Representatives of TO Kotor visited Mostar last week as part of project activities related to the cross-border IPA Exchange project. A seminar on the biodiversity of the Neretva River, which was primarily intended for tourist guides, tour operators and representatives of institutions responsible for the standardization of natural heritage was held on the first day of our visit. The seminar aims to acquaint those interested with the natural heritage of Mostar and the Neretva River and the biodiversity of the Neretva River, for the future presentation of natural heritage to tourists – visitors of Mostar.

The next day was held a working meeting of project partners, where we discussed recent project activities, as well as the activities that will follow in the coming period, which each of the partners should implement following the project plan.

Also, the Agreement on the sale of the future Blue Pass was signed between five project partners.

The main goal of the Exchange project is to strengthen and diversify the tourist offer by researching transboundary aquatic biodiversity and enabling better management and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage.

The Exchange project is developing a new cross-border tourism product – Blue Pass, which allows visits to new thematic routes: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (CRO), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (MNE), Water Trail Hutovo Blato, as well as the Old Bridge in Mostar and the river Neretva (B&H) and attracts more tourists to the area.

The project is implemented by five partners: the University of Dubrovnik, Croatia (leading partner), Tourism Organization of Kotor, Montenegro, University of Montenegro, Institute of Marine Biology, Montenegro, Tourist Board of HNK, BiH, PE “Nature Park Hutovo blato” from Capljina, BiH.