Project

Amazon of Europe BT HU-HR

The lower course of the Mura and Drava rivers, with adjacent sections of the Danube River, flowing through Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia and Serbia form one of the most beautiful and pristine riverine landscapes in Europe. They are a treasure-trove of biodiversity, surrounded by rich cultural heritage and welcoming people – a perfect setting for a cycling adventure.

The area became the first five-country UNESCO Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube. To offer a sustainable way of experiencing almost 1,000,000 hectares of highly valuable natural and cultural landscapes, the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail project was started.
The AoE Bike Trail is the first project connecting five countries in developing a model for the sustainable economic development of the region, preserving natural and cultural heritage. Visitors cycle through stunning natural landscapes carved by the three rivers, discover rich cultural heritage.
AoE Bike Trail is a transnational long-distance cycling tourism brand and product, offering a unique opportunity for cycling and connects 5 countries: Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia. AoE Bike Trail runs along the rivers Mura, Drava and Danube and is split into two routes: North Route (550 km) and South Route (700 km).

The partnership was established to ensure that the relevant organizations cover the whole area of AoE Bike Trail Hungary-Croatia. The project’s main activity is tourism infrastructure development, implemented in eight counties (3 Hungarian and 5 Croatian) included in the UNESCO 5-country Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube (TBD MDD).

The general objective of the project is:

Improve the quality of tourism attractions and services of the AoE Bike Trail in the Hungary-Croatia cross-border area in order to provide attractive, high-quality service for visitors, encouraging them to spend more time in the region. 

Specific objectives:

  • to jointly develop tourism attractions enhancing the relevant tourism infrastructure of the AoE Bike Trail by enhancing its effectiveness and raising its service quality in the Hungary-Croatia border area;

  • better integration of the tourism attractions and services of the Hungarian-Croatian sections of AoE Bike Trail into the transnational long-distance cycling tourism brand.

Expected results:

  • joint development of the related tourism infrastructure and services of AoE Bike Trail in the Hungary-Croatia bordering area; high-quality services to international visitors

  • joint programmes, marketing and creative actions for raising the visibility of AoE Bike Trail for improving the common knowledge of the local service providers on the values and assets of the Mura-Drava-Danube biosphere reserve.

  • collaboration network of key stakeholders along the AoE Bike Trail of Hungary and Croatia


Cross border impact:

  • The project builds on the AoE network and the good partnership of the beneficiaries; which partnership connection will be strengthened with the successful project implementation.

  • The cross-border cultural network of Hungary and Croatia will be improved.

  • The Hungarian and Croatian local communities can preserve together natural and cultural heritage more effectively.

  • The transnational content development activity and the coordinated marketing activity can be more effective and better integrating the tourism attractions and services of the Hungarian-Croatian sections of AoE Bike Trail into the transnational long-distance cycling tourism brand.

The project aims to achieve a greater development impact on the cross-border area, especially in the field of tourism and preservation of natural and cultural heritage by linking local communities, service providers and the local population. The project will develop quality tourism products in the border area, and this will increase the influx of Central and Western European tourists with significant market demand, which will further stimulate development of tourism supply and small local SMEs.
In the long run, the project is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including an increase in income from tourism through the conversion of 1-day arrivals into multiple-day stays, as well as new tourism and connected services. The coordinated investments in the area should contribute to reducing negative trends in terms of migrations as well.

Policy objective: Inclusive border region

Project period: 1 February 2025 – 31 July 2028 (42 months)

Total budget: 4 000 000,02 EUR

EU co-financing: 3 200 000,00 EUR

Project ID: HUHR/2405/Amazon/4.6/001

The project is co-financed by the Hungarian State.

Project website: https://visitaoe.com/

Partners: Pannon EGTC – Lead Partner, Hungary
CROST Nonprofit Ltd., Hungary
Somogy County Government, Hungary
Hungarian Public Roads, Hungary
Zala County Self-Government, Hungary
Varaždin County, Croatia
Tourism Board of Međimurje County, Croatia
Koprivnica Križevci County, Croatia
Municipality of Molve, Croatia
Public Institution for the management of protected parts of nature and ecological network of Virovitica Podravina County, Croatia
Green Osijek, Croatia
Osijek Cultural Center, Croatia