Exciting Cycling Net in the Baltic Country of Lakes Priority South Application round 2 Lead partner Latvian office of Euroregion 'Country of lakes' LATVIA,  Kraslava,  Brivibas 13 Contact person Tel.: +3715622201 Fax: +3715622266 Email: ilze@kraslava.lv Brief summary of the project BACKGROUND As tasks of tourism development are in the sphere of common ecological, economic and social interests of Euroregion 'Country of lakes', rural and active tourism is considered to be one of priority directions in cooperation to be developed. Therefore, the political Council of the Euroregion has initiated a project creating and promoting a cycling net of 45 routes in the territory of Baltic Country of lakes. OVERALL OBJECTIVE:To contribute to development of active tourism and healthy lifestyle of the population of Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus and to increase the awareness about the possibilities offered by the Baltic Country of Lakes, thus adding value to the existing tourism products and attracting more tourists to the territory of Euroregion 'Country of Lakes'. SUB - OBJECTIVES:1. To strengthen and to market the cycling net of the Baltic Country of Lakes. 2. To improve human resource capacity of Euroregion tourism specialists. 3. To improve active tourism infrastructure in the Euroregion cycling net.PARTNERSHIP 16 LT, LT and BY authorities of Euroregion 'Country of lakes', its LV and LT offices and State company 'LVM'. MAIN ACTIVITIES Sound project technical and financial management. Updating of information on 51 cycling routes. Public involvement campaigns. Common marketing activities. Improving HR capacity of Euroregion tourism specialists by introduction of GPS. Putting up common design signs, small-scale infrastructure elements and improvement of the cycling route quality. TARGET GROUPS National and international tourists keen on active tourism; TIC specialists of Euroregion municipalities; Local inhabitants (land owners, tourism businesses, students etc.) EXPECTED OUTPUTS 11 WG , 8SC meetings; 32 seminars; updated information on 7 LT,30 LV,13BY routes; 25 bikes purchased; 3 cycling marathons; 60000 booklets, 15400 cycling guides, 100 posters, 50 sets of tear-off leaflets; 1 Web page; Participation in 3exhibitions; 1final conference; 1training on GPS; 1study tour; 29interactive maps, 29GPSsets; 7LT,30LV,5BYcycling routes improved by: 573info signs, 133info stands, 756small-scale active tourism infrastructure elements and 107nature protection units in 62recreation sites in LV,LT,BY. RESULTS A successful large-scale CBC project between 3 neighbouring countries implemented. Cycling net of the Baltic Country of Lakes strengthened. Human resource capacity of Euroregion tourism specialists increased. Active tourism infrastructure of the Euroregion cycling net improved.CROSS-BORDER IMPACT The network within Euroregion strengthened on different levels. Administrative capacity of project partners improved in implementation of Structural Funds. Baltic Country of Lakes marketed as a well-known tourism destination in Europe. Contribution to sustainable development of active tourism and healthy lifestyle of the population of LV,LT,BY ensured. Duration 24(12.2005 - 11.2007) Budget (EUR) 1033017.48 ERDF contribution: 774763.11 National co-financing EU Member States: 258254.37 INTERREG IIIA Budget of project: 1033017.48 Non-eligible financing: .00 Funding from EU programmes for third countries: 89600.00 National co-financing for funding from EU programmes for third countries: 0 National financing (third countries): 0 Private financing (third countries): 0 Total budget: 1135117.48 Partners Name of Institution, Town Country Region Contact information Latvian office of Euroregion 'Country of lakes' LATVIA 0 Tel.: +3715622201 Email: ilze@kraslava.lv Lithuanian office of Euroregion 'Country of lakes' LITHUANIA 0 Tel.: +37038652138 Email: Ezeru.krastas@ignalina.lt Daugavpils District Council LATVIA 0 Tel.: +3715422382 Email: inaran@drp.lv Kraslava District Council LATVIA 0 Tel.: +3715622201 Email: tic@kraslava.lv Rezekne District Council LATVIA 0 Tel.: +3714607177 Email: brigita.arbidane@rdc.lv Aglona