Central Baltic Project Database - Cultural Heritage and Arts

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At a glance text:

Location-based interactive assignments
More than 700 users
Investments to the zoos wifi networks

Project link:

Cross-border services for creative adventure learning in the zoos of the Central Baltic Region

NatAc established a chain of accessible nature tourism sites

Ari Brozinski — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 09:44:23 +0000

NatAc established a chain of accessible nature tourism sites in Latvia, Estonia and Finland. Existing nature sites were developed into accessible tourism objects by using up-to-date, modern and sustainable solutions on infrastructure. In cooperation with accessibility experts, the project improved or created 19 accessible nature sites which are now accessible to all, including people with disabilities, seniors, young families travelling with baby-strollers, people with temporary injuries.

The project developed new solutions for accessible products and services. For example tactile objects were developed that allow to understand the shape and details of nature objects. Braille and audio materials were created to allow the blind to read and hear the data, toolboxes with educational materials to comprehend and enjoy the nature through various senses - touch, smell, taste etc. Videos were produced to give information about the accessible nature trails and developed products for learning about nature. Information about the accessible trails is provided on the site in plain language on tactile info stands, cards, easy to understand marking system with accessibility pictograms.

Accessibility of all nature trails in project area were assessed using the accessibility checklist. The project issued a Travel Guide on accessible nature sites and launched an Internet Platform mapeirons.eu, which contains info on all identified accessible or partly accessible nature sites in the core Central Baltic area in Latvia, Estonia and Finland. The guide is available in Latvian, Estonian, Finnish and English.

Files:

The guidebook is available on NatAc web site.
Videos
Accessibility checklist for nature trails

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Direct link to the route guidebook (138 MB!).

At a glance text:

19 accessible nature site utilising modern and sustainable solutions
Assessed accessibility
Braille and audio materials to comprehend the nature through various senses

Project link:

Nature access to all

Forest Trail created a long distance hiking route

Ari Brozinski — Tue, 24 May 2022 08:15:57 +0000

The Forest Trail project created a long distance hiking route. It leads through the most forested lands, regional, nature and national parks of Estonia and Latvia. The total length of the Forest Trail Northern part approximately 1060 km.

The route is split in ca 20 km sections or hiking days. Each day of the Forest trail has a description, maps and downloadable GPX routes - start and end points, how long the expected walk will be, what the road surface is, and what will be worth seeing along the way. Hikers can read more information about the most interesting and significant places, landscapes, nature landmarks and see the photo, so as not to miss the views on the way, also find information on places to eat, buy water and snacks, and also spend the night.

The developed Forest trail route in the Central Baltic project is connected to the southern route (from the Lithuanian / Polish border through Kurzeme to Riga) developed in the Latvia-Lithuania Interreg programme project. Both trails will be part of the E11 route of the European long distance hiking trail network by ERA – European Ramblers’ Association. The total length of the Forest Trail in all three Baltic states will be more than 2000 km, and the trail will include all forest types and wildlife features typical of the Baltic States.

Name in Latvian: Mežtaka
Name in Estonian: Metsa matkarada

More information about the route: https://baltictrails.eu/en/forest

Materials in all languages can be downloaded from the project website: https://baltictrails.eu/lv/forest/publications

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At a glance text:

Over 1000 km of detailed hiking trails
Easy approach
Daily trips

Project link:

Long distance cross-border hiking trail “The Forest Trail”.

Archipelago Access made the archipelago and islands area more accessible

Ari Brozinski — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 06:25:36 +0000

The project created a web service and two exhibitions to act as entry points to archipelago tourism. The concept behind this is to strengthen the archipelago regions as a joint tourism attraction by jointly promoting, increasing awareness, and providing easier access to information.

The exhibitions will act as a gateway for visitors to gain necessary information for their travels around the Central Baltic Programme areas in Finland and Sweden.

The web portal, Explore Archipelago, gives visitors easier access and a unified view into tourist information as it expands the physical exhibitions by gathering the information on services and destinations under one address. At the same time, it provides a digital bridge over the Baltic Sea. The digital system is expandable and robust, and it sees no borders. The project partners are committed to developing the service further, and in the future, it can embrace a wider area still.

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Archipelago information portal

External link:

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At a glance text:

Easier access to archipelagos in Finland and Estonia
An information portal about sights and services

Project link:

Archipelago Access

URBAN ECO ISLAND investigated sustainable use of islands close to cities

Ari Brozinski — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 06:12:55 +0000

The URBAN ECO ISLAND project piloted new, innovative and smart solutions on two islands (Vasikkasaari in Finland and Aegna in Estonia), to ensure nature protection whilst increasing the attractiveness of the destinations.

