AGORA 2.0 approved

The Institute of Geography and Geology of Greifswald University succeeded to raise financial support of 2,3 mill Euro for the tourism project AGORA 2.0 which deals with common identity of the Baltic Sea Region. The Kick-off Meeting took place in Greifswald on 11-13 February 2010. Participants came from 10 countries around the Baltic Sea. UBC Commission on Tourism is an associated partner in this project.

The project was approved in the second call of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007- 2013 (follow-up of the former INTERREG III B Programme). It aims at developing and improving a common identity of the Baltic Sea Region, basing on its rich potentials of natural and cultural heritage. Theterm "heritage" is here consciously meant in a wider sense, not limited by the extent of UNESCO's world heritage list.

One of the work packages addresses the market research to support small and medium-sized tourism enterprises. It is intended to enable free access to market data which are well prepared and presented accordingly. Another work package aims at systematic search, structuring and web-based data gathering of identity forming potentials, as well as a selection of appropriate data for drafting an identity profile. Five pilot project groups plan to develop innovative tourism products.The main focus is on concrete cultural and natural treasures of the Baltic Sea Region: castles, red-brick-gothic, forests, shifting sand dunes and stones. In each case partners from 2-4 countries work together, building up on experiences from former projects.

As AGORA 2.0 meets the criteria for a sustainable development - it was approved as a Baltic 21 Lighthouse project. It contributes to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, especially to the Part on Tour ism. Again, the Institute of Geography and Geology of Greifswald's University takes over the function as a lead partner for a period of 3 years. Just like its forerunner, the project was initiated and developed by Prof. Wilhelm Stein- grube. All in all, there are 24 partners involved in the project.