The Interreg Aurora small-scale project Borderless, responsible hiking tourism was completed in July 2024. The aim of the small-scale project was to investigate the need and possibilities for increasing the scope of crossborder hiking tourism.
The long-term goal of the partnership is to develop the possibilities for up-to-date information from different actors, when hiking in the mountain range, which would increase knowledge in the general public, increased mountain safety, less risk of disturbance and a more sustainable travelling.
From the hiking and tourism industry, the need for more cross-border information was clear. The final report of the small-scale project highlight the following areas with need for improvement:
* Map (possibility to seamlessly navigate crossborder trails)
* Accommodation options
* Trail markings
* Weather reports
* Mobile coverage
* Fishing and hunting rules
* Provisioning possibilities
* Cultural monuments
* Safety information, such as information on emergency numbers
* Reindeer herding
Representants from the reindeer herding community also had the opportunity to take part and have their say on information shared with hiking tourists about reindeer herding, and what the need of the reindeer herders are in connection to hiking tourism.
The project also investigated digital solutions for bridging information cross-border about hiking trails, which they presented in the report “Technically Boundless GIS” (in Norwegian).
The partnership in the small-scale project are looking forward to further cross-border cooperation and are planning a regular scale Interreg project together.
Borderless, responsible hiking tourism was run by a partnership consisting of Länsstyrelsen i Norrbottens län, Salten Regionråd, Svenska Turistföreningen, Polarsirkelen turlag and Statskog SF.
Read more about the small-scale project Borderless, responsible hiking tourism.
