1.3 People-To-People Networking

The overall project objective is boosting the tourism potential of the cross-border region through sustainable use of natural, cultural and historical resources by involving local communities and tourist providers.

Project specific objectives are: strengthening the awareness of sustainable and responsible tourism development in the border region; fostering recognition of the destination by joint collaborating actions exploring the natural, cultural and historical resources; enhancing the cultural interaction and networking among local communities; creating an interactive environment for collaboration and capacity building activities in the tourism and supporting industries.

Project activities:

1. Business Model Generator (BMG) for sustainable use of the potential of natural and cultural heritage resources in the border region by involvement of local stakeholders;
2. Quest Tours - innovative promotion of cross-border natural and cultural heritage;
3. Elaboration of an online platform “www.QuesTour.eu” and а mobile application;
4. Online trainings for sustainable tourism management;
5. Workshop “Best practices in sustainable tourism development and the “QuesTour” approach”;
6. “QuesTour” design competition for young people;
7. “QuesTour” Festival.

Project results and outputs:

1. Mapping the unexplored resources and intangible heritage in the border region;
2. Datasheets “Heritage”;
3. Analysis on the willingness of local communities, enterprises/business and authorities to contribute to the promotion of identified resources;
4. Datasheets “Stakeholders”;
5. BMG for sustainable use of the potential of natural and cultural heritage resources in the border region;
6. Elaborated QuesTour platform and Android application;
7. Elaborated 3 scenarios for Quest Tours;
8. Digitalised content, incl. 3 thematic video-films;
9. Organised 3 thematic Quest Tours;
10. Organised online training courses in sustainable tourism management;
11. Organised workshop ‘Best practices in sustainable tourism development and the “QuesTour” approach;
12. Organised “QuesTour” design competition for young people;
13. Organised “QuesTour” Festival.

Main target groups that will benefit from the project results and outputs are: Residents of the cross-border region covering the area of 6 districts from Bulgaria, 7 districts from Serbia; Tourist organisations/enterprises/associations in the region; Youth organisations.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuestourProject

Web: https://questour-project.eu/bg/

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=questour.com

Publications: https://www.actualno.com/scene/transgranichen-festival-vyv-vraca-shte-pokaje-kulturata-obichaite-i-tradiciite-ot-dvete-strani-na-bylgaro-srybskata-granica-news_1613238.html

The general aim of the project consists In establishment of Network “Young Artists for sustainable development” through investments in art, studies, strategic measures and organization of networking events.

Project activities: Supply of equipment for improvement of tourism attractiveness in Mediana; Supply of equipment for improvement of tourism attractiveness in Montana; Research on the presence of art and culture in the young people’s lives; Philosophy of Art - courses on types of artistic expression (local and european during the centuries); Live Poetry - a platform for interaction between different artists; Back to the roots: dance event; Network “Young Artists for sustainable development”; Organizing a joint seminar „Europe as we (don’t ) know it“ for the purposes of better knowledge of the youth about their own history and the perspective for future developments; development of a web-platform.

Expected results: Supplied equipment required for active encouragement and support of the cultural life in Mediana and Montana as well as its diversification in order the needs of the citizens and tourists to be met adequtely; conducted Research on the presence of art and culture in the young people’s lives; Provided alternative source of information towards the matters of culture, able to provoke the interest of the youth in a creative and innovative way; strenghtened knowledge of the youth towards the cultural problematic; United arts/artists for the purposes of a sustainable growth; Built perspective for future collaboration on different projects regarding sustainable cultural and natural development of the CBC region among local youth; enhanced cultural awareness of the participants and extended knowledge on the various forms of art practiced in the region. ; establishment of mutual understanding and dialogue of respect between the participants from both sides of the border.

FB page: https://www.facebook.com/together091/

Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/together091/

Website: http://together-bgrs.eu/

Publication: https://novinitem.com/montana-i-nish-s-obsht-proekt-v-sferata-na-kulturata