The European Union’s Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 supports the regional development through transnational cooperation. Countries around the Baltic Sea work together to find joint solutions to common concerns.
AGORA 2.0 – Heritage Tourism for Increased BSR Identity
There are 23 partners from 9 countries of the Baltic Sea Region involved in the project AGORA 2.0, which follows the implementation of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013. AGORA 2.0 aims at improving the common identity of the Baltic Sea Region based on its rich natural and cultural heritage.
The project contributes to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region by developing strategies for sustainable tourism. It aims at improving the accessibility to the natural and cultural heritage for tourism and at exposing and emphasizing a common identity for the region as a whole.
Heritage assets are not only interesting tourism attractions, but also relevant preconditions to enhance the business environment. The project focuses on finding the appropriate solutions on how to use the natural and cultural treasures in a sustainable way. Therefore, a strategic cooperation between the heritage, tourism and business sector is about to be set up. Heritage with pan-Baltic potential shall be identified to strengthen tourism capacities and to make the BSR more visible.
Five transnational Pilot Groups are about to develop new solutions and innovative tourism products, based on previous analyses and studies on visitors´ perception. Each group deals with common subjects, which are typical of at least 3 BSR countries: Red-Brick Gothic, Forests, Stones/Rocks, Castles and Shifting Sand Dunes.
So far, AGORA 2.0 has compiled existing data and market research results and identified source markets and respective tourism demands. A web-based Baltic Sea Heritage Tourism Information Service (BASTIS) provides that information – free accessible to tourism SMEs. Partners collect and assess identity forming heritage potentials and support the project in developing a common identity profile.
AGORA 2.0´s core means of research is online now – a questionnaire survey that provides a collection of cultural and natural assets, which are to be evaluated with regard to their identity-forming potential.
