MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Poland-Denmark-Germany-Lithuania-Sweden (South Baltic)

Date of latest update: 2026-05-07

Description

Description (EN):

The South Baltic area (SBA) is a hotspot for coastal tourism. For many holiday guests but also for day visitors, maritime experiences in the more than 350 smaller harbours of the region are an essential part of their stay and a main motivation to visit the region. For example in the evenings, during bike trips, as bad weather alternative or as “recovery” from beach life, they appreciate to “inhale” authentic maritime life & atmosphere, e.g. by observing fishermen at work or watching boats & ships entering the harbours. However, it is more and more difficult to find such occasions in the SBA. With the decline of coastal fishery and short sea shipping, traditional commercial activities that generate maritime experiences naturally & “en passant” are diminishing or even vanishing from smaller harbours - and this process is set to continue in the next years. For retaining the successful profile of the SBA as a coastal destination with vivid & authentic maritime life, it will therefore be necessary to find new ways to supply visitors with genuine maritime experiences, and to renew the related “marketing narratives”. In particular the remaining commercial & fishery ports, abandoned harbours and leisure boat ports, most of which were fishery harbours before, have potentials to contribute to this. Many of these kind of ports are currently ongoing transformations that bring new activities & protagonists to the harbour areas (e.g. marinas in former fishing harbours, restaurants, apartments or saunas with harbour view, diving platforms for local youngsters). Thus, a “new harbour life” is emerging in the SBA. It creates new kinds of maritime experiences - which can be as appealing for land tourists as the traditional port activities. Using this potential for the renewal of the maritime destination profile of the SBA requires to open these places and the “new harbour life” to land tourists. At the same time, it is crucial to leave enough space for “genuine users” (e.g. leisure boaters) and the “real” harbour life of today (e.g. youngsters using diving boards at the basin). Because only if the “new harbour life” is carried by locals & “genuine users”, the authentic maritime atmosphere that tourists appreciate can be kept alive. Against this background, MariEx intends to turn smaller harbours into inclusive “Maritime Experience Points” (MEPs) for land tourists, and to launch a novel marketing approach around the “new harbour life” in the SBA. In this way, it will contributes to renewing the region´s maritime destination profile & reinforcing its attractiveness for visitors. This will be achieved by the following sets of activities: > WP 2 - MARIEX INNOVATOR COMMUNITY It gathers institutions from 5 countries and is the laboratory & catalyst for co-creating inclusive MEPs and new marketing approaches based on an intensive cross-border peer learning process. > WP 3 - PILOTING INCLUSIVE “MARITIME EXPERIENCE POINTS” Along with participatory planning process & targeted infrastructure measures, it will turn 4 pilot harbours with typical profiles for the SBA (Freest / DE, Hörte / SE, Darłowo / PL, Dreverna / LT) into inclusive MEPs that allow visitors to experience authentic “new harbour life”. > WP 4 - LAUNCHING A NEW MARKETING APPROACH AROUND “NEW HARBOUR LIFE”: On the basis of a common brand & new marketing approach around “new harbour life”, it launches a joint marketing campaign is implemented. > WP 5 - MULTI-STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE FOR RENEWAL OF SBA DESTINATION PROFILE It induces a wide dialogue on the subject across the entire SBA. “MariEx Toolbox & Helpdesk” are to advise potential followers on how to adapt the new approaches. MariEx, therefore, brings together municipalities, harbour operators & DMOs from all SBA countries (DE, DK, SE, PL, LT) to jointly tackle this common challenge for the SBA. Network organisations (UBC, ZMiGM, Ass. Klaipeda Region, Region Zealand) initiate SBA-wide stakeholder dialogue on the issue.

