Crossdest

Common Challenges

In Slovenia, 90% of all overnight stays currently take place in destinations certified under the Green Destinations (GD) system, accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). In addition, an increasing number of attractions and tourism providers have obtained sustainability certification through the Slovenia Green program. Today, sustainability shapes the mindset of all tourism stakeholders nationwide — including that of the visitors themselves.

In contrast, sustainable tourism development in Hungary is still in its infancy. However, international pressure is mounting, as the lack of a GSTC-recognized sustainability certification reduces the region’s competitiveness. Overcoming this challenge is complex: it requires simultaneous efforts in raising public awareness, developing sustainable systems, improving the sustainability performance of individual service providers, and reshaping the overall destination brand.

Today, more than two-thirds of global travelers seek sustainable destinations. The Slovenian-Hungarian border region can only meet this demand as a unified sustainable destination if Hungarian destinations also achieve GSTC certification. Moreover, since there can be no sustainable destination without sustainable providers, as many attractions and tourism businesses as possible must obtain sustainability certification. At the same time, a cross-border tourism network should be established, where members promote one another and develop joint tourism products under a shared sustainability brand.

Building on international best practices and EU standards, the project will create a Slovenian-Hungarian cross-border “green” destination.

 

Total budget: €936,312.00

ERDF contribution: €585,685.20


Partners:

  • Hévízi Turisztikai Nonprofit Korlátolt Felelősségű Társaság
  • Pannon Korlátolt Felelősségű Európai Területi Társulás
  • Murska Sobota Fejlesztési Központ
  • Lendvai Turisztikai és Fejlesztési Intézet
  • Goodplace a fenntartható turizmus intézete
  • Sárvár Tourist & TDM Nonprofit Korlátolt Felelősségű Társaság
  • Innotime Hungary Tanácsadó és Szolgáltató Korlátolt Felelősségű Társaság

               

 

Overall Objectives and Solutions

  • The four participating cities are already internationally recognized destinations, each with its own (and continuously changing) target audiences following the COVID period. However, to build a cohesive, cross-border destination where the partners’ cooperation fosters longer stays and returning visitors, the following challenges must be addressed:

    • Significant differences in preparedness regarding the two core values of sustainability and accessibility;

    • The lack of a comprehensive quality management program that ensures consistent, internationally aligned services for key target groups (e.g. families, pet owners, cyclists, seniors);

    • The absence of an integrated, up-to-date information system providing personalized data about tourism offers on both sides of the border, including local products;

    • The lack of connections between tourism actors and local producers, which prevents destinations from showcasing each other’s offers and from benefiting more fully from the advantages of the circular economy.



Main Project Outputs

  1. Based on the good practice of Murska Sobota, all partner destinations will obtain Green Destinations (GD) certification, while Murska Sobota aims to reach at least the Silver level. Each of the four locations will implement a pilot project focusing on regenerative tourism, with results transferable among partners.

  2. A minimum of 20 attractions and 40 service providers will be prepared to achieve GD Good Travel Seal certification.

  3. A pilot program supporting the circular economy will be developed and applied by all four municipal partners.

  4. A unified quality management and monitoring system will be established, in line with international standards and sustainability principles.

Methodology and Cross-Border Nature

Building on GD standards, all partners will work according to a common methodology.

Innotime will develop a digital platform enabling all partners to continuously monitor their results and measure the sustainability index of their destinations and tourism services.

An e-learning curriculum will be created, accessible to all tourism providers in the region, presenting sustainability criteria and the key values of the cross-border area.

Through the service provider training program, a unified mentoring system will prepare local tourism businesses for international certification. Within the circular economy pilot, local producers on both sides of the border will also be involved.

By the end of the project, destinations will be able to provide consistent, high-quality services, while attractions and service providers will be equipped to develop new cross-border tourism products based on mutual knowledge and collaboration.

 

Innovative Elements

 

Currently, there is no monitoring system in Europe capable of simultaneously measuring the sustainability and accessibility index of tourism providers, destinations, and visitors — as well as the outcomes of circular economy practices. The unified monitoring system developed within this project will fill this gap.

 

The project is co-financed by the European Union and supported by the Government of Hungary.