The Lower Murtal Biosphere Reserve extends over five municipalities in south-eastern Styria and, together with the areas along the Mura-Drava-Danube rivers in the neighboring countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia, forms the world’s only 5-country biosphere reserve. As part of the biosphere reserve camp on January 17, 2025, residents and designers from all disciplines (business, tourism, nature conservation, agriculture, politics, education, etc.) were invited to actively help shape the biosphere reserve. As a team from the Spirit of Regions agency, we used this opportunity to contribute our experience in the development of sustainable soft tourism and to gain content and inspiration for our Interreg project SAGE.
The purpose of the event for us in view of the sage project:
- whether there are previously unknown opportunities and programmes in these areas: culture and art; environment or nature and health
- cooperation possibilities with Slovenian partners
- good practices: how to create group experiences
- possibilities for eco-friendly travelling
- conditions of creation in nature and indoors
What was relevant for the SAGE project:
- When filling in the tourism questionnaire, the participants indicated cross-border cooperation. Cooperation with Slovenian partners is considered to be the most important.
- Classic health tourism (spas, etc.) was not prominent in the data evaluated. The focus on time spent in nature was more on recharging, quiet retreats.
- Focus on eco-friendly traveling forms.
- There was also little emphasis on the arts and the importance of museums, but there was a strong demand for specifically educational venues, of which visual education is integral and supportive part.
- Local speakers mostly talked about what the environment was like when they were young, this importance of the nostalgia, and the experiences of the seniors can be incorporated into our project.
What it can bring to the SAGE project:
The planned cycle bridge over the Mura in Straß (AUT) will create a connection to the springs of St. Benedikt and Negova (SLO). In combination with the cycle bridge in Apace, this enables a varied circular cycle route from/to Bad Radkersberg. The biosphere reserve thus becomes a central component of the Nature & Health Route in the SAGE project.
Use natural space as a precious backdrop for an affordable experience with an authentic sense of home. Remembering one’s own childhood creates trust and longing. The link to the theme of art & culture can be made through drawing and painting, but also through a reading in the biosphere reserve.
A zero-waste strategy for existing cultural and natural monuments means that great importance is attached to preserving what already exists. The current trend towards preserving our homeland and origins is helping to make nature conservation and soft tourism attractive to new target groups. We are getting to know our natural sites again and putting them back into value.
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