Thematic information

Coastal management and maritime issues Institutional cooperation and cooperation networks Tourism

Priority: (VI-A_SB_3) Attractive South Baltic - activate the tourist and cultural potential of South Baltic Area

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 (10)

Lead Partner: Tourism Association Vorpommern

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DE185675617

Address: Fischstrasse, 17489 Greifswald, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 387 504.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 310 003.20

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 77 500.80

The Association of Sea Cities and Municipalities

Name: The Association of Sea Cities and Municipalities

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 5830004188

Address: Wały Jagiellońskie, 80-853 Gdańsk, Poland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 137 190.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 109 752.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 27 438.00

Municipality of Darłowo

Name: Municipality of Darłowo

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 4990527500

Address: Plac Tadeusza Kościuszki, 76-150 Darłowo, Poland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Total budget: EUR 345 359.70

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 276 287.76

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 69 071.94

Municipality of Kröslin

Name: Municipality of Kröslin

Partner’s ID if not PIC: DE354035455

Address: Geschwister-Scholl-Weg, 17509 Lubmin Gemeinde Kröslin im Amt Lubmin, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Total budget: EUR 250 584.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 200 467.20

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 50 116.80

Administration of Klaipėda District Municipality

Name: Administration of Klaipėda District Municipality

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 188773688

Address: Klaipėdos g., LT-96130 Gargždai, Lithuania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Total budget: EUR 335 459.88

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 268 367.90

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 67 091.98

Union of the Baltic Cities

Name: Union of the Baltic Cities

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 5831066139

Address: Wały Jagiellońskie, 80-853 Gdańsk, Poland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 97 440.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 77 952.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 19 488.00

Association Klaipeda Region

Name: Association Klaipeda Region

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 302798913

Address: Tiltų str., 91249 Klaipėda, Lithuania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 63 840.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 51 072.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 12 768.00

Hörte Harbour Association

Name: Hörte Harbour Association

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 848 000 7478

Address: Kolonivägen, 27451 Skivarp, Sweden

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 308 217.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 246 573.60

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 61 643.40

VisitSydsjælland-Møn A/S

Name: VisitSydsjælland-Møn A/S

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 1020292225

Address: Algade, 4760 Vordingborg, Denmark

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 372 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 297 600.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 74 400.00

Administration of Klaipėda District Municipality

Name: Administration of Klaipėda District Municipality

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 188773688

Address: Klaipėdos g., LT-96130 Gargždai, Lithuania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Total budget: EUR 335 459.88

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 268 367.90

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 67 091.98

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Stowarzyszenie pn.: Związek Miast i Gmin Morskich

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Darłowo

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Kröslin

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

Administration of Klaipėda District Municipality

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

Union of the Baltic Cities

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

Association Klaipeda Region

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

Hörte Harbour Association

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

VisitSydsjælland-Møn A/S

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

Tourism Association Vorpommern

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Partners and Projects info

Administration of Klaipėda District Municipality

MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Project acronym: MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Project ID: STHB.03.01-IP.01-0015/23

Project start date: 2024-05-01

Project end date: 2027-04-30

Project status: ongoing

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 297 594.58

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 838 075.66

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

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 1 838 075.66. Co-financing rate, 80.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 001 - Enterprises supported (of which: micro, small, medium, large), Measurement unit:
RCO 077 - Number of cultural and tourism sites supported, Measurement unit:
RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Output Indicator:

ISO003 - Number of common actions promoting exchanges between professional actors, Measurement unit: actions

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO087) Organisations cooperating across borders: 36.0
(RCO077_Interreg) MAIN: Number of cultural and tourism sites supported: 4.0
(RCO084) Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects : 4.0
(RCO116) Jointly developed solutions: 2.0

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:
RCR 077 - Visitors of cultural and tourism sites supported, Measurement unit:

Delivered result indicator(s):

(RCR84) Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion: 36.0
(RCR077STHB) Visitors of cultural and tourism sites supported: 1600.0
(RCR104) Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations: 2.0

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

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Poland-Denmark-Germany-Lithuania-Sweden (South Baltic)

Latest month of project-partner-call data publication

2026-05

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

55 / 55 (100%)

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

408 / 408 (100%)

Notes on the data

There are discrepancies in this programme's financial data in keep.eu. Namely, in one or more cases, the sum of the project partners' budgets exceeds the total budget of the respective project. Interact is working with the Programme to correct those figures.

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MariEx - Creating new Maritime Experience Points & marketing narratives for land tourists to renew the maritime destination profile of the South Baltic area

Description

Thematic information

Partners (10)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

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

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