The following research will give the recipients an understanding of how tourism can affect an island community. The case study is based on the Danish Island Bornholm. The study is based on the philosophical standpoint of social constructivism, as the researcher wants to reach an understanding of how the inhabitants experience the tourism industry in Bornholm. The DMO and stakeholders wish to extend the season, which also will make it more attractive to live on the island all year around.
In Bornholm, the municipality want to utilize tourism as a marketing tool to attract newcomers, so that the island can experience a growth in inhabitants. Within this strategy they also have some sub-visions which should increase the quality of life on Bornholm, where urban regeneration is one of the approaches, which also is in demand among the stakeholders. The urban regeneration is creating new opportunities within the community, and it gives the stakeholders and communities around the island a desire to develop even further and take ownership within the development.
Bornholm is a community in development, which is creating a new identity. Back in the 80’s, the labor market was embossed by the fishing industry, due to quotas a lot that industry is gone and so are the job positions. The employees have been retrained and found other livelihoods. Today the greatest workplace is the municipality with around 4.500 positions. Next is the tourism industry with almost 3.000 positions.
Bornholm is the sunshine island. It is the brand of Bornholm, and it is the story of Bornholm. But with tourism as such an important economy within the communities of Bornholm, the stakeholders have a great interest of extending the seasons. One of the main reasons for seasonality is the climate conditions. Destination Bornholm do have a strategy for attracting tourists within the off seasons, where they want to show the authenticity of the island. More stakeholders do believe that the island need a redefinition of the brand, because it has so much more to offer than just the sunshine island, which is a staged authenticity.
At Bornholm they are interested in experiencing development instead of settlement, which often is experienced within the outlying areas.