GREEN AND MYSTICAL DANUBE STORYTELLING ROUTE

Mystical Danube will address several challenges and needs in the Danube Region related to the valorisation of natural and intangible cultural heritage as tourism asset and their contribution to regional economic development and social inclusion: 

• High unemployment rate and social exclusion is recognisable in the rural and less visited areas of the Danube region, especially among different disadvantaged groups (youth, elderly, minorities, women and people with disabilities); 
• Disparity in unemployment is also seen between western and eastern European countries and between EU countries and non-EU countries of the Danube region; 
• Tourism as an important economic branch that hosts many employments is not evenly distributed within each country yet alone, region; 
• Project region is rich in natural and intangible cultural heritage, this richness is especially seen in the rural and less visited areas through local stories, legends and knowledge originating from these rich and amazing natural sites and they are at major risk of being left out and/or forgotten.

The main project objective is to develop a coordinated joint transnational approach in the valorisation of natural and intangible cultural heritage as a tourism asset in rural and less visited areas in the DRP area. Transnational approach will be reached through joint cooperation between different stakeholders on local, regional and national levels, from all participating countries and in experience and knowledge exchange. The local community will be included, and especially the disadvantaged groups in creation of community-based tourism services that will be part of a new thematic route (the Green and Mystical Danube Storytelling Route) created within the project, as a social innovation. This innovative approach combines natural and intangible cultural heritage as a new tourism asset within the transnational context that will enhance local community employment and community development. 

Furthermore, there will be a contribution to community development in rural and less visited areas on each participating country level through transnational valorisation of natural heritage and intangible cultural heritage that is deeply connected and intertwined with the local community.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• Strategy for valorisation of natural and intangible cultural heritage in rural, less visited areas
• Capacity building of local community stakeholders in the Danube region for the new thematic route
• Promotion of the Green and Mystical Danube Storytelling Route as a new thematic route in the DR.

The main project outputs will be:

• Joint pilot action developed and implemented in the Mystical Danube project
• Organisations that have cooperated in the INTERREG DANUBE project Mystical Danube
• Strategy for the valorisation of natural and intangible cultural heritage in rural and less visited areas of the Danube region
• Pilot site Action plan for the development of sustainable community tourism services and products
• Jointly developed solution for transnational tourism development.

The project partnership consists of 10 different organizations from 9 countries in the Danube region. The choice of project partners was made according to specific needs of their area, and assigning activities to them was made in accordance with their competencies and expertise:

• Zadar County Rural Development Agency, Croatia (LP)
• BSC, Business support Centre L.t.d., Kranj, Slovenia (PP2)
• Public Institution for the Development of the Međimurje County REDEA, Croatia (PP3)
• Business association for sport, recreation, rehabilitation and business Eco zone Ada Huja, Serbia, (PP4)
• City Development Agency Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (PP5)
• BROZ – Regional association for nature conservation, Slovakia (PP6)
• Agency for management of protected areas of Podgorica, Montenegro (PP7)
• CEEweb for Biodiversity, Hungary (PP8)
• Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Romania (PP9)
• Regional Development Agency with Business Support Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Bulgaria (PP10).