Project acronym: MINE TOUR (972.929,08 ERDF)
Lead Partner: GRAD LABIN
Project Partners: Občina Litija, Razvojni center Srca Slovenije, d.o.o., Zavod za gradbeništvo Slovenije, TURISTIČKA ZAJEDNICA ISTARSKE ŽUPANIJE, LABIN ART EXPRESS XXI, TURISTIČNA ZVEZA SLOVENIJE
MINE TOUR project addresses the challenge of unexploited mining heritage potential in the marginal areas of the PA, more precisely, it focuses on the natural site of the Sitarjevec mine in Litija and the mining cultural monument “Šoht” (i.e. mine tower) in Labin. Both sites are in poor condition and are lacking a cross-border promotion and cooperation between the national and cross-border actors. There is a need for improved knowledge on sustainable tourism principles of all tourism stakeholders as well as a need for a better heritage management. The project’s objective is to establish an active mining heritage conservation through the development of new sustainable cross-border tourist products. The change is expected to be reflected in improved accessibility and recognition of the mines, an improved experiencing of heritage, an increased number of on-site visits and an improved site attractiveness. The sites will be valorised with contents enabling a high-quality experience and at the same time, their preservation for future generations will be provided for. The direct effects, linked to the mining heritage, will be: a cross-border sustainable tourist product; the visits to the mining sites (i.e. monuments); the inclusion of sustainable tourism stakeholders in training programmes and two small-scale investments made in the preservation of the mining heritage. The benefits will be enjoyed by tourists who will be offered a rich experience; the attractiveness of the hinterland will increase; a development of entrepreneurship will follow, providing employment opportunities to the local people; stakeholders in tourism will gain new competences. Through the bottom-up approach, the project will connect both the sites (i.e. monuments), the public and private tourism stakeholders as well as both local economies and local communities united by the same mining history, into one unique tourist product. In this manner, we will consolidate the sustainable tourism as the driving force of development in the PA. The cross-border approach is required for a unified preservation of sources whereas through the cross-border marketing and promotion, we will register a higher number of visitors of the mining heritage pooled into a new tourist product. The following will be elaborated: a new visitors’ management plan, a new cross-border marketing model, a training programme and a tourist guide for the promotion of the mining heritage.
