Project number: 0410-2SC-BIO-PC1-001

Project title: Tourists and nature come together

Title of the support measure: Promoting Sustainable Tourism and Strengthening Biodiversity in Protected Areas

Specific objective: 1. Protecting the environment and climate

Project promoter: Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic

Website: https://minzp.sk/

Project grant: 22 942 500,00 eur

Project start date: 06.12.2024

Estimated date of project completion: 31.12.2028

Slovak partners: Slovak Karst National Park Administration, Tatra National Park Administration, Low Tatras National Park Administration, Pieniny National Park Administration, Veľká Fatra National Park Administration, Slovak Paradise National Park Administration, Malá Fatra National Park Administration, Poloniny National Park Administration, Muránska Planina National Park Administration

Foreign partners: Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissen-schaften Institut für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen (Zurich University of Applied Sciences Institute of Natural Resource Sciences)

Project summary: A project of the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic implemented in cooperation with the administrations of all 9 national parks. The main objective of the project is to regulate and redirect the flow of tourists to less busy areas of national parks through the support of sustainable tourism and environmental education, including specific measures for their protection. To achieve the plan, 14 reconstructed buildings within the project will be used, at least one in each park. A Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy and other necessary documents for better management of the national parks will be created (in one case updated) for each park. A unified smart tourist information application and website will help to inform and educate visitors effectively and modernly. New sustainable tourism offers will be created, regional identity and ties will be strengthened, sustainable tourism will be encouraged and local products will be promoted. The Alliance of National Parks will be established.

Project outcomes:

  1. Sustainable tourism in the national parks implemented
  2. The protection of ecosystems enhanced and their resilience to threats to the biodiversity loss increased
  3. Improved governance of nature protection and sustainable tourism on a national level

Project outputs:

1.1 Infrastructure of facilities in the national parks sustainably enhanced and used for the activities contributing to ecosystem and biodiversity protection

1.2 Sustainable tourist activities in the national parks developed and steered

2.1 Environmental education and awareness-raising activities about biodiversity conservation and sustainable forms of tourist services developed

2.2 Local people involved in activities for ecosystem and biodiversity protection

2.3 Pilot initiatives and measures for the biodiversity protection mapped, developed, tested and implemented

  1. 1 Strategies, management or action plans for sustainable tourism development and biodiversity protection elaborated, revised or updated by the national park administrations

3.2 The collaboration between the strategic stakeholders in the field of sustainable tourism, ecosystem and biodiversity protection enhanced and networking supported

Project activities:

  • Renovation and building of the facilities for the activities supporting sustainable tourism and ecosystems and biodiversity protection
  • Joint support of the sustainable tourism in the national parks and its promotion
  • Development of tourist activities for steering the flow of the tourist and promotion of the sustainable tourism
  • Environmental education and ecosystems and biodiversity protection
  • Networking, cooperation and governance of nature protection and sustainable tourism
  • Bilateral cooperation

Project contract:

Link to the published document: Project contract in CRZ