Press release - Implementation of the water amusement trail on the river Bodrog and its tributaries – SKHU/1601/1.1/038

Implementation of the water amusement trail on the river Bodrog and its tributaries – SKHU/1601/1.1/038

PRESS RELEASE

The Aggtelek National Park Directorate and the Town of Oborín submitted a successful project application in response to the call issued within the Slovakia-Hungary Interreg V-A Cross-Border Cooperation Programme to increase the attractiveness of the cross-border region for the development of quality tourism based on shared natural and cultural values.

The project named "Vytvorenie vodnej zážitkovej cesty na rieke Bodrog a jej prítokoch (Creation of a water amusement trail on the river Bodrog and its tributaries); code: SKHU/1601/1.1/038) received a total grant of €2.612 million in support.

Water-based tourism was once commonplace on the Bodrog River and its tributaries, primarily on the 48 km-long section of the river between the international border and the town of Tokaj, and the canals in the Bodrogzug region, while the total number of water-borne tourists per year is estimated at 14 to 15,000 thousand. Of the five tributaries of the river in Slovakia, only the Laborec and Latorica are safely navigable for small watercraft. The Bodrog, as a natural green corridor, connects protected bird areas whose protection is ensured under the Ramsar Agreement, namely the protected bird area on the Laborec River and the Bodrogzug area near Tokaj in Hungary. The many local natural values have the inherent potential for multi-day tours that deliver active recreational experiences.

This joint Hungarian-Slovak project completed from 2017 to 2019 was focused on building a comprehensive package of attractions based on active tourism in the cross-border region between the town of Tokaj in Hungary and the village of Oborín in Slovakia and related infrastructure over an 80 km-long section, on the Bodrog River and its tributaries so that the individual elements complement each other in terms of the services they provide and their links to nearby tourism attractions (including the Tokaj wine region, the Zemplín region, castles and the like).

One of the project’s outcomes was ensuring the navigability of the waterways in the Bodrogzug area for fans of water sports and making the route much longer than was previously available, specifically by cleaning out canals, creating navigation locks and docking facilities. Within the project, the channel itself was dredged over a length of 3.5 km, a total of 12 navigation locks were created in the Bodrogzug area and a total of 4 classification docking facilities were created on the Hungarian section of the Bodrog River along with 4 more on the Laborec River and on the Slovak section of the Bodrog River. These facilities have been integrated into the nationwide network of docking facilities being built by the Hungarian Canoeing Association.

Other work included the construction of cycling and horseback riding trails totalling more than 32 km on the Hungarian side and 12 km in Slovakia. A total of 14 towers were constructed on these trails for bird watching, with 10 shelters and rest areas for riders, log tables and benches, and more than 20 fire pits and approximately 100 information and direction signs, which help improve the experience for visitors to these areas rich in natural treasures.

Visitors have the opportunity to learn more and gain new experiences at the 5 newly-opened information and presentation centres.

A small fishing exhibition was created at one centre in the village of Zalkod, supplemented by an active presentation of the craft of fishing, with the aim of presenting one of the crafts with the longest history in Medzibodrožie, so that visitors can try fishing on their own. The renovated building in the village of Zalkod, located on the banks of the Zsaró-ér stream, provides visitors and participants in water tours with a camp (yurts, firepits, and outdoor games), as well as hygienic facilities and social areas. Medzibodrožie preserved its lifestyle from the time of the arrival of the Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin until the end of the 19th century, as well as natural values, and traditional crafts associated with the richness of natural resources, including fishing and bee-keeping.

The new memorial folk house created in the village of Oborín in Slovakia represents a traditional way of fishing, and it is also the starting point of a short and long educational trail created within the project.

The bee-keeping exhibit and the therapeutic services centre created in the village of Szegi on the bank of the Bodrog River presents the ancient craft of bee-keeping to visitors and the ability to take advantage of the therapeutic benefits provided by bees. The aim of the exhibition is to broaden the horizons of visitors (especially pupils and students) in the field of bee-keeping, to break down prejudices associated with bees, and to popularise healthy honey produced in Hungary under natural conditions. The therapeutic application of beehive air is one of the methods used for the natural treatment of respiratory diseases and allergies and this is an option available at the centre.

The memorial folk house of the Long Forest near Nové mesto pod Šiatrom will be the starting point for water, cycling and riding tours, along with field trip activities for visitors - pupils and students. The memorial folk house, located in the Long Forest protected landscape area is 100 m from the Bodrog River and is a perfect starting point for a range of organised tours (cycling, horseback riding, or walking). 

The educational and visitor centre created in the centre of the town of Blatný potok awaits visitors with a comprehensive interactive exhibition on nature protection. Exhibited objects, interactive elements and various digital means present the tourist and natural attractions of the local area.

The complexity of the project is also reflected in the fact that it operates purchased items, including bicycles, boats and watercraft, and several partners, specifically tourism service providers, were involved in the renovation of the real estate.

Anyone interested in tours in the Bodrogzug area and about the tourism and natural values in the region have ample information available to them in Hungarian, Slovak and English on the portal which was also completely refreshed within the project: bodrogzug.hu.

The National Park Directorate will present the results of the project at an event with media invited as guests to be held on 8 October 2019, with Dr. István Nagy, the Hungarian Minister of Agriculture, the guest of honour.

The project was implemented within the Slovakia-Hungary Interreg V-A Cross-Border Cooperation Programme. More information about the program is available online at www.skhu.eu. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.