Transnational Strategy for the Sustainable Territorial Development of the Danube Area with special regard to Tourism
The project entitled Datourway presents an outstanding example of transnational cooperation committed to the development of tourism along and on the middle and south-eastern section of river Danube, while paying particular attention to the protection and enhancement of the natural and cultural resources linked to this part of the great European waterway. Tourism is interpreted in the project in a broad sense. It is regarded as a many-sided activity either at short or long term, oriented towards recreation, resort and leisure, cultural enrichment, enjoyment of natural beauty as well as physical exercise. Furthermore, the aim of the project is to enhance and propagate transnational cooperation in tourism linked to the variety tourist potentials of the river, of the riverbanks as well as the natural beauty of the riverside area and architectural assets of the lively towns, cities and villages by the Danube. The project aims to attain the following: to set up a GIS based information system by pooling and integrating the national, regional and, in part, local statistical data and surveys as well as the available studies and programs; to carry out national targeted analyses and to synthesize as well as evaluate their findings; to elaborate, discuss and by means of stakeholder involvement adopt an integrated strategy for the ecologically viable tourism of the south-eastern Danube corridor; to elaborate on a participatory basis pilot projects for strategic transnational areas like the exquisite landscape of Danube bend (HU-SK); a tri-state (HU-SER-CRO) area expecting economic recovery by means of tourism, a site of urban-rural tourism linkages (RO-BG), comparison of river deltas (RO-IT) and for a greenway all along this section of Danube; to set up a tourism inventory for spreading information to the international public on tourist possibilities along this part of the Danube as well as on services which the riverside municipalities can offer.