On November 25, 2020, a virtual initial conference of the EAGLE project (Enhancing the Adventure Generating Local Environment Pitomača-Pecs) was held. This is a joint project of the Municipality of Pitomača, Meček Forestry from Pécs and the Pitomača Tourist Board funded under the Cross-border Cooperation Program Interreg Hungary-Croatia 2014-2020.
The aim of this project is to contribute to the development of the tourist potential of the mentioned region through specific evaluation of natural and cultural heritage, to attract visitors by putting the wine-growing area of our municipality on the map of tourist destinations in the wider region, the key for which is the cross-border association with the city of Pécs.
The value of the project is 1.65 million euros, of which 85% are grants. Of the total value of the project, 144,374.30 euros refers to the budget of the Tourist Board in the project, while 678,610.03 euros refers to the budget of the Municipality of Pitomača, that the Municipality disposes of in order to implement all planned activities in the project.
The project connects the two areas in a unique way along with our common natural and cultural heritage.
The main infrastructure investments within the project are two interconnected tourist centres, one of which will be located on the Croatian side on Kladarski breg. The Klopotec Tourist Information Centre, which builds on the rich viticultural tradition of Central Europe, will include an 8-meter-high lookout tower, a wine cellar and a visitor’s house.
In addition to tourist centres on Kladarski breg and Pécs, the project will develop and equip the belonging bicycle and hiking trails, educational routes and visitor attractions, encourage the harmonization of a common network of stakeholders, organize tourist events and exchange of visitors, i.e. encourage tourists to cross-border visit through mutual promotion, visitor benefits and joint appearance at international tourism fairs, especially those focused on nature lovers and bird watchers, cycling tourists, adventurers and oeno- and gastro-hedonists.
An equally important part of the project activities relates to the environmental awareness of the public for nature conservation on which the tourist potential of our region is based, especially the younger generations.
The project will be implemented with the support of tourist organizations from Pécs and Baranja County on the Hungarian side and the Tourist Board of Pitomača on our side with associated partners Stjepan Sulimanac Secondary School and the Association of winegrowers, cellarers and fruit growers “Aršanj”.
The project partner – Meček Foresrty – is a company within Hungarian Forests that manages state forests in the Baranja County. In addition to its regular activities, the company is also engaged in tourism. More than 13 thousand overnight stays per year, various attractions in Mount Meček, and motels, apartments, hostels and camps represent a significant income for the Forestry. Great attention is paid to the preservation of the environment – since 1996 the forestry has been holding various educations with the purpose of ecological public awareness and encouraging the culture of mountaineering.
The project proposal was prepared by the Municipality of Pitomača in cooperation with the company Draft d.o.o. from Pitomača.
Source: http://pitomaca.hr
Photo: Ivan Bedeković
