Enhancing the Adventure Generating Local Environment Pitomača-Pecs

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The diverse natural and cultural heritage of the Hungary-Croatia cross-border area, and in particularly natural and cultural assets of the Bilogora and Mecsek highlands, as well as the Drava river basin, are not utilized in a practice that would generate economic growth to the full capacity for tourist stakeholders in the Municipality of Pitomača and the Town of Pecs; both located in Zone B of the Interreg area. The existing tourist infrastructure in Pitomača and Pecs does not fully meet the needs and demands of the contemporary tourist market. The destination visibility of both sites is not efficiently developed and the common cross-border cooperation of tourist stakeholders in Pitomača and Pecs, despite 900-years of mutual history, practically non-existent. Economic growth in Virovitica-Podravina in Croatia, and Baranya County in Hungary is still, despite recent progress, sluggish compared to other regions in Croatia and Hungary, GDP per capita of both counties is lower than their respective national average. The potential to generate economic growth through tourist activities is therefore a viable means to boost the economy in areas around the Bilogora and the Mecsek Hills, areas bursting with natural and cultural assets. In line with the Investment Priority 6c – Conserving, protecting, promoting and developing natural and cultural heritage, Specific Objective 2.1. Convert the region’s natural and cultural heritage assets to tourism attractions with income generating capabilities the project “Enhancing the Adventure Generating Local Environment Pecs-Pitomača” (EAGLE) aims to boost the touristic attractiveness of the Bilogora and Mecsek area by developing existing natural and cultural assets in an approach that appraises the heritage of the region and connects the two highland areas. Project objectives are to 1) develop two mutually connected visitor centers with an empowered fully-functioning Hungarian-Croatian stakeholder network, and 2) sustainably advance and promote the visitor center-connected natural and cultural attractions. By boosting the touristic attractiveness of the two municipalities located in Zone B of the Interreg areas the goal of the project is to generate economic growth through tourist stakeholders.

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