The proposed project aims at the valorisation of the cultural heritage for the development of tourism in the cross-border area, while the focal point is on both the local cultural heritage with architecture and monuments and on the cinema history of the cross-border area.
Through the project, two cinemas are created, which shall promote the cinema history of the cross-border area, consisting a proposal for the visitors of the two cities.
Furthermore, 3D photorealistic models of important buildings and architectural ensembles are developed, which form a part of an application that includes displays and information about all the monuments and the visiting places in the area. The application is common in an effort to create a single touristic package for the whole cross-border area.
An info center at the center of the city of Bitola is also created and a visiting place for the promotion of the local architectural culture and history in the recently renovated Tsami’s House.
A series of conferences and workshops are organised aiming at promoting the touristic product as well as at the functional linkage of the cultural heritage with the contemporary cultural creation.
With all the above actions that have a comprehensive character, the organisation of the touristic product of the cross-border area and the information provision to the visitors will be significantly improved, whereas a considerable visibility of existing and new touristic resources and events will be achieved.
The project’s beneficiaries are all the professionals in the sector of tourism and the producers of local products that will be promoted through this project. The improvement of these sectors will lead to significant benefit for the local economy and society of the cross-border area as a whole.
The innovative elements of the proposal are the exploitation of 3D photorealistic models for the virtual redevelopment of buildings that do not exist now and of entire areas, whose buildings are not entirely preserved.
Moreover, the functional linkage of the cultural heritage with the contemporary cultural creation is an important innovation element.
The added value of the project is extremely high, as it complements previous projects and existing sites that remain inactive, and making them fully functional. In this sense, the project complements many years’ efforts and creates a grid of spaces and actions, which upgrades the touristic product of the cross-border area to an extent that is disproportionate to its cost.