Ister-Granum EGTC

The Ister-Granum EGTC hosted an international staff exchange programme between 23 and 27 March as part of the Interreg Europe SLOWDOWN project. The programme was attended by four experts from the Riga Planning Region in Latvia, as well as a representative of the Latvian Ministry of Economics.

During the multi-day programme, participants gained a comprehensive overview of the region’s slow tourism–based development initiatives. Professional visits showcased the innovative educational model of the Ecotourism Visitor Centre in Lábatlan, the sustainable organization of pilgrimage and active tourism in the Gerecse area, and provided insight into the visitor management challenges of the Danube Bend through the experience of the Visegrád tourism destination management (TDM) organization. Participants also took part in fieldwork in the Rám Gorge, where, with the help of a guide from Pilisi Parkerdő Ltd., they learned about sustainable trail management for hiking tourism.

The programme placed special emphasis on tourism governance. Using the example of the Visegrád area, it demonstrated how to manage tourism pressure resulting from proximity to the capital and how to increase visitors’ length of stay.

The delegation was accompanied throughout the visit by Péter Nagy (Ister-Granum EGTC) and Erika Farkas (Komárom-Esztergom County – Associated Policy Authority), while local stakeholders also actively contributed to the professional programme at several locations.

The programme contributed to the international exchange of best practices and strengthened cross-border cooperation in the development of sustainable and slow tourism.

The source of the news can be found at this link.