Facilitating access to watertourism activities
The goal of the project is to improve the accessibility of water tourism in Latvia and Estonia by expanding the cross-border tourism product www.riverways.eu, with a focus on creating innovative and sustainable infrastructure solutions that also reduce anthropogenic impact of recreational activities.
EE-LV00143 “Facilitating Access to Water Tourism Activities” (Riverways II)
Project duration: 01.09.2024 – 31.08.2027
Total financing: 1 500 000,00 EUR (i.a. ERDF funding 1 200 000,00 EUR)
Project description
Water tourism attractions have so far primarily been used and accessible to active individuals in good physical condition. However, the proportion of the population who require and desire better accessibility is growing.
Access to water is of interest to an increasing elderly generation, people with disabilities, and families with small children, who need multifunctional and smart solutions to ensure that the infrastructure provides complete user-friendliness for all. Adapting the environment and services to be accessible to as many people as possible is important both from a social and economic perspective.
As part of the Riverways II project, Estonian and Latvian partners will jointly create innovative solutions to improve water tourism accessibility. This is a common challenge in the Estonia-Latvia program area, during which accessibility will be developed at 16 locations. The project will create innovative solutions that allow people with disabilities or with other special needs to experience more than usual, at the same time enhancing cross-border cooperation.
The project will build on available knowledge from the two projects (2013 – 2015 Est-Lat RIVERWAYS and 2024 – 2026 Lat-Lit WaterWays) and spread further, providing more accessibility.
Target Group
Local and foreign travellers
Interest groups, including NGOs representing people with disabilities
Tourism service providers – local municipalities, entrepreneurs etc.
Project partners
The project will be implemented under the leadership of the project’s lead partner, Kurzeme Planning Region (www.kurzemesregions.lv), in collaboration with 20 partners from Estonia and Latvia:
- Riga Planning Region, www.rpr.gov.lv
- Vidzeme Planning Region, www.vidzeme.lv
- University of Tartu Pärnu College, www.ut.ee
- Tartu County Tourism Foundation – South Estonia Tourism Cluster, www.visitsouthestonia.com
- Dienvidkurzeme Municipality, www.dkn.lv
- Liepāja City Municipality Central Administration, www.liepaja.lv
- Kuldīga Municipality, www.kuldigasnovads.lv
- Jūrmala State City Municipality, www.jurmala.lv
- Ķekava Municipality, www.kekava.lv
- Ādaži County Municipality, www.adazunovads.lv
- Valmiera Municipality, www.valmierasnovads.lv
- Madona Municipality, www.madona.lv
- Valka Municipality, www.valka.lv
- Limbaži Municipality, www.limbazunovads.lv
- Green Riverland Partnership NGO, www.joemaa.ee
- Otepää Rural Municipality Government, www.otepaa.ee
- Luunja Municipality, www.luunja.ee
- Antsla Municipality, www.antsla.ee
- Setomaa Municipality Government, setomaa.kovtp.ee
- Võru Rural Municipality, www.voru.ee
Project coordinator from SA Tartumaa Tourism:
Janelle Uibokand
+372 553 4445
janelle.uibokand@visitsouthestonia.com
