SUSTOUR Alliance – Sustainable Cross-Border Tourism Development and Cultural Alliance – Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Interreg VI-A

SUSTOUR Alliance – Sustainable Cross-Border Tourism Development and Cultural Alliance

Acronym: SUSTOUR Alliance
Start Date: 29/06/2026
End Date: 28/06/2028
Call: 1ST CALL_CALL FOR COMMON PROJECT PROPOSALS - STAGE B
Type: Ordinary
Website: https://www.greece-bulgaria.eu/project/sustour-alliance/

Priority

PRIORITY 3 - A more Inclusive Greece-Bulgaria Cross Border Territory

Policy Objective

04 - A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

Specific Objective

RSO4.6. Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation

Intervention Field

165. Protection, development and promotion of public tourism assets and tourism services

Budget

Total:
1.641.531,02€ERDF:
1.313.224,82€National Funds:
328.306,20€Private Funds:
0,00€

Partnership

	Type	Country	Location of Activities
MUNICIPALITY OF MINERALNI BANI	National / Regional / Local Authority	Bulgaria	BG422 - Haskovo
FOUNDATION OF THE MUSEUM OF THE MACEDONIAN STRUGGLE & THE MODERN HISTORY OF MACEDONIA	NGO / Non-Profit Organization	Greece	EL522 - Thessaloniki
MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION AUTHORITY TECHNOPOLIS THESSALONIKIS SA	Private	Greece	EL522 - Thessaloniki

Project Description

Summary

SUSTOUR Alliance is a cross-border initiative promoting sustainable tourism, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation between Bulgaria and Greece.

Building on the region’s shared cultural, historical, and natural heritage, the project creates a common sustainable tourism model that strengthens cooperation between Mineralni Bani and Thessaloniki, increases visitor mobility, and enhances the visibility of the region’s unique cultural and historical assets. The project addresses challenges such as limited cooperation between destinations, low cross-border tourist flows, and the underutilization of tourism resources. Through joint actions, the partners work to improve the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion, and social innovation, while promoting environmentally responsible tourism practices.

A key achievement is the creation of two modern shared tourist spaces in Mineralni Bani (BG) and Thessaloniki (GR), offering accessible tourism services and innovative cultural heritage experiences. The project also develops a joint sustainable tourism product and supports local tourism stakeholders through specialised training, educational materials, digital tools, and cross-border forums that promote the exchange of knowledge and good practices.

Expected Results

The SUSTOUR Alliance project delivers significant results supporting sustainable tourism and cross-border cooperation between Greece and Bulgaria. Key achievements include:

Creation of a joint sustainable tourism product that highlights the shared cultural and historical heritage of the cross-border region.
Establishment and operation of two fully equipped shared tourist spaces (one per country), providing accessible and sustainable tourism services.
Improvement of accessibility and support for sustainable tourism through the creation of new jobs.
Training sessions for participants from various target groups to strengthen local capacities in sustainable tourism.
Development of educational and electronic resources for tourism stakeholders, including eight training modules on environmental and social sustainability and specific material for tourism SMEs.
Development of an Action Plan for tourism development, a Quality Assurance Strategy, and an Evaluation Study to support long-term sustainability and replication of project results.
Organisation of cross-border forums to present the tourism potential of the project pilot actions and the opportunities to transfer good sustainable tourism practices
Organisation of workshops, green schools, and policy events for the exchange and transfer of knowledge on sustainable tourism practices and policies/regulations, with community participation.
Production of promotional materials, media publications, videos, press conferences, and communication activities to increase the visibility of the project and the tourism destinations involved.

By fostering cooperation, enhancing tourism services, and promoting sustainable development, the project contributes to the long-term competitiveness and attractiveness of the Greece–Bulgaria cross-border region.

Expected Outcomes

The project will deliver tangible and intangible outputs, enhancing infrastructure, promoting inclusive tourism, and strengthening collaboration between BG&GR through educational and innovative tools.

Modernised and Accessible Tourism Infrastructure: Two fully operational multifunctional shared spaces (one per country) will serve as tourist information centres, cultural hubs, and interactive exhibition spaces.
Enhanced accessibility will ensure inclusivity for visitors with disabilities.
High-tech equipment will enrich visitors’ engagement with cultural and historical heritage.
Capacity-Building and Educational Tools on sustainable tourism practices, strategic planning, accessibility and AI tools will promote cultural awareness and sustainable tourism.
The joint CB sustainable tourism action plan will ensure long-term impact beyond the project’s duration.
Joint marketing materials will promote the tourism potential of both regions.
BG-GR forums and networking events will facilitate knowledge exchange and foster partnerships.

The outputs directly align with the Programme’s priorities by:
– Strengthening CB tourism networks through joint infrastructure and digital tools.
– Enhancing cultural heritage preservation via interactive and inclusive visitor experiences.
– Promoting economic and social cohesion by upskilling local stakeholders and encouraging sustainable tourism practices.

The project will benefit a diverse range of stakeholders, incl.: Tourists & Visitors; Local Communities; SMEs & Tourism Operators; Municipalities & Public Authorities; Educational Institutions & NGOs; Persons with Disabilities.

Location of Activities

News

Events

Deliverables

No Deliverables for that Project

Distinctions

Multimedia

Social Media

Keywords

MIS 6010696 , sustainable tourism, cultural exchange, historical, cultural, natural heritage, sustainable tourism model