Activities of the project, were focused on the border area of the Republic of Croatia and Montenegro.
The overall objective of the project was to improve the economic development of border areas through sustainable joint initiatives, especially in the field of outdoor tourism.
Specific objectives of the project were met by creating and promoting tourism products using innovative ICT technologies, as well as by improving the quality of offer of cross-border tourist destination.
Through the project, successful cross-border tourism products were created, primarily by forming clusters for active tourism, which involve entrepreneurs from Croatia and from Montenegro.
Cooperation of related clusters resulted in developmentof eight new tourism products, which have been promoted jointly at specialized workshops in Paris and Stockholm.
In accordance with the new trends in tourism, the project introduced innovation in the creation and promotion of tourism products by using of ICT technology. Namely, fully functional geoportal (www.adriaticadventure.eu) was developed, as well as two mobile applications that provide easier access to information and improve communication with end users.
Since there was a need for improving the capacity through training for guides for nature-based tourism, and especially for members of the Mountain Rescue Service, the number of different trainings was organized through the project.
The following rescue trainings were held: rescue and first aid in outpatient conditions (International Trauma Life Support-ITLS), Geographic Information System (GIS), rescuing from white waters (WWR), as well as training for guides for active tourism (sea kayak).
In addition, the valuable rescue equipment was procured within the project with the aim to improve the technical capacity of both Rescue Services, in Croatia and Montenegro.
The realization of these project activities through joint planning and business cooperation in the field of active tourism, expand the knowledge, strengthened the infrastructure and technical capacity of tourist destinations and created a starting point that will allow more efficient cooperation of stakeholders involved in the development of the tourist offer, as well as further improvement of tourism in this area.
By signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between two clusters of active tourism, the preconditions for the continuation of the successful cooperation of the private sector after the completion of the project were set.
It is expected that through joint products’ development, promotion and improvement of resource, clusters will continuously working on the sustainable development of tourist destinations and contribute to the economic development of border areas.
This approach can serve as a success story and positive example of how entrepreneurial networking straightens competitiveness of local economies.
The project “Development of ICT for Outdoor Destinations (DIOD)” which lasted 24 months (February 2013-February 2015), was implemented in cooperation of Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (CMRS) as the lead partner, UNDP Country Office as main partner in Montenegro; and Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro and the Mountain Rescue Service of Montenegro.
The total value of the project implemented under the IPA Cross-Border Programme Croatia – Montenegro for both countrieswas 498,957.16 euros. EU Grant approved for the project was 419,845.5 euros.