Logo RegioTriRhena 2021 4c

Cross-border cooperation in tourism as an opportunity for the economy and the population of the Upper Rhine and the RegioTriRhena

With around 30 million overnight stays and 200,000 beds, the tri-national tourism region is on a par with Tuscany and South Tyrol.

The European Single Market and the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU promote integration in the German-French-Swiss border region. The shared aim of this cooperation is to further improve the Upper Rhine region’s international competitiveness in the tourism sector and to raise its profile as a tourist destination.

In addition to enhancing the region’s appeal to visitors from abroad, the focus is particularly on cross-border domestic tourism, with the aim of strengthening not only economic objectives but also the cultural integration of the people in our region.

To achieve this, a wide range of measures and activities have been implemented in the past. Examples include: the joint ‘Upper Rhine Valley’ destination marketing initiative, the ‘Castles on the Upper Rhine’ and ‘Mythical Places’ projects, the cross-border Michelin Guide, the State Garden Shows in Kehl, Weil am Rhein and Neuenburg am Rhein, the Poets’ Trail, cycle route maps, the Route Verde, the Museum Pass, and a degree course in tourism. For over 35 years, the EU’s Interreg programme has been an important tool for promoting these projects, aiming to strengthen regional cohesion in the economy and facilitates tourism.

  • RegioTriRhena sees great potential for strengthening and further developing cross-border cooperation in the field of tourism. With this in mind, it encourages politicians and tourism stakeholders in the border region and proposes the following areas of action and measures:
  • The creation of shared experiential spaces, as the local population and visitors are not guided by national borders but by interconnected cultural and natural areas.
  • The development of new partnerships between tourism providers to boost the region’s appeal and increase the number of secure jobs.
  • The shared use of resources, marketing and infrastructure to improve efficiency.
  • The promotion of new integrated tourism offerings and the further development of existing ones to strengthen resilience, social and environmental sustainability, and the integrated approach to tourism.
  • Improved visibility of tourism offerings, including and particularly for the local population, in line with the motto: why wander far afield when good things are so close at hand?
  • A continuation of cross-border exchanges within the framework of the Upper Rhine Conference’s Expert Committee on Tourism. In particular, in the areas of digitalisation, further education and training, the shortage of skilled workers, and overtourism linked to specific times and locations, such as Christmas markets.
  • The cross-border development of walking and cycling routes, as well as themed routes such as castles, gardens, parks, SlowUp, wine, history, clocks, etc. The Rhine as a unifying element, and the revival of the traditional ‘Hirsebrei’ boat trip.
  • The promotion of cross-border public transport, e.g. through the mutual recognition of tickets, and the expansion of new routes and increased service frequency, in order to improve sustainable accessibility, including for tourism.
  • The promotion of language comprehension and raising awareness of trinational identity, including through multilingual signage and multilingual menus.
  • Events are becoming an increasingly important part of community life: trade fairs, exhibitions, festivals, markets, concerts, museums and open-air events. Co-ordination, technical cooperation and marketing can all be areas of focus within the tri-national region.
  • The establishment of an annual tri-national tourism conference within ArtRhena could help to consolidate the process of further developing tourism, monitor progress and establish project- and theme-oriented working structures.

RegioTriRhena, as a cross-border business network, suggests that these diverse topics should be seen not only as a stimulus for the further development of international tourism, but also as a means of contributing to the strengthening of cultural and social integration in our tri-national region on the Upper Rhine through the increased regional utilisation of such a wide range of opportunities.