The project developed a joint concept for sustainable island tourism. The development process included for example:

An island visitors’ survey to collect experiences and views
Testing of different smart solutions to analyse how increased used of destination will impact on its flora and
Small investments like benches, recycling facilities, improvement of walking tracks and signboards.

As a result, a Handbook for developing urban eco-islands was published and it is available in English, Estonian and Finnish. The handbook can be used when developing sustainable tourism on islands close to cities.

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Handbook for developing Urban Eco Islands

Attachment:

Opas kestävän lähivirkistysmatkailun kehittämiseen saaristossa

Kasiraamat Urban Eco Islands

Strategy development tool

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At a glance text:

A handbook for sustainable development of islands close to cities

Project link:

Urban and Smart Island Tourism Destinations

Lakesperience succeeded in creating a joint Central Baltic tourist attraction

kersti — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 08:55:50 +0000

The project managed to develop partnering lake areas into a joint sustainable tourism attraction with joint values and to connect the lake tourism service products to it. In the core of the joint tourism attraction and products was the joint positioning theme/brand Nordic-Baltic Lake Trails that was developed in the beginning of the project. Joint positioning theme was utilized in the product development workshops and in developing sales manuals. Based on the joint positioning theme, a Lakesperience marketing strategy was developed. As its main achievement, the project has succeeded in creating a joint Central Baltic tourist attraction. The project achieved 26 000 new visitors to the developed sites, while only 5000 were planned.

Regarding communication, the project had two main target groups identified in the project application. They managed to reach a larger amount of small and medium sized companies than planned (93 reached, 70 planned). The German Tour operators were also reached, but due to Covid it was no possible to see the German tourists coming to the developed sites in the partner regions. The project’s work reached domestic target groups well and increased the popularity of lake/cycling tourism.

The cross-border work was significant. Ideas and views were shared, and that helped to see different perspectives and how things were being done in the other regions. The exchange of experiences between the project partners contributed to the assessment of the quality and potential of the services, a better and wider understanding of nature tourism and its promotion opportunities. This all cemented the work well, as the common objectives were set together. The created network will work beyond the timeframe of the project.

Also cross border cooperation added value to entrepreneurs’ work via the joint marketing in Germany. They found the joint study visit to Mecklenburg Lake District very useful. The region offers one of the best infrastructures for cycling tourists in Central Europe and was useful place for the exchange of experiences. They also got a change to meet with the companies from other partnering regions.

Concrete outputs to promote the joint attraction include maps, sales manuals, trail signs and marketing material such as videos. These will live on also after the project. The partners also organised lake festivals.

In communication there was also some cooperation with bloggers which resulted to blog posts promoting the project topics.

Direct links:
From Estonia: https://vimeo.com/478788556/a8e66c4e75
From Finland: https://vimeo.com/478789477/7ddfc5aa96
From Latvia: https://vimeo.com/478790515/e9916a8807
From Sweden: https://vimeo.com/478791029/e39264aa75

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Attachment:

Estonian sales manual

Finnish sales manual

Latvian sales manual

Swedish sales manual

At a glance text:

As its main achievement, the project has succeeded in creating a joint Central Baltic tourist attraction.
The project achieved 26 000 new visitors to the developed sites, while only 5000 were planned.

Project link:

Explore the Nordic-Baltic lakes

Baltic Wings developed birdwatching prerequisites at Central Baltic area

kersti — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 06:42:15 +0000

The Baltic Wings project helped to develop the Central Baltic area as a nature and birdwatching destination.

Swedish, Latvian and Åland partners put their efforts on developing sustainable birding tourism in the region with the help of marketing activities, bird guide training and long-lasting infrastructure investments, such as built birding towers, platforms and hides. Especially capacity strengthening had a major role in the project, and it was done in cooperation with local entrepreneurs, lodges, stores and local food providers.

After upgrading attractions and destinations, the project made PR films and other extensive marketing efforts both nationally and for specialized target markets in Europe. Also, various tour packages were developed for international birding tourists. In addition, a Latvian-English book about birdwatching in the Slītere National park was created for bird watchers interested in bird migration in Cape Kolka, Latvia.

Project website: www.balticwings.org

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2 min video following a group of local pilgrims along the pilgrimage route St Olav Waterway on the island Sottunga

At a glance text:

The Baltic Wings project helped to develop the Central Baltic area as a nature and birdwatching destination
Key activities were marketing, bird guide training and long-lasting infrastructure investments, such as built birding towers, platforms and hides

Project link:

Baltic Wings - nature tourism for sustainable rural economic development

St Olav Waterway created 600 km pilgrimage route through the archipelago

ester.miiros — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 07:58:57 +0000

One of the biggest global trends of today is outdoor tourism, and specially wandering. St Olav Waterway wanted to create The Nordic Camino, a peaceful alternative crossing three countries. Olav Haraldsson (995-1030) was the King of Norway, and after his death he became one of the most important medieval Nordic saints. There are very many St Olav’s churches in the north of Europe.