Rural Municipality LATVIA 0 Tel.: +3715375338 Email: planotajs@aglona.lv Livani District Council LATVIA 0 Tel.: +3715307270 Email: inese@livani.lv Ludza Town Council LATVIA 0 Tel.: +3715707420 Email: projekti@ludzaspils.lv State Stock Company 'LVM' South Latgale Region in Latvia LATVIA 0 Tel.: +3715307102 Email: s.lickrastina@lvm.lv Ignalina District Municipality LITHUANIA 0 Tel.: +37038653342 Email: v.cepulenas@ignalina.lt Zarasai District Municipality Administration LITHUANIA 0 Tel.: +37038553964 Email: Ingrida.tatarune@zarasai.lt Utena District Municipality LITHUANIA 0 Tel.: +37038964057 Email: A.Grazys@utena.sav.lt Svencionys district municipality LITHUANIA 0 Tel.: +37038766372 Email: rysiai@svencionys.lt Visaginas municipality LITHUANIA 0 Tel.: +37038631466 Email: tourism@visaginas.lt Verhnedvinsk District Deputy Council BELARUS 0 Tel.: +375215121306 Email: . Braslav District Deputy Council BELARUS 0 Tel.: +375215329466 Email: Braslav.sov@tut.by Glubokoje District Deputy Council BELARUS 0 Tel.: +375215621163 Email: . Miory District Deputy Council BELARUS 0 Tel.: +375215221715 Email: . Postavi District Deputy Council BELARUS 0 Tel.: +375215521446 Email: . Progress report The implementation of the project in the forth reporting period has been successful. To achieve project sub-objective nr.1. - to strengthen and to market the cycling net of the Baltic Country of Lakes several public involvement and promotion activities have been carried out under WP2: Marketing materials published (3400 cycling guides in LV, LT, RU, ENG, tear-off leaflets of 378cycling route – 62024copies); Participation in 2exhibitions ensured in Vilnius,LT and Berlin, GE; Producing of cycling tourism advertising clip and broadcasting it at LV (26 times) and LT (30 times) televisions To achieve project sub-objective No.2 – to improve human resource capacity of Euroregion tourism specialists in the planning and use of tourism routes by introduction of the recent GPS technologies into their work several activities have been carried out under WP3: One 6-day study tour for 36 persons to Netherlands - Overijssel (host organization - Regio Zwolle Overijssels Vechtdal) for studying experience of Dutch tourism specialists in practical use of GPS technologies and interactive maps. To achieve the sub-objective No.3 - to improve the active tourism infrastructure in the Euroregion cycling net by common design signs and small-scale infrastructure elements under WP4: Supplies of common design small scale active tourism infrastructure: ERDF 62 pavilions, 67 info stands with representation of the route, 66 info stands with descriptions about the most popular species of flora and fauna, 280 benches, 155 trash bins, 40 toilets (DC), 99 bike stands, 93 swings, 15 hiking/cycling bridges, 1 watch tower (16m), 1 watch tower (26m), 1 extended watch tower (26m), 1 roof for watch tower, 6 mini watch towers, 1 gang way, 1 boat dock, 78 bird houses, 29 ring-fences for ant-hills, stiles in 5 places, barriers in 10 places, fire places in 2 places. To ensure installation of common design wooden small - scale infrastructure, a supervisor was working in co-operation with the partner municipalities installing the infrastructure in the currrent reporting period. To ensure successful overall project management, 4 Steering Committee meeting, 6 work groups have been organized, regular communication between project managers, project coordinators and bookkeepers has been ensured, especially during the preparation of the 14 progress reports. All partners have been actively involved in the project activities and benefited from the project by implementing the achievement of project objectives and results. Partner 1 - has contributed to the project through management and coordination of the project activities and cooperation between project partners according to the project plan. Partner 2 have been coordinating activities on LT side. Belarussian partners 15 - 19 have been participating in all joint project activities. Promotional information and info on project activities have been published in 67 articles (newspapers/magazines, TV, Internet portals). Close window