Project ID: BGTR0200057

Call for proposals: 2021TC16IPCB005 – 2023 – 2 Restricted Call for Development and Submission of Full Project Proposals (FPP) under Priority 2

Priority/Specific objective: Priority 2 - Integrated Development of the Cross-border Region. Specific objective: RSO5.2. "Development of better access to services of general interest"

Budget: EUR 985,691.08

EU Funding: EUR 837.837,41

Duration: 24 months

Start date: 26.06.2025

Lead partner: National Academy of Art – branch Burgas, Bulgaria

Project partners: Edirne Culture and Tourism Directorate, Türkiye

Objectives: To restore and preserve the cultural achievements of artists, creators and sculptors, to popularize the specific spiritual climate of the region, to cultivate a desire and high criteria for creative expression among young people, for sustainable development of cross-border tourism potential.

Project activities: Soft activities: Joint networking events - a round table "Culture - our common future" and a plein air "Dialogues". Tourism related activities: Joint development of a concept for thematic branding and promotion of the cross-border region and development of a sustainable tourist product "Tourism on the go". Infrastructural support to boost sustainable tourism in the cross-border region: Burgas – major renovations and reconstruction of the building of the Graphic Base-Burgas to establish a cultural-educational center and museum. Edirne – supply of a hybrid or semi-hybrid vehicle equipped with VR, interactive maps and panoramic images to establish a Traveling tourist center to promote the cultural heritage of the cross-border region.

Tourism Through Culture – Our Common Future

The project numbered BGTR0200057, planned to be carried out in partnership between the Edirne Culture and Tourism Directorate and the Bulgarian National Academy of Arts – Burgas Branch, aims to protect and promote cultural heritage and sustainably develop tourism potential within the framework of cross-border cooperation.

The total budget of the project is €985,691.08, of which €550,292.93 has been allocated to the Bulgarian National Academy of Arts and €435,398.15 to the Edirne Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism. The project has a duration of 24 months and commenced on June 26, 2025.

The project aims to preserve the cultural achievements of artists, designers, and sculptors; open new spaces for creative expression among young people; promote the region's unique spiritual atmosphere; and support cross-border tourism. The importance of new technologies in tourism marketing is growing, and through virtual reality (VR) and 3D applications, potential visitors can experience the atmosphere of destinations in advance, creating a positive perception. In this context, a hybrid tool equipped with VR, 360-degree videos, and interactive maps will be procured to directly promote the region to visitors who are unfamiliar with or have limited knowledge of it. This way, the target audience will be able to form a strong and lasting impression of the region without physically visiting it, and will subsequently be encouraged to do so.

The project's core objectives include preserving cultural heritage, promoting lesser-known values, supporting young artists, overcoming seasonality through alternative forms of tourism, and developing joint inter-institutional strategies. To this end, a roundtable meeting titled "Culture – Our Common Future" and an open-air art event called "Dialogues" will be organized; the cross-border region will be thematically branded and a sustainable tourism product called "Active Tourism" will be developed. Additionally, the Graphics Base building in Burgas, constructed in 1950 and in need of renovation, will be restored to serve as a cultural education center and museum, while a mobile tourism center equipped with virtual reality and panoramic imagery will be established in Edirne. Throughout the project, a total of two promotional campaigns will be held across three different destinations each in Bulgaria and Turkey, with handicrafts, culture, and local cuisine highlighted to enhance the appeal of regional tourism.

The renovation of the Graphics Base in Burgas will create a new cultural focal point in the Sea Garden, one of the city's most attractive areas, enabling access for a wider range of visitors. This approach, built upon local identity and cultural values, aims to make the region's unique potential the primary driver of development. Given that each region and structure shapes economic growth through its own distinct heritage, it is critically important for cultural institutions and artists to develop policies aligned with the identity of the region.

Upon implementation of the project, a strong foundation for cooperation will be established among artists, youth, tourism sector representatives, municipalities, the business community, and civil society organizations. This will enable effective promotion, marketing, and experience-sharing in the tourism sector, while the appeal of destinations will be communicated to wider audiences through innovative technologies. This pilot investment will provide access to new markets while also contributing to the growth of entrepreneurship and cooperation in the cross-border region. Furthermore, through the thematic tours to be organized, artists, businesses, and creatives will come together to boost investment interest, and the experience gained will form the foundation for joint initiatives beyond the project's conclusion.

“This publication is co-funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Edirne Culture and Tourism Directorate and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the partner countries and the Managing Authority.”