The administrations on the Barents region have for years now worked on drawing up sector-specific development strategies for the region. BART works with creating the action plan for the tourism sector. BART is a two year project that prepares for ambitious activites in the future. The project includes a large group of administrational and educational institutions working with tourism on the whole programme region. Project will contribute on improving the development of tourism industry in the Barents region. Specific objective of the proposed action is creation and initiation of development mechanisms in long term public private partnership for the tourism industry on all stakeholder levels. In practice it means developing cooperation models between Barents region tourism stakeholders (educational organizations, regional authorities, businesses and business support organization) in order to achieve common goals. The project stakeholders will operate on three levels. First peer-review group will be formed which will ensure the overall basis for the implementation of the proposed action. Secondly, current tourism development work and common issues will be identified through mapping background of tourism development work in each region and surveying on tourism projects in the Barents. Also, assessing tourism knowledge pool in Barents region institutions and assessing of stakeholder needs and expectations for tourism development in the Barents Region in order to create a research and training Action plan for tourism development in public-private partnership cooperation. Action plan will be made and agreed on in order to secure sustainable development in the future. Results on findings will be disseminated in the seminars where ideas for new projects will be proposed and obtained information will be used in the second phase of the project. As a third step the research cooperation will be activated through setting up appropriate partnerships that represent the best expertise for the research topics at hand. An important part of the set-up will be the establishment of a public-private balance in research teams. Achievements: The project has developed cooperation models between Barents region tourism stakeholders, in order to achieve common goals. Authorities, educational institution, businesses and business supporting organizations have participated. One central result of the cooperation is e.g. an Action Plan for Barents region tourism research and development based on real needs of tourism stakeholders. The Action Plan focuses on five key areas: cooperation, education and knowledge, accessibility and transportation infrastucture, product development and place identity. By promoting cooperation through cross-border private and public partnerships, the Action Plan contribute to making the region more attractive to visitors and thus promoting economic growth and social wellbeing.