EFFECTS OF SUPPORTING TOURISM IN PODLASKIE VOIVODSHIP UNDER THE CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROGRAMME POLAND – BELARUS – UKRAINE 2007-2013

Abstract

The purpose of the paper was to examine, on the example of Podlaskie Voivodship, if the disbursement of funds for the development of tourism in the framework of the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Poland – Belarus – Ukraine 2007-2013 was justifi ed and whether the funds were expended in an effi cient manner and on an adequate scale. The analysis was based on the secondary data of the Ministry of Regional Development, literature covering the research area and offi cial statistical data. The results of research and analysis on tourist traffi c in Podlaskie Voivodship indicated that despite the establishment of ambitious goal of improving and fully utilising the tourist potential of the Polish-Belarusian-Ukrainian borderland, it is impossible to clearly determine the degree of effectiveness of the programme in this respect due to a number of potentially signifi cant determinants of
tourism development in the region. The paper comprises the fi rst in the existing body of literature detailed analysis of the effectiveness of tourism support under the programme, which may be a valuable diagnostic tool in defi ning the scope of other EU cross-border programmes in the future fi nancial perspectives as far as tourism is concerned.