Strategic Frameworks on Sustainable Development & Tourism in the Carpathians Developed by Central Mountains
The Alps and Carpathians are important natural corridors that connect many central European countries. Unfortunately, cooperation across borders often lacks a joint vision in mountain areas.
To change this, the Central Mountains project designs and implements a joint strategy and regional action plans to create amongst others cross-border functional areas. Two recent publications, the Joint Strategy Report for community-led sustainable development of mountain areas in Central Europe with a special focus on participatory governance and the Action Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Carpathians, are concrete steps toward achieving better mountain governance.
The purpose of the Central Mountains project is to strengthen and improve governance models in mountain areas of Central Europe (the Alps, Carpathians and Sudetes), with particular emphasis on cross-border and transnational cooperation structures.
The Joint Strategy Report was developed in March 2024 by Eurac Research (Italy) as a product of collaborative efforts among all the project partners and the stakeholders’ networks. It is an analytical framework for assisting community-based initiatives in strengthening cross-border participatory governance processes.
The Action Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Carpathians is a strategic framework for reducing tourism’s environmental footprint, preserving cultural heritage, and enhancing local welfare through collaboration and participatory governance. It not only addresses the specific needs and challenges of the Carpathian region, but also contributes to broader goals of sustainable mountain development in Central Europe.
The project is ongoing and also includes pilot actions designed to test and demonstrate sustainable tourism practices. Learn more about the project, funded by Interreg Central Europe Programme.
