Development of accessible tourism routes

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Estonia-Latvia

Date of latest update: 2025-12-10

Description

Description (EN):

Nature&culture heritage sites are national values contributing to the quality of life. They are also important source for education&recreation. But is it for all? Getting outdoors can be challenging - due to path being too narrow, too steep, rocky & due to lack of access to info&services. It affects not just those with disability, but also parents with children, seniors, in fact, the largest part of the population. EE&LV are amongst the top 10 countries in the world with the highest % of seniors. The disability rate in both countries has overcome 10% & increases every year. According to Eurostat, out of 70 million people with disabilities, the largest part report lack of access to recreation, incl. tourism. Adapting environment&services to all is part of sustainable development concept & important both from social, as well as economic perspective. It is a common challenge of the Est-Lat programme area, which requires a cross-border approach to provide jointly adapted accessible cross-border info, environment&services. The Project objective is to expand&add value to the joint cross-border tourism product Mapeirons.eu, which embraces the chain of accessible nature tourism destinations in EE&LV. The approach is to add to Mapeirons.eu new trails, cultural heritage sites, other interest objects, catering&accommodation services in regions (Vidzeme, South Estonia) not covered so far & expand it to provide travellers, incl. disabled, with complete visiting experience through developing 30 safe, reliable, tested, accessible 1-3 day routes, incl. cross-border, overall in all eligible programme regions. Cross-border approach is needed to develop&ensure unified minimum access standard. The project originality lies in delivering a single, reliable, comprehensive EE-LV cross-border accessible tourism info source for all travellers’ groups - mapeirons.eu (in EST - www.looduseleligi.ee), containing accessible 1-3 day route options, branded with “Disability friendly” quality sign.

Actual Achievements (EN):

