PARKS Project was presented

An integrated tourism product that promotes the natural wealth of the cross-border region Romania-Bulgaria, will be developed by Bulgarian and Romanian experts. The logic of the new project of the Association of Danube River Municipalities "Danube" is primarily economic, said Maria Tzankova, executive director of the Association, at a press conference on "protected natural heritage of the cross-border region in the focus of tourism supply." Ms. Tzankova stressed that in the region there are numerous natural sites with protected status, that are of interest to tourists and experts. Extremely important is the protection of the specific ecosystems and the impressive biodiversity.

The project will develop options for the tourist route, which shall be a result of carrying out a preliminary study in the Bulgarian and the Romanian part of the region. Each of the sites of natural heritage will be evaluated by specifically developed criteria in the terms of tourism. The unique landscape of the Danube and existing ecosystems, habitats protected plant and animal species, sites of protected natural heritage will be the basis of an integrated tourism product. In the preparation of the strategies for marketing and development of the tourist product shall be planned also the necessary investments for development and socialization of significant and less popular natural sites. There also will be measures that contribute to the economic growth, creation of new jobs and an improving the quality of life. Therefore, the active participation of representatives from the administrations of natural parks and reserves, businesses, environmentalists, NGOs, local authorities, etc. is very important, in order to achieve public consensus on the new tourism product. Through this product shall be achieved growth in the tourist visits to parks and reserves, sustainable increase in the tourist flow and revenue growth from tourism in the cross-border region.

The press conference was organized within the project "Development and promotion of joint natural-tourism product: Route" Protected Natural Heritage within the the cross border region Romania-Bulgaria ", which is implemented with the financial support of the program Interreg VA Romania-Bulgaria 2014-2020, co-financed by the European Union through the European regional development Fund (ERDF) and the state budgets of Romania and Bulgaria.

The total project value is 754 518.55 €. It has a duration of 24 months and should be completed in the beginning of 2018. Project partners are the Association of Danube River Municipalities "Danube" (Bulgaria) and the "Living Nature" Foundation (Calarasi, Romania). The creation of cross-border tourism products and developing common strategies for sustainable development and promotion of domestic and international markets will contribute to socio-economic development in the region.