Boundaries and boundary crossing in tourism: A study of policy work for tourism and urban regeneration

The paper argues for a research focus on understanding varied boundary relations in society, including social, political, geographical and discursive relations. Analytical themes are established for the study of tourism’s boundary relations: the salience and permeability of boundaries, discursive boundaries, power relations associated with boundaries, and learning within and across boundaries. Particular attention is 14 given to concepts of learning: identification, reflection, coordination and transformation. These themes and concepts are employed to explore boundary relations of the tourism and other urban regeneration policy sectors in two city districts. Cross-boundary learning across the tourism and urban regeneration policy sectors occurred through the identification of, and reflection about, tourism's role in urban regeneration and led to coordination and possibly some transformation. Yet this was within significant limitations and barriers. There was perhaps scope for more regular and comprehensive boundary crossing between the tourism and urban regeneration policy sectors.