Cross-Border Cultural and Creative Tourism in Rural and Remote Areas

Project Information

CROCUS

Grant agreement ID: 101132454

DOI

10.3030/101132454

EC signature date 30 October 2023

Start date 1 April 2024

End date 31 March 2027

Funded under

• Culture, creativity and inclusive society

Total cost

€ 2 799 733,75

EU contribution

€ 2 799 733,75

Coordinated by

AALBORG UNIVERSITET
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CROCUS (Cross-Border Cultural and Creative Tourism in Rural and Remote Areas)

Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Rural and remote areas (RRA) are rich in cultural heritage, but many also suffer from socio-economic problems such as an ageing population, out-migration, and low incomes. Cultural and creative tourism (CCT) could help address these problems by creating sustainable jobs and investment, but three key challenges and associated knowledge gaps must be overcome: (1) place-specific business models that suit different types of cultural heritage and community needs must be created; (2) tourism development must be balanced and sustainable; (3) policies at different scales should support cooperation between RRA.
CROCUS addresses these key challenges by: (a) generating knowledge about which CCT business models are most appropriate for different types of heritage and rural areas; (b) creating eight cross-border living labs in which sustainable CCT business models will be prototyped (16 in total); (c) developing macro-regional and cross-border policy scenarios for each of the four EU macro-regions (Baltic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian, Alpine, and Danube); and (d) synthesising knowledge and experience from the project to create tools and resources that RRA across Europe and beyond can use to develop sustainable and inclusive CCT in the future. CROCUS will achieve this through its ambitious multi-scalar research design, innovative cross-border living labs, and participatory processes of sustainable business model prototyping.
The impact of CROCUS will be to increase sustainable and inclusive CCT and cross-border cooperation in RRA across Europe, thus unleashing the potential of cultural heritage as a driver of sustainable innovation. Firstly, sustainable business model prototypes - accompanied by tool kit, training aids and citizen’s resource pack – will be promoted to rural and remote areas across Europe. Secondly, four macro-regional and cross-border policy scenarios will provide input policy-makers from the local/regional via the national/macro-regional to the EU level that will facilitate development of CCT in RRA and cross-border collaboration across Europe.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Over the first 12 months, the CROCUS project has developed the conceptual framework for empirical research on CCT in RRA.
An extensive interdisciplinary literature review was conducted, covering academic, policy, and sector sources across multiple European languages. The review exposed notable gaps, particularly with regard to creative tourism, intangible heritage, cross-border initiatives, governance structures, and sustainable business models.
Drawing on placemaking and placeshaping perspectives, the framework highlights how tangible and intangible cultural assets are given meaning through creative practices, enabling both residents and visitors to engage with local identity. A typology of existing CCT business models and the sustainability issues related to each one was also developed, based on an analysis of 13 cases using structured business model canvas templates. This work provides a foundation for business model development and prototyping later in the project.
In parallel, a policy mapping exercise was conducted to identify existing CCT strategies and initiatives across EU. A Delphi study in each macro-region engaged over 200 stakeholders across two rounds to explore key challenges in cross-border CCT cooperation. Eight in-depth case studies were also carried out to document and analyse successful examples of cross-border and macro-regional CCT initiatives.
Finally, the first phase of establishing eight cross-border Living Labs has also been completed. Core teams were formed, and data collection frameworks developed. Stakeholder interviews and surveys began in early 2025, with strong initial response rates. This ongoing work will inform the co-creation of sustainable, place-based business models tailored to the needs and assets of RRA in the Living Labs.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

In its first year, the project has produced results that advance the state of the art regarding CCT in RRA. A comprehensive review of academic, policy, and sectoral sources—conducted in multiple European languages—has identified key trends and significant gaps in knowledge. In particular, it revealed a lack of knowledge about creative tourism, governance, and cross-border collaboration. Moreover, often lacks place-based perspective and remains fragmented across disciplines and languages. The conceptual and methodological framework developed in WP2 addresses this gap by repositioning placemaking and placeshaping as central processes in CCT. This framework will inform subsequent data collection, business model development and policy recommendations which will ensure that the project’s outputs are conceptually coherent and relevant. The resulting typology of existing CCT business models provides a practical tool for identifying innovation potential in different regional and cultural settings.
The Delphi studies carried out across the four EU macro-regions systematically gathered expert insights on the barriers and enablers of cross-border CCT cooperation. The process has also helped to build a network of informed stakeholders, strengthening the project’s capacity for dissemination and long-term impact.
Finally, eight in-depth case studies of cross-border CCT initiatives have generated practical knowledge on governance models, stakeholder engagement, and success conditions. These exemplars will provide both inspiration and guidance for other rural areas seeking to develop effective cooperation.

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