The sport tourism is a special form of quality tourism which gives the opportunity to invest in a huge potential market and simultaneously to achieve added value to tourist product through growth, diversification and upgrade. As in cross border area the sport tourism is associated largely with cultural, educational and environmental activities this project constitutes an important effort for the conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage in the CB area, in order to extend the tourist season throughout the year and to raise cultural awareness and promote cooperation between the actors in Greece – Bulgaria area. In addition via the YMC(H)A Project constructed the first Basketball Museum in Thessaloniki providing ICT technologies and the same time, Sports facilities and a Biometric Centre was constructed in Blagoevgrad. The need to improve the facilities and the activities created from the YMC(H)A Project lead to the development of a new project.

The project will contribute to an improved approach to maximize the capacity of existing and new facilities and experience and good practice and stronger political commitment within participating communities to be actively involved in the world of sports, as one of the main priorities for the local, regional and national authorities from the cross border cooperation area of Greece and Bulgaria is the promotion and preservation of sports heritage. More tools for innovative sports education will be established with the creation of modern facilities, which exhibit the past, present and future of sports exploiting the comparative advantages of the neighboring countries.

Opportunities will be created for open dialogue between research, sports and youth centres and associations, policymakers, local organizations, NGOs and the whole population in the area on the ways to promote and protect sports. So far, the Museum visited 174 schools (6,500 students) and 3,500 people (politicians, sports players, teams, etc.) and gave an added value to the city and tourism, through the PROMO YMC(H)A project new activities the above mentioned numbers will be increased totally. 

Furthermore it’s fundamental to develop new strategies to involve and educate young people, citizens of all ages, athletes or not, sports organisations and associations, and other local actors and to protect and promote the cultural heritage is a challenge for regions across the whole of the European Union. Every visitor, through an interactive tour is given the chance to get informed about the history and the many important moments of basket in Greece.

Beneficiaries of the project will directly be the citizens, people with disabilities, sports centers, sports associations, youth centers, policymakers, NGO’s, local and national authorities establishing legal framework and aligned strategies on Sustainable Tourism and natural and cultural heritage.