Initiative for improving the capacity and accessibility of tourism destinations in the cross border area

The project will contribute to the valorization of the cultural and natural heritage of municipalities of Thassos and  Garmen through improvement of access to touristic sites and promotion of touristic attractions and facilities, including among PWD. It will have overall impact for increase of the touristic flows in the two municipalities and broadening the target touristic groups. Project partners both have high tourism potential and thousands of tourists visit them on an early basis, significant part of them being people with disabilities (PWD). In the same time, both partners are faced in front of the same problem – lack of adequate conditions and equipment necessary for the PWD to visit and enjoy the touristic attractions in their premises. The current project aims at improving the tourism product as a whole as a well as adaping it for PWD and thus promoting tourism in the CB area. 

The project proposal aims at promoting implementation of measure for solidary tourism in the CB area. The project partners, having similar profile and being both recognised and strongly desired touristic destinations, decided to combine their efforts, experience and know-how in the field of tourism, incl. based on implemented projects and initiatives, and to promote the tourism for people with disabilities with the current project proposal. The project has a strong cross-border impact through implementation of joint events of people with disabilities from both countries as each partner is expected to contribute to the events and the rest of the project activities with its specific know-how in the field. An innovative approach will be applied in promotion of touristic attraction ( 3d laser scanning and digitalization of touristic objects), as well as provision of specific equipment and tools for people with disabilities. 

The aim of the project will be implemented though the following main activities: Research and studies for promoting tourism, particularly tourism for PWD in the CB area; Infrastructure interventions for making touristic attractions accessible for PWD; Staff trainings, implementation of info days, promotional campaigns and other events for increase of the awareness among the target groups and interested parties in the specifics of the solidary tourism policy. The main target groups of the current project are people with disabilities who live in and visit both municipalities, tourists and visitors to the touristic attractions in both municipalities and Interested stakeholders in the field of tourism and people with disabilities, journalists and members of associations for PWD from the CB area who will benefit from implementation of the investment and soft activities included in the project.