Karaotok, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Regular EXChAngE project team meeting was organized in Nature Park Hutovo Blato on Wednesday, 9th March 2022.
The meeting was covered by electronic media. Mr. Nikola Zovko, director of the Public enterprise Nature Park Hutovo Blato, as host of the meeting, informed press about plans for upgrading park facilities within EXChAngE project.
Mr. Jovan Ristić, director of Tourist Organization Kotor, spoke about importance of cross border cooperation among tourist organizations and expectation from forthcoming touristic season.
Representatives of all project partners overviewed the status of project implementation. This spring will be period of intensive procurement of planned services and equipment. Partners agreed on coordination of procurement of ticketing and entry control systems, audio and tour guides, and info kiosks.
Development of Android and iOS mobile application – an electronic touristic guide: The Blue Pass is in final stage and project partners noted all elements which should be further improved to create a tool for unique visitors experience to all new thematic routes created under the project.
EXChAngE project will be presented on forthcoming Mostar Economy Fair, from 5th to 9th April 2022. It is, by the number of its exhibitors and visitors, the most successful fair exhibition in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We will present main project outputs: The Blue Pass and E-guide: Blue Pass.
The Blue Pass ticket is a new tourism product, developed within the EXChAngE project, especially for visitors of cross border area Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro, which enables visits of the following thematic routes: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (Croatia), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (Montenegro), Hutovo Blato Aqua Path, and Mostar Aqua Path (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
The EXChAngE project team also had a study tour through the Nature Park Hutovo Blato. They visited a new thematic route in the park – Hutovo Blato Aqua Path and discussed future use and presentation of the route.
Project team meeting breaks were the opportunity to taste some gastronomic specialties. Project partners enjoyed Fried Dough Balls (Peksimeti) which are mini donuts. Delicious, easy and fast, they’re great by themselves, or as a side to a larger meal.
After the meeting project partners visited Mogorjelo archaeological site. Mogorjelo is a Roman villa rustica that dates from the early fourth century. It is situated on a hill off the Neretva branch, 5 km south of Čapljina, alongside the road to Gabela in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Project partners studied marking of touristic site and way of content presentation.
The next project meeting will be held on the margins of the Mostar Economy Fair, on 5th April 2022.
About Project
The main goal of the EXChAngE project is to strengthen and diversify the tourism offer through exploring cross-border aquatic biodiversity and to enable better management and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage. EXChAngE project is developing a new tourism product – Blue Pass, which will enable visits of new thematic routes with improved infrastructure: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (Croatia), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (Montenegro), Hutovo Blato Aqua Path, and Mostar Old Bridge and River Neretva (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and attracts more tourists in the area.
The project is implemented by five partners: University of Dubrovnik, Croatia (leading partner), Tourist Organization Kotor, Montenegro, University of Montenegro, Institute of Marine Biology, Montenegro, Tourist Community HNK/Z, BiH, JP “Nature Park Hutovo Blato” d.o.o. Čapljina, BiH.
The Exchange project was approved under the Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2014-2020 and is co-financed by ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union.
