INTERREG 2014 - 2020

Name of project

 Development and promotion of a common natural heritage tourism product: Route “Protected natural heritage within the cross-border region Romania-Bulgaria”

Programme

Programme Interreg V-A Romania-Bulgaria 2014-2020.

Lead partner

Association of Danube River Municipalities “Danube” (ADRM)

Partners

“LIVING NATURE” Foundation, (LNF)

City Calarasi, Romania

Project duration

24 months

Budget

€ 754,518.55

ERDF

€ 641,340.77

National

co financing

Bulgaria – € 59,925.77

Romania – € 38,161.64

Own contributions

€ 15,090.37

Project description

The project aims at increasing the sustainable use of the common natural heritage in the cross- border region through development and promotion of joint tourist product in the field of natural heritage: Route "Protected Natural Heritage within the cross- border region Romania-Bulgaria".

The main activities under the project are:

- Development of a preliminary study on the sites of natural heritage in the cross- border region;

- Elaboration and adoption of a common strategy on development, enhancement and innovation of a joint tourism product and of a strategy marketing;

- Design and production of promotional materials for the integrated product - route;

- Consultations with stakeholders and the expert community:

• roundtables: 4 in Romania and 4 in Bulgaria

• a two-day conference, in Bulgaria and Romania.

The project will ensure sustainable cross-border cooperation and exchange of good practice between stakeholders, including directors of parks and protected areas, conservationists, universities, research centers, schools, media, travel agencies and operators, local authorities, and so on.

The objectives that the project sets will lead to the development of nature tourism with expected result – a joint tourism product of natural heritage that will be the best way to fully exploit the natural assets of the region.

With elaboration and adoption of tourism product development and marketing strategies, the project will contribute to increase in tourist visits to parks and reserves and to growth in tourism related revenue of the cross- border region. It will further stimulate the development of tourism supporting sectors, e.g., hospitality industry, local crafts and other businesses in the border region. As a result, the initial investments will generate added value and this clearly demonstrates the sustainability of the project results. This will inevitably contribute to overall economic development of the region and its socio-economic convergence with other regions in Europe.