Supra-national Spatial Planning of the Baltic Sea Region and Competing Narratives for Tourism

The paper discusses supra-national spatial planning between 11 countries in the Baltic Sea Region. The focus is on competing narratives for tourism development. Western models of planning introduced to the newly independent post-Soviet States is the underlying theme. The argument is that Western planning thought has become legitimized and is presented to the East as a culturally and socially superior model, based on the presumption that because the newly independent States are moving towards market economies, Western planning models are appropriate. The paper evaluates a specific Western initiated supra-national spatial planning programme for the Baltic Sea Region and evaluates its tourism component. Post-modern concepts such as globalization, deconstruction, and narratives are incorporated in the discussion. The conclusion presents planning lessons and recommendations.