Virtual re-connection of industrial nodes along the Drava between Hungary and Croatia

Closed

Smaller agglomerations along the Drava river generally lack behind on country level economic or touristic activity. Since the banks of the Drava river are ones of the best preserved river sites in Central Europe, the region holds great potential in terms of enhancement of tourism. Since both, Barcs and Belišće carry great industrial heritage, the combination of the historical legacy and the aptitudes of the natural environment creates competitive advantage in touristic fields. The current VICINaD project is intended to improve the touristic value of the region by creating innovative tourism attractions by restoration of former industrial sites, while virtually connecting the two participant towns and developing social awareness of the local industrial heritage. The project in itself generates a link between the two towns located at the border, additionally to the renovated tourism attractions that will serve as informational stations for tourists who will be encouraged to visit the sites on the other side of the border. This way both, visitor turnover and cross-border movements are enhanced. The new tourism facilities will be reinforced by a multidimensional tourist engagement framework, that includes the engagement of different age groups as well as tourist of different interests, cycling, horse riding, nature and culture. Also, the facilities will be equipped with modern, creative, interactive exhibition elements, offering intriguing and special services to tourists and also present the cultural and natural values of the towns in an exciting way to get familiar with. On the Hungarian side, an old salt warehouse will be transformed to fulfil the role of local tourist mobilization, whereas on the Croatian side, an old industrial train carriage will serve as the site of the centre. The establishments are in poor condition and need major renovation. After the refurbishment and relocation (in case of train carriage) of the establishments, interactive educational installation will be developed in each of them that along with its educative nature, it will be connecting the towns online. In addition, Port Authority Osijek is about to elaborate draft planning documents for development of ports and passenger terminals on the Drava river – further enhancing reconnection of the former industrial nodes between Hungary and Croatia. The goal of the project is to further promote tourism attractions of the region based on industrial heritage and combination of these attractions with the already existing tourism infrastructure such as bicycle routes, thematic routes already developed, education paths of preserved nature, will have a further enhancing effect on the local tourism. The planned activities of VICINaD project include: 1. Project administration and management 2. Information and publicity 3. Restoration of the former salt warehouse to a Tourism Mobility Centre alongside Drava in Barcs 4. Restoration of a former railway carriage as exhibition object in the centre of Belišće 5. Development of interactive exhibition content on the history of industry and transportation on the Drava river 6. Preparations for development of ports and passenger terminals on river Drava The project is executed in the collaboration of three project partners, namely, the Town of Barcs, the Town of Belišće, responsible for conducting project administration and management, publicity and the local construction and development works, along with the Port Authority Osijek, who conducts preparations of ports and passenger terminals on the Drava river. The overall management of the project is the responsibility of the Lead Beneficiary, the Town of Barcs, however in order to assure the quality of supervision an external specialist project management team will be accredited for this task.

Medium