ENCOURAGING TOURISM AND CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE

The second priority will promote joint cross-border initiatives and actions aiming at tourism, cultural and natural heritage promotion, as a way to promote economic development of the area. This priority is highly important to be targeted by the program due to the fact that although tourism has made an important contribution to the growth of the area, the vast size of the regional tourism market indicates a largely unexploited potential. Unlocking this potential will provide a substantial stimulus to economic growth of both sides of the border. In addition, the programme area offers a variety of local features that are suitable for tourism activities, such as: beautiful nature and spectacular landscapes, traditional folklore, and some world-famous cultural and historic sites. This priority of the programme will contribute to improving growth and living standards by providing opportunities for wider partnerships and exchanges of common interest across the border to develop tourism and valorise cultural heritage of the area. Actions to be implemented are expected to affect improvement of quality of services and products. Approximately 1/3 of the overall IPA allocations of the Programme, i.e. EUR 2 520 000, will be devoted to actions under this thematic priority.