Acronym

IntCanalPromo

NUMBER

PBU3/1045/20

Project type

Micro-project

STATUS

Completed

THEMATIC OBJECTIVE

HERITAGE

PRIORITY

1.1 Promotion of local culture and history

PARTNERSHIP

PL-BY

LEAD BENEFICIARY

Płaska Commune (Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland)

BENEFICIARY

Sapockin Rural Executive Commitee (Hrodna Oblast, Belarus)

Project description

The project area stretches along the Augustów Canal - a unique hydraulic engineering work, on a European scale, from the first half of the 19^th century. It connects the Vistula river with the Neman river, is a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Augustow Canal, as a cross-border waterway creates a unique opportunity for cross-border cooperation in tourism and it should be used as an instrument for the development of tourism with international aspirations. There is no common promotion policy and cooperation between borderland partners within the range of creating common and coherent vision of the cross-border tourism development along the cross-border waterway.

Project partners are aimed to strengthen the competitiveness and potential of the Augustów Canal area as the unique cross-border heritage tourism product and destination. Taking advantage of the 200^th anniversary of the Canal they will organize 2 large cross-border events under the common theme “200 years of the Augustów Canal”: scientific and historical conference in Poland and the folk festival in Belarus. Participants of both events will take part in the heritage cross-border quest game "Augustów Canal” prepared especially for this occasion. Due to insufficient availability of the tourism information on Canal in Poland and Belarus, the Lead Beneficiary will be responsible for preparation and launching of the modern on-line tourist information platform (e-Canal). It will be dedicated to the tourism in whole Augustów Canal area, will gather all available data and assure easy and intuitive access to full tourism offer of the cross-border area. To make the project activities more visible beneficiaries will install welcome signs to inform passing tourists that they are entering or leaving the destination.

The project brings a new approach towards the promotion of diverse forms of tourism along and around the Canal. Project improves the borderland’s image and attractiveness for various groups of visitors. It’s aimed at increasing brand awareness, strengthening Canal’s image and attractiveness as a tourism destination.