Denmark
Within the adjacent fields of development, planning and geography, research has increasingly left the rural urban dichotomy behind in favor of a focus on the relations between them (Tacoli, 1998). Weaver (2005) and Gon (2017) have argued that this transition has not found its way to tourism studies. Weaver (2005) also argues that while tourism research has ignored the urban-rural fringe, the “study of the urban–rural fringe within geography and other social sciences has neglected tourism” (p. 27). This leaves a gap in the literature, which few have attempted and, we argue, none have succeeded in filling. With this paper, we aim to take a step in that direction by defining the peri-urban in a tourism context and investigating the conditions for tourism development in the peri-urban. We do so through a longitudinal case study spanning three years from 2018-2021 of the region of Zealand in Denmark, which is characterized by its peri-urban location in relation to the capital city of Copenhagen. We combine micro and macro perspectives: interviews (n=48), observation and detailed document study of tourism development reports (n=50) to explore and explain the unique tourism development challenges faced by peri-urban tourist destinations. These include difficulty in gaining investments, lack of star attractions and accommodation options, lack of awareness from potential tourists and intermediaries in the metro-area, as well as lack of accessibility. Based on the analysis, we suggest nine market strategies for different peri-urban destinations depending on their access to the metro-area, (star) attractions and awareness, as well as availability of accommodation options.
Mots clés : Tourism development|Peri-urban|Fringe|Urban rural|Market Strategy
A103520MJ