The Hidden City Tor Tour project, supported by the International Visegrad Fund, has reached an important stage.
Let’s see what’s happened so far.
The city sensitisation walk developed by the Hungarian People First Association will be shared in this project as a best practice with the Polish and Czech partners. First of all, the Hungarian partner developed online training material and prepared the partners to develop their own Hidden City walk methodology. On this basis, the Czech EYCB and the Polish Fundacija Sowelo have organised study tours to show how they imagine their own Hidden City sensitisation project in their city.
After the presentation in Pécs in mid-May 2024, we visited Poznan in Poland on 15-17 July and Vrchlabi in the Czech Republic on 19-21 August to see together how the partners have developed their variations.
The most interesting thing to note about this project is that the Hidden City is taking place in three three completely different cities. The different opportunities, the different approaches result in slightly different Hidden City projects. And that’s fine, that was the goal. To pass on something that already works well and is popular in Hungary, so that we can learn from each other and take each other further along this path.
Our main goal is to develop accessible tourism in a specific way in all three countries. Not just talk about the importance of accessible tourism, but show it, try it!
Pécs is a very old city, a typical Mediterranean tourist town in the south of Hungary. Built on a hillside with narrow streets, so it is difficult to make it barrier-free, but we still find a way. The Hidden City Tour is therefore called the Tor-Tour here, and it’s important for us to show a positive, fun attitude.
Poznań is a much bigger city than Pécs, it would be difficult to do a circle walk of the city centre with a Hidden City Tor Tour, you have to choose your route carefully. However, that is why it is worth offering several route options here. There are accessibility challenges in this beautiful and touristically very popular city, so it is worth involving the city administration and working together on these in the near future.
Vrchlabi is a small mountain town in a unique geological setting, which is definitely worth incorporating into a Hidden City project. You could even organise a special variation of accessible tours, as the local national park management seems to be interested. The small town offers a new experience with new features, and there is plenty more to bring to the attention of decision-makers and the public.
The next important step in our joint V4 project “Walk in our shoes” will be a final conference in the near future, where we will talk about the importance of accessible tourism, present the results of the project and broaden the partnership, which we welcome all those who wish to join through our interactive Platform.
If you would like to participate in the online small conference to close the project and you speak English, you can already let us know, we look forward to welcoming you! Find the three partners in Hungary, Poland or the Czech Republic. You can also apply here: info@peoplefirst.hu
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