St Olav Waterway created a 600 km pilgrim route for wandering and sailing from Turku Finland across the archipelago area and Åland Islands to Hudiksvall city in Sweden. The route shows Nordic history combined with culture and nature. St Olav Waterway represents sustainable tourism because slowly hiking and walking is sustainable. One important objective from the beginning was to extend the tourist season and attract visitors to these rural areas and islands also off-season.

There are a lot of attractions along the route, and the project made some of them more visible (ancient monuments, medieval churches, stories, etc). The project was successful with many partners and a lot of external and media interest. Thanks to the project the route was certified by Council of Europe as (the eastern) part of the "European Cultural Route of St Olav’s Ways" in December 2018. The route opened in May 2019 with a seven-week pilgrimage walk from Turku to Trondheim with a message from the Finnish archbishop to the bishop in Trondheim.

The route is in use, maintained by cities, parishes, and volunteer groups. A new association called ”Olofsleder I Finland - Suomen Olavinreitit” will maintain the route in Finland and Åland Islands after the project. Many Visit-organisations in Sweden, Åland and Finland are marketing the trail.

The project inspired others to plan for new/more St Olav related routes and tours in Finland. The overall plan is that there will be a St Olav route all the way from Novgorod in Russia to Nidaros and Trondheim in 2030, as there was 1000 years ago.

As a result, there is also an ongoing project for the first pilgrimage centre in Turku since medieval time, to be a meeting place, highlighting all existing routes in Finland, being a link to the European pilgrimage routes and answering to the increased interest of walking and reflecting.

There were also students involved in many ways, doing market research, testwalks and assignments.

There is a website in three languages with digital maps available. The website is maintained by one of the partners, city of Parainen.
https://stolavwaterway.com/en/.

The maps for Vikingaleden, teh Swedish part of St Olav Waterway, are avilable here and maintained by VisitRoslagen.

The first Pilgrim from abroad walking all the way from Turku to Trondheim was from Portugal and he started in April 2019. After that people from many countries have visited parts of the route.

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At a glance text:

600 km new pilgrimage route from Turku to Hudiksvall
Certified as part of European Cultural Route of St Olav Ways
Inspired to more pilgrimage routes in Finland
Inspired to the first pilgrimage Centre in Finland, in Turku

Project link:

St Olav Waterway

Sustainable urban nature routes using new IT solutions - NATTOURS

annika.mandla — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:45:00 +0000

Project created a network of urban nature sites in Tallinn and Helsinki that can be defined as a joint tourism attraction in two capitals. Project improved, developed and constructed boardwalks and bird watching towers in Paljassaare, Kadriorg and Rocca al Mare in Tallinn, and Viikki-Vanhankaupunkinlahti and Harakka Island in Helsinki.
Target for increase of visitors was 10 000 more visitors. According to data from counters and relevant calculations partners have reported achievement of that target.

Project was successful in informing different target groups (tourism organisations and tour operators, teachers, general public) about project results and new recreation opportunities in city green areas.

Joint website was developed to promote nature areas in both cities and to educate people on local natural heritage. Website can be found here: https://citynature.eu/en/.

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Ökosüsteemiteenuste uuring Tallinnas (in Estonian)

Attachment:

Visitor surveys report

Mustjõe roheala information board

Kadriorg information board

Paljassaare information board

Paljassaare information board 2

External link:

Helsinki and Tallinn joint website to introduce city nature

Category:

Labour market and employment

At a glance text:

natural resources developed into sustainable tourist attractions
increase in expected number of visits to supported sites
1 joint website to introduce city nature

Project link:

Sustainable urban nature routes using new IT solutions

Raising competitiveness of freelance artists and independent companies - Theatre Expanded

annika.mandla — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 09:50:28 +0000

During the project the two project partners, Estonian theatre organisation Foundation Vaba Lava and New Theatre Institute of Latvia, collaborated with an aim to raise the entrepreneurial spirit of theatre professionals and to explore and introduce new models of arts and business collaboration.

Many trainings were organised in Estonia and Latvia both for local and joint audiences with theatre professionals. More than 600 people in Estonia and in Latvia attended different kind of seminars, training courses, shadowing processes, working periods with mentors and the final conference.

The new concept of artistic interventions was studied and practically implemented in both countries with the help of experts from Finland and Germany. During a 9-month period 5 (EST) and 11 (LV) new process leaders in artistic interventions were trained. In Estonia one new company was created by theatre professionals with an aims to use innovative ideas in theatre production and to promote young theatre professionals in home country and abroad.
Two publications were created for theatre producers and professionals. The project ended with the two-day international conference in Tallinn targeted researching future of performing arts.

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education and training