“GREEN AND MYSTICAL DANUBE STORYTELLING ROUTE – Transnational valorisation of natural and intangible cultural heritage for socio-economic development of rural areas in the Danube region” project has been financed by the INTERREG Danube Region Programme, First Call for Proposal, under the Priority 3, Objective 3.3. Socio-economic development through heritage, culture and tourism.

Mystical Danube will address several challenges and needs in the Danube Region related to the valorisation of natural and intangible cultural heritage as tourism asset and their contribution to regional economic development and social inclusion:

• High unemployment rate and social exclusion is recognisable in the rural and less visited areas of the Danube region, especially among different disadvantaged groups (youth, elderly, minorities, women and people with disabilities);
• Disparity in unemployment is also seen between western and eastern European countries and between EU countries and non-EU countries of the Danube region;
• Tourism as an important economic branch that hosts many employments is not evenly distributed within each country yet alone, region;
• Project region is rich in natural and intangible cultural heritage, this richness is especially seen in the rural and less visited areas through local stories, legends and knowledge originating from these rich and amazing natural sites and they are at major risk of being left out and/or forgotten.

The main project objective is to develop a coordinated joint transnational approach in the valorisation of natural and intangible cultural heritage as a tourism asset in rural and less visited areas in the DRP area. Transnational approach will be reached through joint cooperation between different stakeholders on local, regional and national levels, from all participating countries and in experience and knowledge exchange. We want to include local community, and especially the disadvantaged groups in creation of community-based tourism services that will be part of a new thematic route (the Green and Mystical Danube Storytelling Route) created within the project, as a social innovation. This innovative approach combines natural and intangible cultural heritage as a new tourism asset within the transnational context that will enhance local community employment and community development.