First partner meeting in project “Riverways II”

EE-LV00143 “Facilitating access to watertourism activities” (Riverways II)

On 23-24 September, 2024, the Riverways II project partners met in Kuldīga (Kurzeme) for the first on-site kick-off meeting. The project is being carried out by the Kurzeme Planning Region as the Lead partner in cooperation with 20 partners from Latvia and Estonia, along with accessibility experts from Latvia and Estonia:

Latvia	Estonia
Vidzeme Planning Region and 4 municipalities in Vidzeme (Valmiera, Madona, Valka, Limbaži) Riga Planning Region and 3 municipalities in Riga region (Ķekava, Ādaži, Jūrmala) 3 municipalities in Kurzeme region (Dienvidkurzeme, Liepāja, Kuldīga)	5 municipalities (Voru, Setomaa, Antsla, Luunja, Otepaa) Green Riverland Partnership Tartu University Parnu College Tartu County Tourism Foundation – Lõuna-Eesti DMO

The Riverways II project is built upon the 1st Riverways project implemented in 2013-2015 and, in addition to mapping of watertourism sites and products and creating of watertourism routes, continues also the accessibility initiatives pursued in Kurzeme already since 2017. The project aims to further facilitate watertourism in Latvia and Estonia by expanding the existing website www.riverways.eu and focusing on innovative solutions to access and use recreational waters, routes and products by all target groups (incl. disabled, seniors, families with children etc.), at the same time also supporting sustainable infrastructure, which controls and reduces anthropogenic impact of recreational activities.

The project shall pilot actions to improve access to waters (safe docking, boating, swimming, fishing sites etc.) with pier and beach accessibility improvements at 16 sites, amend the riverways.eu and mapeirons.eu websites with accessible watertourism-related sites, train watertourism operators on how to serve people with disabilities, families, seniors, organise 4 large-scale and 4 local scale watersports events with involvement of target groups and issue a Travel Guide on accessible watertourism.

The nearest activities in the first project periods are to develop the check-list for inspection of accessibility of watertourism sites and services, organise inspections in Latvia and Estonis, hold a cross-border hackathon on innovative solutions for accessible water-based active tourism products/services and organise a study visit to Finland.

Within the practical meeting activities session the participants themselves experienced a local active watertourism product by taking a kayaking tour on the River Venta stretch from the Old brick bridge in Kuldīga up to the Riežupe Sand Caves and cycled back to the city centre. Super enjoyable, educational, healthy and few burned calories as well – great!

Project will last for 3 years and shall finish on 31 August 2027.