Ethnic, culinary and cultural wealth of the Danube region as a driver of economic and social innovation (Culinary Trail)

Building on the cultural, ethnic and culinary diversity of the Danube Region, the Culinary Trail will promote the socio-economic development of the region through the revitalisation and diversification of local and regional tourism. It aims to improve networking and cooperation between stakeholders, services, tourist destinations and products in the 14 participating countries of the Danube Region.

The culinary heritage of 30 ethnic groups in the Danube region will be used to stimulate local economies and create new employment opportunities. Minorities, marginalised and discriminated groups are consciously involved in the Culinary Trail. Short value chains will be supported and quality products from the primary sector will be favoured.

The project will collect, digitalise and protect the region's culinary heritage, develop transnational culinary travel routes using sustainable transport and establish a demonstration and training centre. The joint innovation and policy centre will bring together stakeholders and promote local cultural tourism.

As an integral part of the consortium, the Steinbeis Europa Zentrum leads:

• Coordination of the development of a platform for frugal and social innovation in culinary tourism
• Development of transnational strategy for the protection of ethnic and local culinary heritage in the Danube Region
• Collaboration in the preservation of culinary heritage through cataloguing and digitalisation

Further Information:

• Project Name: Culinary Trail of the Ethnic and Local Cuisine in the Danube Region
  Funding: Interreg Danube Region Programme
• Funding budget for all partners: 1.8 Mio. €
• Funding budget Steinbeis Europa Zentrum: 120.000,00€
• Total budget Steinbeis Europa Zentrum: 150.000,00€
• Total project budget: 2.274.566,00€
• Participating countries: Slovenia (Coordinator), Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Montenegro, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine
• Project duration: 01/2024 – 06/2026