Danube GeoTour Plus

Danube GeoTour Plus builds on established collaboration of 9 geopark partners of diverse
institutional background, 2 research and education partners and 18 associated strategic partners. Results of the previous project (Danube GeoTour) indicate new trends that embrace the geoparks’ future and still untapped heritage potential.

Lead partner       : Natur- & Geopark Steirische Eisenwurzen

Project partners :

• EGTC Geopark Karawanken – Karavanke
• Idrija Tourism Board
• University of Bucharest
• Vodní zdroje Chrudim Ltd.
• Public Institution “Nature Park Papuk”
• Geopark Swabian Alb
• Public Enterprise National Park Djerdap
• Bükk National Park Directorate
• Technical University of Kosice
• College for Tourism and Management Konjic

Depopulation of rural areas, marginalisation of certain resident groups, signs of increased tourism demand on hidden heritage gems, and on the other side, competence, management, product and visitor infrastructure gaps raise the key challenges in front of the Danube geoparks. Their rural territories encompass 416 municipalities in 9 countries over a surface of 14,601 km2. During the last decade, geoparks have lost 6% of the population and increased visits by 77%.

The project thus aims to capitalise and further exploit the recently developed common Danube GeoTour tourism product, its vast heritage potential to enhance the sustainable tourism opportunities of remote rural communities and to become more inclusive and appreciated by residents and visitors using inclusive and innovative solutions.

• ENGAGEMENT of vulnerable groups into geopark structures, products and services further to a
  common engagement strategy and 9 action plans, motivated by new opportunities offered by
  geoparks and cross-border peer exchanges.
  
  
• VALUE GENERATION for local SMEs and raising employment opportunities for vulnerable
  groups by piloting 9 GeoExperiences as a new participative product development model and
  functional part of a top-end segment of the Danube GeoTour product and its future cooperation
  platform.
  
  
• VISITOR MANAGEMENT based on developed and verified common visitor monitoring solutions for routes, hot spots and larger territories, joint analytical tools and initial visitor redistribution measures.

Danube GeoTour Plus is thus not just another transnational tourism product but it is a path into a collaborative platform that will, after the project closure, assure future sustainability of the Danube GeoTour product and enable permanent networking of the Danube geoparks for common, more sustainable and inclusive territorial goals.
More details: Danube GeoTour Plus | About us (interreg-danube.eu)

Total budget:  2.288.015 EUR
Time period:   1.1.2024 – 30.6.2026

This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.