During period 1, as part of general project management: Partners met for the first project meeting - kick-off on 26-27 October 2023 in Šlokenbeka (Tukums County), hold two online Zoom sessions on project progress and reporting (28.11.23., 26.01.24.) and a number of local working group meetings. Some pf the partners also participated at Est-Lat programme Zoom on accessibility and social innovations in tourism (06.11.23.) and Programme Comunication seminar (01.12.23.) in Parnu, attended the seminar organised by Accessible Hiking Trails’ project (07.11.23.) and participated in the experience exchange visit to Spain (01.-05.11.23.) and the kick-off meeting (.07.-08.12.23.) organised by the Green Railway II project. LP and PP2 (VPR) organised the first procurement on services of an accessibility expert. LP already signed a contract with NGO Apeirons, which has started providing accessibility expertise for the LP and Kurzeme sites for the whole project duration. PP2 were finishing the procurement process. Together with PP5 (SEDMO), LP drafted the Project Communication Strategy and Marketing Plan. PP5 in cooperation with partners also created the project FB profile named: Development of Accessible Tourism Routes project, which is being administered by all partners. All partners created project sub-section in their webpages and posted regular updates on project progress on FB (can be selected using tabs #accessroutes, #interreg, #estlat) and websites. LP project section is available: In LV: https://www.kurzemesregions.lv/projekti/turisms/access-routes/); In Eng: https://www.kurzemesregions.lv/en/projects/tourism/access-routes/. As part of WP1, partners have started Activity 1.1. and 1.2. Under Activity 1.1, in cooperation with municipalities tourism specialists PP2 prepared list of short nature trails to be inspected in Vidzeme. Internal meetings betweeen the EE partners to coordinate the trails and visiting sites to be inspected took place (03.11.2024 in Tartu, online meeting 04.01.2024). Under Activity 1 2., in close cooperation and joint work between the LP, NGO Apeirons and PP3 (EPIK), best practice guidelines for tourism and cultural heritage object administrators and service providers had been developed, together with detailed check-lists for all project partners which will be used while carrying out on-site inspections of objects and services (for their inclusion on mapeirons.eu and the project routes). Material on the best practice guidelines will further be designed in LV, EE and ENG and uploaded on mapeirons.eu, as well as printed for distribution during inspection visits. As part of WP2, partners started Activities 2.1. and 2.2. Under 2.1.: Partners jointly developed the Agenda for the experience exchange visit of Latvians to Estonia (15-16 Febr. 2024), jointly with PP3 had started to organise the experience exchange visit to Sweden (4-8 March 2024) and jointly with PP2, PP3 and PP4 started to organise the experience exchange visit of Estonians to Latvia (18-19 April 2024). List of participants for the experience exchange visit of Latvians to Estonia (15-16 Febr. 2024) had been compiled too. Under 2.2.: on 24 Jan. 2024 the LP hold an open local forum in Saldus (23 participants) to discuss about acessibility at cultural heritage sites and creative tactile solutions for project sites in Kurzeme. PP4 also started to work on the planning of its 1st forum tol take place on14.02.24. During period 2, as part of general project management, KPR organized the 2nd project management meeting online through Zoom on 24 May 2024 with all project partners participating and organised 2 on-site project meetings during experience exchange visits to Estonia and Sweden to discuss project progress and agree on further activities. Project Leader also presented the best practice examples from the partners’ experience exchange visit to Sweden at the 14 March 2024 workshop in Ādaži organised by the Riga Planning Region as part of the Accessible Hiking Trails project. All partners posted regular updates on project progress on FB project profile "Development of accessible tourism routes" and their own organisation profiles (can be selected using tabs #accessroutes, #interreg, #estlat) and websites. As part of WP1, partners: - continued Activities1.1. and 1 2. Based on the developed best practice guidelines for tourism and cultural heritage object administrators and service providers, the KPR attracted a company and together with partners started designing the best practice accessibility guidelines to be further distributed among the stakeholders. The final version shall be produced in Period 3. Partners organised their first accessibility inspection round-trips in cooperation with NGOs and local TICs, compiled a number of recommendations for the sites inspected to improve accessibility and started uploading accessible and partly accessible sites on mapeirons.eu. - started Activity 1.3. KPR and VPR worked out detailed technical specifications for Kurzeme and Vidzeme tactiles, as well as construction works in Kurzeme (Ventspils B;ušnieki beach) in close cooperation with local municipalities, NGO Apeirons and partners and based on those started their public procurement procedures. As part of WP2, partners completed Activity 2.1. and continued 2.2. Under 2.1.: experience exchange visit of Latvians took place in Estonia (15-16 Febr. 2024), experience exchange visit of project partners and 2 representatives from Kurzeme municipalities took place in Sweden (4-8 March 2024) and experience exchange visit of Estonians took place in Latvia (18-19 April 2024). Under 2.2.: along with PP4 DCVC and PP2 started detailed discussions on the organisation of the hackathon in Rouge in October 2024 (on-site discussions during experience exchange visit to Estonia and Zoom meeting on 29 May 2024). VPR organised its open forum in Skangaļi manor and DCVC - 3 local forums in Voru County. During period 3, as part of general project management, partners organized/participated at several project management meetings online through Zoom to coordinate the overall progress of the project, held an on-site project management meeting in Alūksne on 21-22 August 2024 and 2 online Zoom trainings on data input on mapeirons.eu for EE side. Project Leader also participated in the panel discussion on nature-friendly and accessible tourism as part of the Interreg Cooperation Day 2024 on 19 September n Mežaparks, Riga. All partners posted regular updates on project progress on FB project profile "Development of accessible tourism routes" & their own accounts (can be selected using tabs #accessroutes, #interreg, #estlat) and website. As part of WP1: - Partners continued Activities 1.1. and 1.2 by finishing the Best practice accessibility guidelines in tourism and culture (published on mapeirons.eu in LV, EE, ENG and on partners own websites). Organised many accessibility inspections & uploaded on mapeirons.eu the sites which were acknowledged accessible or partly accessible after inspections. - LP continued Activity 1.3 by contracting suppliers for Kurzeme tactiles & company for the construction of access. beach in Ventspils + held 1st site testing & bought a floating wheelchair. PP2 launched piblic procurement on tactiles. - started Activity 1.5 by developing 7 accessible routes in Kurzeme region & publishing them on mapeirons.eu and starting to work on development of cross-border routes. As part of WP2: - continued Activity 2.2. on organisation of hackathon in Rouge in 10.-12.10.24 (selection of teams, preparing idea descriptions & idea presentations & hackathon intro presentation for Kurzeme participants (online Zoom meeting)). As part of WP3: - partners started discussions on developing the concept for the first marketing campaign expected in the last quarter 2024. During period 4, as part of general project management, partners organized several project management meetings online through Zoom to coordinate the overall progress of the project, held an on-site project management meeting in Voru on 29-30 January 2025 and 1 additional online Zoom training on data cross-check in mapeirons.eu. LP also participated in the: - Forum "Accessibility of Cultural Heritage - Myths and Reality" held on 5 November 2024 at the National Library of Latvia with presentation on the Accessibility of Cultural heritage in Kurzeme and presented the Best practice accessibility guidelines in tourism and culture developed by the Project; - "Annual award for supporting people with disabilities" ceremony organised by NGO Apeirons, Ombudsman and the National Library of Latvia, held in Riga on 4 December 2024, where the KPR received the award in the category "Accessibility initiatives", i.a. as part of the "Access Routes" project for the construction of accessible beach in Venstpils, comprehensive accessibility inspections and 7 local access routes developed so far. Partners posted regular updates on project progress on FB project profile "Development of accessible tourism routes" & partners' own profiles (can be selected using tabs #accessroutes, #interreg, #estlat), as well as partners' and mapeirons websites. As part of WP1, partners: - continued Activity 1.1. and 1.2 by organising few additional accessibility inspection round-trips in cooperation with accessibility experts and local municipalities & uploaded on mapeirons.eu the sites which were acknowledged accessible or partly accessible after inspection. - continued Activity 1.3 by installing Kurzeme tactiles at 4 Project investment sites & finished the construction of access. beach in Ventspils; working on production of Vidzeme tactiles and planning of EE tactiles. - started Activity 1.4 by developing concepts for nature and museum interpretation senses' kits. - continued Activity 1.5 by developing additional accessible local routes. As part of WP2: - continued Activity 2.2. by participating in the international hackathon in Rouge on 10.-12.10.24 (the Project particiated with 3 teams, i.a. 1 team from Kurzeme, 1 from Vidzeme and 1 international, involving project partners) and local forum in Voru on 29.01.25. As part of WP3: - hold the 1st marketing campaign lead by PP5 over 13-30 December 2024. During period 5, as part of general project management, partners organized several project management meetings online through Zoom to coordinate the overall progress of the project and posted regular updates on project progress on FB project profile "Development of accessible tourism routes" & partners profile (can be selected using tabs #accessroutes, #interreg, #estlat), as well as partners and mapeirons websites. As part of WP1, partners continued: - Activity 1.1 and 1.2 by organising additional accessibility inspections and ammending info on mapeirons.eu. - Activity 1.3 by LP contracting a service provider for Grobiņa tactile solution, as well as installation of signs in Usma, Saldus, Ventspils and a binocular in Usma; and recorded 3 audios (each in LV, ENG) for Ciecere path tactile painting reproductions in Saldus, incl. braille text for QR codes, PP2 continuing work on Vidzeme tactiles and PP3 and PP4 working on procurement specifications for EE tactiles. - Activity 1.4 by LP launching public procurement and signing contracts for the production of the Travelling museum interpretation senses' kits in coordination with PP2 and by PP3 and PP4 developing the nature interpretation kit technical specifications. - Activity 1.5. by working on the development of EE-LV cross-border routes and local EE routes. As part of WP2: - carried out organizational tasks to hold international forum in Voru County (Rouge), Activity 2.1 (held in Period 6). As part of WP3: - carried out organizational tasks to hold the first Accessibility Days' event in Tartu, Activity 3.3 (held in Period 6). - started Activity 3.2. by holding first accessibility inspections in Riga & Pieriga and West-Estonia and uploading info on mapeirons.

