Bridging Tourism and Energy Industry Development in Coastal-Marine Peripheries: The Case of Bornholm, Denmark

This research note explores the bridging of local tourism content and implementation of large green energy infrastructures in coastal-marine peripheries. The topic is an important one, not least given the speed at which both industries evolve and change, which also means that new challenges and opportunities arise that require urgent attention. Continuous knowledge creation that can be shared between the industries and among the affected peripheral communities that frame the bridging of the two industries is therefore needed. This is particularly the case for Bornholm, a Danish island in the Baltic Sea with a strong tourism tradition and profile but challenged by a new development of turning the island into one of the first community-based “energy islands” in the world. Based on a short literature overview and supported with opinions from local tourism and energy representatives, the research note bases itself around this knowledge need and uses the situation on Bornholm to confirm existing knowledge on the topic, but also uses the occasion to introduce new knowledge aspects that have not yet received attention in the literature. The research note ends by reflecting on and proposing further knowledge needs, including attention areas for future research.