Slovak - Hungarian GeoTouristic Partnership

The Geotop project has been created with the unconcealed aim of introducing new geotourism services in the Novohrad-Nógrád and Bükk-Vidék Geopark area, which will ensure mutual knowledge of local values through the development of experiential tourism, cooperation between tourism service providers, education and awareness-raising, and support the economy of the region.
Thus, as part of the programme, a cross-border educational trail was built between Domaháza and Petrovce, with a length of 2.5 km on the Hungarian side. Along this section, 4 information boards have been installed and a rest area has been built for tired hikers to relax and gather new knowledge. 
The Geotop project has also provided the opportunity to renovate several nature trails. We wanted tourists to discover as many natural assets as possible and gain new information, so we had new signs installed in the areas concerned. On the Bükk plateau, the Italian Capu trail was equipped with 7 new information panels and 15 new waymarking posts. On the Bél-kői trail, the Palabánya area was coloured with 6 new waymarkers and 2 information panels. The 10 km long Répáshuta-Rejtek Great Circle has also been renovated: 10 information panels and 10 waymarking posts now make hiking easier and more interesting. 4 new information boards have been added to the Rejtek Small Circle, 7 interactive boards have been created for the two Rejtek trails, with the younger age group in mind, and all boards are available in Hungarian, Slovak and English. 
We also thought about those who prefer to use their smartphones for help. A mobile tour-planning app called Guide@hand, which helps hikers with audio guided walks, is now available for download from various app stores. 
We also considered it important to produce handy, browsable publications about the two geoparks in several languages: we have a tear-off and foldable map, a brochure, a teacher's methodological textbook and a student handbook, which we hope many people will use and benefit from. 
If that wasn't enough, 34 people have been trained as tour guides through the Geotop project. In addition to learning about the geological values, they were also trained as tour organisers and guides, and were introduced to the cultural, historical and living natural values of the Bükk-Vidék and the Novohrad-Nógrád Geopark.
There was no shortage of programmes during the project period: we organised a study tour for university students and primary and secondary school teachers to introduce the cultural, heritage tourism and geotourism attractions of the Bükk-Vidék Geopark; two pilot training sessions for tourism service providers; two forums for regional managers and tourism professionals; and an excellent opportunity for exchange of experience at our workshop for project partners.
The living, non-living natural and cultural values of the Novohrad-Nógrád UNESCO Global Geopark were presented to primary school teachers in a 4-day pilot training and study tour, and two forums were organised for local authorities and local entrepreneurs. The partners had the opportunity to exchange experiences in a workshop.
Thinking ahead, we have developed design documentation for four new trails, including drawings of the sites and facilities and a draft budget. As part of the project, a survey of the state of the nature trails and hiking trails in the Slovak part of the geopark was carried out. A publication was also produced in Slovak and Hungarian. 
And, to complete the picture, a film on the natural, geotouristic and cultural treasures of the Bükk-Vidék Geopark has been produced and can be viewed on the Bükk National Park Directorate's website, under the Film Library.