Project outputs: Pilot on accessible routes(EN)
Pilot on senses' tools(EN)
Solution on senses' tools(EN)
Cooperating partners(EN)
Method on the development of an accessible route(EN)

Thematic information

Tourism

Priority: (VI-A_EE-Lv_4) More accessible and sustainable cross-border tourism experience

Priority specific objective: RSO4.6. Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO4 A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

Type of intervention: 165 Protection, development and promotion of public tourism assets and tourism services

Partners (5)

Lead Partner: Kurzemes plānošanas reģions

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 950641614

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 90002183562

Address: Avotu, LV-3801 Saldus, Latvia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.kurzemesregions.lv

Total budget: EUR 300 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 240 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 60 000.00

Contractors:

Name: Jāņa sēta Ltd.
VAT registration or tax identification number: LV40003426448
Name: SIA Amberfarm
VAT registration or tax identification number: 50103362291
Name: Aģentūra Raugs SIA
VAT registration or tax identification number: 40003976087
Name: PinkOrange SIA
VAT registration or tax identification number: 40203318071
Name: SIA "PinkOragnge"
VAT registration or tax identification number: 40203318071
Name: SIA "Amberfarm"
VAT registration or tax identification number: 50103362291
Name: Biedrība "SocIntegra"
VAT registration or tax identification number: 40008169366
Name: SIA “MARBELLA RN Group”
VAT registration or tax identification number: 41203038341
Name: NGO Apeirons
VAT registration or tax identification number: Not a VAT payer

