Project title: Valorisation of geo-heritage for sustainable and innovative tourism development of Danube Geoparks
Acronym: Danube GeoTour
Project code: DTP1-1-226-2.2
Project period: 30 months, 01 January 2017 – 12. December 2019.
Partners (altogether 14):
Lead Partner (1): Idrija Heritage Centre, Idrija (Slovenia)
Project Partners (10): Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate: Bakony–Balaton UNESCO Global Geopark (Hungary), Bakony & Balaton Regional Tourism Nonprofit Ltd. (Hungary), Styrian Eisenwurzen UNESCO Global Geopark (Austria), ARGE UNESCO Global Geopark Karawanken-Karavanke (Austria–Slovenia), Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation (Slovenia), Public Institution "Nature Park Papuk": Papuk UNESCO Global Geopark (Croatia), Bohemian Paradise UNESCO Global Geopark non-profit organization (Czech Republic), University of Bucharest (Romania), University of Presov (Slovakia), Public Enterprise National Park Djerdap (Serbia).
Associated Strategic Partners (3): Humanpolis Ltd.: Rokua UNESCO Global Geopark, (Finland), Naturtejo UNESCO Global Geopark (Portugal), European and Global Geoparks Network (France)
Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate budget: 257.008,5 EUR
Financing: 100%: 85% ERDF support, 15% Hungarian State support
Project Summary:
With January 2017 the project partners in the Danube GeoTour started to implement the project activities. In the project, co-financed by the Interreg Danube Transnational Programme, partners will face a challenge, recognised by all partners: the sustainable use of the exceptional wealth of natural resources and heritage in the geoparks, through sustainable tourism develoment that avoids the negative environmental impacts. The main project result will be joint Danube GeoTour designed to strengthen cooperation between the regions' Geoparks and act as an innovative tourism product to accelerate visibility and tourist visits in the geoparks. Common strategy for sustainable management of geotourism pressures will form the basis for creating innovative geoproducts. Sharing experiences, testing pilot geotourism products and new interpretative approaches should increase local inhabitants' engagement, Geopark management capacities and lower the quality gap between Danube and other EU Geoparks.
As part of the project, the Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate as the founder and management body of the Bakony–Balaton UNESCO Global Geopark will renew two nature trails and will develop a new volcanological trail in the geopark. Another important development will be the renewing of the indoor exhibition of the Hegyestű Geological Visitor Site near Monoszló as a pilot project for interpreting volcanism.
Project Coordinator:
Bálint Pataky
Tel.: +36 87/555-281
e-mail: patakyba at bfnp dot hu
Webpage of the Bakony–Balaton UNESCO Global Geopark:
http://www.geopark.hu/en/what-s-on/danube-geotour-project
Facebook page of the project:
https://www.facebook.com/danubegeotour/
Project co-funded by European Union funds (ERDF, IPA)
www.interreg-danube.eu/danube-geotour
