The works are carried out as part of the EU project "Active Tourism meets Advanced Technology in Cross-Border Area - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.", the total value of which is EUR 1,245,215.36 or HRK 9,339,115.00, and 85 percent is co-financed from of the European Fund for Regional Development, i.e. from the Cross-Border Cooperation Program INTERREG V-A Hungary - Croatia 2014-2020. The partners from Croatia are the Varaždin County as the leading partner and the Varaždin County Tourist Board, while the Hungarian partners are the Municipality of Csurgó and the University of Pannonia, Nagykanizsa Campus.
As part of the project, two visitor centers will be established, one in Varaždin County and the other in Csurgó Municipality in Hungary.
- As you know, the Palace of Varaždin County is one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings located in the center of the city of Varaždin. We recently celebrated the 250th anniversary of its construction, and soon it will gain added value in terms of tourism. The basement under this building will be reconstructed and repurposed for tourism through the EU project, into a visitor center that will be modernly equipped. The value of the reconstruction n of our center is estimated at around HRK 6.3 million. Of this, HRK 4.3 million refers to contracted construction works. Currently, construction works are being carried out in the basement, and public procurement for software and hardware support for the equipment will follow. We believe that visitors will be happy to visit our visitor center, where the historical, cultural and natural heritage of Varaždin County will be presented in a virtual form - said Deputy Prefect Silvija Zagorec.
The European Union is financing the project with 85 percent, while the rest will be provided by the County of Varaždin until the financial structure is closed.
Encouraging active protection of heritage is the main goal of the project "Active Tourism meets Advanced Technology in Cross-Border Area - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.", noted the head of the Administrative Department for Economy and European Affairs, Darko Majhen.
- The goals of the project are to integrate the heritage of the cross-border area through the development of a common cross-border tourist attraction, then to develop new tourist concepts with a high proportion of information and communication technologies, which are based on the heritage of the cross-border area. Also, the goal is to increase the awareness of target groups in the cross-border area about the economic, social and touristic value of heritage. In addition to visitor centers in Varaždin County and Csurgó Municipality, the main tourist product that will be established by this project is a new application for smart devices, which will redirect visitors from the centers to rural locations live throughout this cross-border area - said the head of the Administrative Department for Economy and European Affairs Darko Majhen.
Director of the Varaždin County Tourist Board, Goran Mališ, pointed out that the visitor center is exactly what Varaždin County lacks.
- With this, we will enrich the tourist offer and extend the season, because tourists, as well as all residents of Varaždin County, will be able to learn about the natural beauties and sights throughout the year. In the visitor center, we will bring an overview of the best and most beautiful things that can be seen in Varaždin County, and all of this will be accompanied by modern technology, the creation of "virtual reality". Everything that can no longer be seen and visited, such as, for example, the volcano in Gaveznica that was active 22 million years ago, or interesting things from the time of the Neanderthals in the Vindija cave, will be brought to life and presented using special projectors and holograms. It is important for us to encourage visitors to, after their first visit to the center, start exploring the beauties of Varaždin County on their own - said Goran Mališ.
