Film Tourism collaborations: a critical analysis of INTERREG destination development projects

This chapter discusses the different stakeholders that take part in film tourism development projects, how do they collaborate, and what is actually possible to achieve? It is a critical analysis especially when it comes to the selection of stakeholders, the project process and potential outcomes in EU-funded INTERREG projects. The analysis contributes to enhance the knowledge about the different stakeholders involved. It is evident that a new stakeholder has emerged in film tourism development projects; film commissions. Moreover, the analysis shows that it is important that a diverse range of partners collaborate. However, organizations sometimes weak knowledge of the phenomenon in play as well as of each other’s work creates problems especially in the beginning. The idea of measurability is another complicating factor since there are conflicting understandings of what is possible to measure within collaborating organizations. There is also a search for best cases that can be used as role models that totally neglects local characteristics, which raises questions of transferability. What can be concluded is that projects such as these can make a difference to single destinations with for example new policies being developed, local and international networks created and possibilities for new tourism development.