European Capital of Culture, Urban Tourism and Cross-Border Cooperation Between Romania and Serbia

Nowadays, with the recent events inside EU and accession of new member states, it increases the need for a deeper integration of the member states. This paper looks at the important role of cultural cross-border cooperation, in the context of winning the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) title by Timisoara and Novi Sad for 2021. The ECoC title offers a great opportunity for Timisoara and Novi Sad, two cities from neighbouring countries, Romania and Serbia, also close from geographical and historical point of view, to shape together a region of culture through cross-border cooperation. Moreover, the title is a catalyst for the development of urban tourism at a local level. This article makes a qualitative analysis of the opportunities and challenges for cross-border cooperation in the new context. Cultural cross-border cooperation changes borders from barriers to bridges of cooperation and creates stronger ties between communities.