SA Tartumaa Turism

Name: SA Tartumaa Turism

Department: Lõuna-Eesti DMO

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 949857757

Partner’s ID if not PIC: EE100694837

Address: Raekoja plats, 51003 Tartu, Estonia

Department address: Raekoja plats, 51003 Tartu, Estonia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.visitsouthestonia.com

Total budget: EUR 165 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 132 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 33 000.00

SA Võrumaa Arenduskeskus

Name: SA Võrumaa Arenduskeskus

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 897863817

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 90013972

Address: JÜRI, 65620 Võru, Estonia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.vorumaa.ee

Total budget: EUR 220 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 176 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 44 000.00

Eesti Puuetega Inimeste Koda

Name: Eesti Puuetega Inimeste Koda

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 80014660

Address: Toompuiestee, 10137 Tallinn, Estonia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.epikoda.ee

Total budget: EUR 218 817.50

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 175 054.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 43 763.50

Vidzemes plānošanas reģions

Name: Vidzemes plānošanas reģions

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 986260596

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 90002180246

Address: Bērzaines, LV-41001 Cēsis, Latvia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.vidzeme.lv

Total budget: EUR 218 400.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 174 720.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 43 680.00

Contractors:

Name: APEIRONS
VAT registration or tax identification number: -
Name: SIA "PinkOrange"
VAT registration or tax identification number: 40203318071

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Tartu County Tourism Foundation

Development of accessible tourism routes

Partners and Projects info

Development Centre of Võru County

Development of accessible tourism routes

Partners and Projects info

Estonian Chamber of People with Disabilities

Development of accessible tourism routes

Partners and Projects info

Vidzeme Planning Region

Development of accessible tourism routes

Partners and Projects info

Kurzeme Planning Region

Development of accessible tourism routes

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Operation of strategic importance (OSI) or above EUR 5 million

Project name (EN): Development of accessible tourism routes

Project acronym: Access Routes

Project ID: EE-LV00043

Project start date: 2023-10-01

Project end date: 2026-03-31

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

CB786 Nature access to all (NatAc) (EN) | Past EU project, finished on 2021. Synergy: the existing project builds upon and makes use of the NatAc project results described in above sections in details. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 122 217.50

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 897 774.00

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 897 774.00. Co-financing rate, 80.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Infrastructure investments:

I1.1 - Tactiles in Kurzeme - EUR 109 071.54 - country: Latvija (LV), town: , street: , , postal_code: , ,
I1.2 - Tactiles in Vidzeme - EUR 75 640.00 - country: , town: , street: , , postal_code: , ,
I1.3 - Tactiles in Võru County - EUR 76 000.00 - country: , town: , street: , , postal_code: , ,
I1.4 - Tactiles in South-Estonia - EUR 34 000.00 - country: , town: , street: , , postal_code: , ,

Deliverables:

Improved natural or cultural heritage sites in Kurzeme
Improved natural or cultural heritage sites in Vidzeme
Improved natural or cultural heritage sites in Voru County
Improved natural or cultural heritage sites in South Estonia
The upgraded cross-border tourism product: www.mapeirons.eu (in EST - www.looduseleligi.ee)

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyBalticSeaRegion The project contributes to the EUSBSR objective "Connecting the region" & sub-objective "Connecting people in the region", policy area (PA) Tourism:
Action 1 - transnational tourism development in remote&rural areas and Action 3 - protection & sustainable utilisation of cultural heritage & natural resources in tourism destinations.
The EUBSR Action Plan under PA Tourism Action 1 supports, i.a., improving accessibility, connectivity, visibility & the attractiveness iof remote areas. Action 3 supports, i.a., improving the touristic infrastructure with regard to climate protection & sustainable mobility, accessibility & connectivity in an ecological way.
The project will directly benefit the identified support fiels by improving accessibility to touristic infrastructure at 21 selected site in EE&LV for all travellers' groups, incl. families with children, seniors, visually impaired, people with hearing impairment and/or mental disorders, as well as further developing the chain of accessible tourism destinations to cover more regions (Vidzeme, South-Estonia) and offer wider tourism options by developing more than 30 comprehensive accessible 1-3 day routes, incl. cross-border, in all eligible Est-lat programme regions, incl. rural &remote areas (e.g. EE islands).

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO87) Organisations cooperating across borders: 5.0

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSBSR

EUSBSR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSBSR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Estonia-Latvia

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-08-15

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

53 / 53 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

240 / 240 (100%)

Notes on the data

Languages

Contact Form

Development of accessible tourism routes

Description

Thematic information

Partners (5)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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