Hauptplatz 7
A-9135 Bad Eisenkappel
From 23 to 26 March 2026, the Karawanken UNESCO Global Geopark hosted the Coordination Committee Meeting of the European Geoparks Network, within which the Danube GeoTour Plus Future Forum was successfully organised as the final strategic event of the Danube GeoTour Plus project, implemented under the INTERREG Danube Region Programme.
The Future Forum brought together project partners, associated strategic partners, representatives of the programme and EUSAIR structures, as well as national and regional stakeholders to present the main achievements of the project and discuss future cooperation among geoparks in the Danube region.
The event took place on both sides of the border, with the main venue in Kotlje, Municipality of Ravne na Koroškem, where participants reviewed the project results and took part in thematic workshops focused on the future development of sustainable geotourism.
During the forum, partners reflected on the progress made since the first Danube GeoTour project and highlighted the common challenges faced by geoparks in the region. Over the past decade, the participating geoparks have experienced population decline alongside a strong increase in visitor numbers. This creates new challenges in balancing tourism growth with local community involvement and sustainable visitor management.
The Danube GeoTour Plus project addresses these challenges through three main areas: strengthening community involvement, developing new geopark experiences, and improving sustainable visitor management tools. Partners presented examples of good practice in engaging vulnerable groups, creating new tourism experiences based on shared quality criteria, and testing innovative visitor monitoring solutions in protected areas.
An important part of the Future Forum were the interactive workshops, where participants exchanged experiences and discussed future solutions in four key areas: involving local communities, developing quality geopark experiences, innovative visitor monitoring, and strengthening long-term cooperation between Danube region geoparks.
These discussions confirmed the strong commitment of the participating geoparks to continue working together beyond the lifetime of the project. The Future Forum therefore marked an important milestone, laying the foundation for future cooperation and the continued development of sustainable geotourism in the Danube region.
By hosting this important international event, the Karawanken-Karavanke UNESCO Global Geopark once again demonstrated its active role in connecting European geoparks and contributing to innovative, sustainable approaches in tourism and regional development.
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