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Bridges over borders: examining the success factors and spatial dynamics of tourism-themed cross-border projects in Hungary
52-62Views:11Tourism serves as the primary engine for cross-border integration within EU Cohesion Policy, representing the most dominant thematic objective in Interreg, IPA, and ENI frameworks. Analysis of the keep.eu dataset reveals that while 247 programmes have supported over 4,700 tourism projects, the sector is intrinsically linked to cultural heritage and education as “soft-power” tools for territorial cohesion. Hungary ranks in the top decile for project participation with 440 initiatives, yet a moderate partnership-to-project ratio indicates a strategic preference for bilateral cooperation over complex multilateral networks. Spatial distribution shows significant clustering along the Serbian, Romanian, and Croatian borders, whereas regional strategic priorities in other areas often emphasize cultural heritage, education and institutional cooperation over direct tourism development. The “Route of Medieval Churches” case study validates that successful integration depends on moving beyond fragmented restoration toward “sellable” tourism products through bilingualism and digital innovation. Effective cross-border cooperation requires a five-dimensional synergy where integrated marketing and strategic branding outweigh standalone infrastructural investments. For the 2021–2027 budgetary cycle, shifting focus from physical assets to cohesive destination identity is essential for long-term sustainability and regional competitiveness.
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Borderless Nagykuns –a shared historical past and a (hoped-for) shared tourism future on Europe’s periphery
32-51Views:7This study examines the unified and historically traceable heritage system of the historical Nagykunság (Greater Cumania) (Hungary) and the communities that migrated to Bácska (Bačka) (Serbia) at the end of the 18th century. The relevance of the topic lies in reuniting cross-border cultural narratives, integrating spatially dispersed heritage elements, and leveraging digital interpretation tools. The research aims to analyze the expression of Nagykun (Greater Cumanian) identity within the diaspora and to establish the theoretical foundations for a future ”Nagykun Heritage Route”. Applied methods included the analysis of 23 semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in Karcag, Kisújszállás, Bácskossuthfalva, and Pacsér, along with the study of demographic correlations using SPSS. Key results confirm that material heritage—especially gastronomy (e.g., mutton stew) and pastoral culture—shows stable continuity and high interpretability for tourism. In contrast, forms of intangible heritage—such as emigration narratives and ritual practices—have developed adaptively and require a more sophisticated threshold of interpretation. Bácska diaspora communities preserve more strongly narrativized identity structures, while in the mother country, traditions remain embedded in everyday practice. Digital tools play a key role in lowering the threshold of interpretation and ensuring virtual accessibility based on community participation.