Facilitating access to watertourism activities (Riverways II)

Project Partners

1. Kurzeme Planning Region (Latvia) (lead partner)
2. Riga Planning Region (Latvia)
3. Vidzeme Planning Region (Latvia)
4. University of Tartu (Estonia)
5. Tartu County Tourism Foundation (Estonia)
6. South Kurzeme Municipality (Latvia)
7. Liepāja City Municipality Central Administration (Latvia)
8. Kuldīga Municipality (Latvia)
9. Jūrmala State City Municipality (Latvia)
10. Ķekava Municipality (Latvia)
11. Ādaži County Municipality (Latvia)
12. Valmiera Municipality Government (Latvia)
13. Madona region municipality (Latvia)
14. Valka municipality (Latvia)
15. Limbaži Municipality (Latvia)
16. Green Riverland Partnership NGO (Estonia)
17. Otepää Rural Municipality Government (Estonia)
18. Luunja Municipality (Estonia)
19. Antsla Municipality (Estonia)
20. Setomaa Municipality Government (Estonia)
21. Võru local governement (Estonia)

Project objectives

1. Facilitate water tourism by focusing on innovative solutions to access and use recreational waters, routes, and products.
2. Spread further the water tourism network providing more access to more target groups.
3. Build up the knowledge and competence of nature and water tourism businesses and municipalities.
4. Raise awareness, influence attitudes, and change behavior towards inclusive and accessible water tourism (sites, products, and services).

Activities

1. To jointly implement pilot activities to test and find solutions for waterfront accessibility: improvements to preserve the natural and cultural diversity of waterfront areas and ensure easy-to-access and safe service and information.
2. Infrastructure improvements in 16 municipalities.
3. Survey and inspection of recreational waters' accessibility.
4. Expanding and revising websites.
5. Building up the knowledge and competence of nature and water tourism businesses, municipalities, project partners, and other stakeholders to co-create innovative solutions for the development of water tourism hubs, involving water-based active tourism products/services (e.g. fishing, ice fishing, etc.).
6. Training of water tourism operators.
7. Marketing activities to raise awareness, influence attitudes, and change behavior towards inclusive and accessible water tourism (sites, products, and services).
8. Work on a Travel Guide on accessible water tourism.

Results

1. Solution on waterfront access. Pilot on access options for waterfront areas and activities – designing & installing information tools (stands, signs, etc.), resting places, slips, piers, swimming aids for the disabled, etc., small accessibility constructions (ramps, railings, etc.), safety equipment, monitoring systems, visitor counters, changing cabins, barriers, etc.
2. A Guide on innovative solutions for waterfront access - accumulation of infrastructure solutions for outdoor water-based activities.
3. Solution on accessible tourism products for outdoor water-based activities.
4. Raised awareness on social inclusion issues and social responsibility of local authorities, businesses, and other stakeholders involved in water tourism activities, provision of more opportunities and access to water tourism activities for all, incl. people with disabilities, families with small children, seniors, as well as increase the overall number of visitors to the program area, thus facilitating tourism, local economies, and entrepreneurship.
5. A travel guide with detailed site and route info and drawings covering all accessible sites and routes in Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Riga region, Tartu County, Voru County, South-Estonia, and West-Estonia.

Budget

Total budget: 1 500 000,00 EUR

VPR budget: 25 249,00 EUR

Implementation period

1st of September, 2024 - 31st of August, 2027

Contacts

Zelma Mičule
Mob. tel.: +371 28327962
e-mail: zelma.micule@vidzeme.lv