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„Positioning of the cross-border Castle Road as a European cultural route with sustainable visitor management and intelligent information service“
Project acronym:
Castle Road 2.0
Priority of the IP SI-AT:
A more competent and competitive region
Specific objective:
Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation
Project duration:
1 January 2024 to 30 June 2027
Total project value:
EUR 1,414,051.69 (of which EUR 1,131,241.34 ERDF funds)
Project partnership:
- LP Zavod za kulturo, turizem in šport Murska Sobota (Institute for Culture, Tourism and Sport Murska Sobota)
- PP2 Znanstveno-raziskovalno središče Bistra Ptuj (Scientific Research Centre Bistra Ptuj)
- PP3 Wirtschaftsagentur Burgenland (Business Agency Burgenland)
- PP4 Stadtgemeinde Deutschlandsberg (Municipality of Deutschlandsberg)
- PP5 Thermenland Süd- und Oststeiermark Marketing GmbH
The Castle Road 2.0 project is co-financed by the European Union and the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of the Interreg Programme Slovenia-Austria 2021–2027.
More about the Interreg Programme Slovenia-Austria 2021–2027: http://www.si-at.eu/2127/en/
Project summary:
The project builds on the capitalisation and further development of the results of the Castle Road project, which was successfully completed in the previous funding period of the Interreg Programme Slovenia-Austria. At that time, the cross-border Castle Road was established, connecting 37 Slovenian and Austrian castles, palaces and other historic fortifications.
The Castle Road 2.0 project aims to position the cross-border Castle Road as a European Cultural Route, thereby increasing its value and international visibility. A cross-border Scientific Advisory Board will be established, composed of various Slovenian and Austrian experts in the fields of history, cultural heritage, tourism and related disciplines. The board will research and define the historical and cultural characteristics that distinguish the cross-border Castle Road and the region through which it runs. In cooperation with the advisory board, three expert conferences will be held, and based on the results and findings of these conferences, an academic publication will be issued, which will also serve as the basis for the Castle Road’s application for the title „Cultural Route of the Council of Europe“.
For the cross-border Castle Road to become a cultural route of European importance, it is also essential to upgrade existing knowledge and competences and to strengthen awareness of the significance of the shared history and the value of cultural heritage among the castle managers themselves. Through a special education programme (Castle Road Expert), castle managers and staff will acquire new professional knowledge and competences for the efficient management of cultural heritage monuments in line with modern trends, with particular emphasis on topics such as sustainability and new technologies. A training programme for cooperation partners (Castle Road Ambassador) will also be developed; acting as ambassadors and promoters of the cross-border Castle Road, these partners will contribute to greater visibility of the Castle Road and its offer. Networking events will also be organised for castle managers, cooperation partners, tourism stakeholders, and representatives of the media, business and politics.
The project focuses on new forms of visitor management and more efficient steering of visitor flows, i.e. a better seasonal and geographical distribution of visitors along the cross-border Castle Road. To this end, various pilot measures will be developed and tested to attract new visitors to the region: a special offer for families in the form of a joint sticker collection album, smart and innovative exhibitions at Murska Sobota Castle and Deutschlandsberg Castle, new seasonal events at the castles and in their immediate surroundings, and a new joint product in the form of a board game that the castles will be able to sell in their shops.
The project also focuses on smart information management. The concept of a joint smart information hub will be developed and implemented, featuring a common online platform that will also include a chatbot providing expert information about the Castle Road and generating personalised sightseeing recommendations. This will optimise travel planning and ensure a comprehensive visitor experience.
Through the Castle Road 2.0 project, the Castle Road aims to keep pace with the times and find appropriate solutions to the demands of modern society and today’s tourists. At the same time, it seeks to offer the castles solutions for sustainable ways of preserving and managing cultural heritage and cultural monuments. The project is geared towards the development and implementation of concrete solutions that will continue to live on after the end of the project and from which the castles will benefit in the long term.
More information about the project:
Castle Road 2.0 – Zavod za kulturo, turizem in šport Murska Sobota
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