LLI-448 Development of forest trail in Latvia and Lithuania and expanding the Baltic coastal hiking route in Lithuania

Project goals: the project overall objective is to increase number of visitors to the Program area through developing and promoting two joint cross-border nature long distance hiking trails crossing Latvia and Lithuania. Project partners expect at least 5% increase in overnight stays in rural areas within a year after the hiking trails are developed and launched through marketing and promotion activities.

Total project size is 788 104, 45 EUR

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) co-funding is 669 888, 76 EUR

Project duration: 01.06.2020 – 31.05.2022

Project partners:

Public body Kaunas regional development agency www.krda.lt

Countryside tourism association of Lithuania www.countryside.lt

Directorate of Žemaitija National Park www.zemaitijosnp.lt

Directorate of Kuršių Nerija National Park www.nerija.lt

Latvian Country Tourism Association “Lauku Celotajs” www.celotajs.lv

Kurzeme planning region www.kurzemesregions.lv

Kuldīga County Municipality www.kuldiga.lv

Expected project results:

The Forest Trail in Latvia and Lithuania, and The Baltic Coastal Hiking Route in Lithuania will be developed and promoted. Both will link with the existing long distance hiking trails in Latvia and Estonia filling the gap in long distance hiking trail network. Common trail titles and marking systems will be used.

The Forest Trail will be linked with the Forest Trail Riga-Tallinn being currently developed under the Central Baltic program project No. 779 ‘Long distance cross border hiking trail ‘The Forest Trail”. Both trails will fill the gap in the E11 route of the European long distance hiking trail network by ERA – European Ramblers’ Association. The total length of the Forest Trail in all three Baltic States would be ca 2000km.

The Baltic Coastal Hiking Route will start from LV/LT border and it will go for ca174 km in Lithuania. The route will expand the present Coastal Hiking Route Tallinn – Riga – Nida village (in LV) that has been developed under EST-LAT program project No. 22 ‘Coastal Hiking Route along the Baltic Sea Coastline in Latvia and Estonia’.  Lithuania is the only gap for the European long distance route E9 now. With Lithuania added, the Baltic Coastal Route will cover all three Baltic States and will be ca 1374 km long.

Maps and tourism guides will be developed to promote the routes. Information will be available also on the route websites.

Relevant links:

Project is co-funded by Interreg V-A Latvia-Lithuania Cross Border Cooperation Programme from 2014-2020.

The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Žemaitija National Park Directorate and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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