Amazon of Europe Interregional Business Ecosystem
About this good practice
Amazon of Europe (AoE) Interregional Business Ecosystem is an ecosystem of tourism SMEs in the Amazon of Europe destination and other biosphere reserves. AoE is a sustainable cross-border tourism destination, in charge of preserving the natural and cultural heritage spanning across border regions of Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia, along three rivers (Mura, Drava and Danube), linked to the 1st 5-country Transnational Biosphere Reserve in the world (TBR MDD) and expended to other biosphere reserves in regions of Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Romania.
AoE Business Ecosystem consists of:
• AoE Booking Center - proposed touristic products that can be arranged are cycling (AoE Bike Trail), authentic experiences (culinary, historical, natural- AoE Amazing Moments) and river trekking (Mura-Drava-Danube- AoE River Journey), SMEs have the opportunity to be the part of AoE Booking Center and offer their services like accommodation, catering, tourguides, transport, bicycle rental, servicing etc;
• AoE Hub - online networking platform to promote collaboration and create opportunities for cooperation between tourism SMEs in the AoE area and other biosphere reserves (6 SMEs from KKC are included in Hub);
• AoE Academy - capacity building programme for digital transformation of tourism SMEs in the AoE destination and other biosphere reserves;
• Public call SMARTER AOE for tourism SMEs to receive financial support for digital transformation (1 SMEs from KKC received grant).
Resources needed
AoE Interregional Business Ecosystem has been developed under 2 EU projects, Amazing AoE – Responsible Green Destination Amazon of Europe (total value: 2.4 mil. EUR) and Smarter AoE (total value: 1.27 mil EUR, 390.000 EUR went for financial support to 3rd party beneficiaries) with 3 people.
Evidence of success
In the area of AoE Interregional Business Ecosystem is present about 200 SMEs which are included in providing some type of tourist offer (accommodation, catering, tourguides, transport, bicycle rental and servicing etc.) of which approximately 50 of them are included in AoE Booking Center, 150 in AoE Hub, 130 of them was the part of AoE Academy and 122 receive financial support for digital transformation.
Potential for learning or transfer
AoE Interregional Business Ecosystem shows how joint cooperation can connect several countries, develop innovative and sustainable tourism destination including small tourism services providers (SMEs), raise the level of cooperation, digital skills, and innovation prospects.
Through the project Amazing AoE public bodies established AoE sustainable tourist destination which was the background for creating AoE Interregional Business Ecosystem. Business support is provided to SMEs through mutual networking, education, digitalization and financial support which helps them to create tourism products with higher added value. Each tool for helping SMEs within the business ecosystem (AoE Booking Center, AoE Hub, AoE Academy, financial support) has criteria that each SME needs to fulfill in order to become part of that ecosystem. The establishment of such AoE business ecosystem methodology can be transferred and be an inspiration to other regions.
Further information
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