On 21 September 2026, the fourth local stakeholder workshop of the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE project ENRICH-US took place at the Cultural Centre in Bystřice, Czech Republic.
The meeting was organised by the Institute for Regional Development (IRR) in cooperation with the Town of Bystřice and MKIC Bystřice.
A total of 23 participants attended, including representatives of MKIC Bystřice, the municipality, local residents, entrepreneurs and other local stakeholders.
The workshop concluded the initial series of four participatory meetings dedicated to developing a practical and sustainable eco-cultural tourism governance model for the Czech pilot territory.
From participatory planning to implementation
Building on the previous workshops, participants focused on consolidating the proposed governance model and preparing its practical implementation.
The selected approach combines cooperation with the existing Destination Management Organisation Posázaví and a flexible local coordination mechanism led by MKIC Bystřice in cooperation with the Town of Bystřice.
Rather than establishing a new institution, the model builds on existing organisational structures, partnerships and communication channels.
Defining responsibilities and ensuring sustainability
The workshop focused on three interconnected elements of the planned pilot action:
- Local stakeholder coordination: strengthening cooperation between the municipality, MKIC, tourism stakeholders, local businesses and community representatives.
- Digital visitor information: preparing the operation of a new information totem presenting local attractions, events, routes and cultural heritage.
- Eco-cultural tourism content: improving the accessibility, presentation and regular updating of tourism information.
Participants discussed the responsibilities of the organisations involved, operational arrangements, content management, technical maintenance and the long-term sustainability of the digital information totem.
The discussion also addressed the implementation timetable, potential risks, stakeholder involvement and the monitoring of pilot results.
Main outcomes and next steps
One of the main conclusions was the importance of maintaining a simple, flexible and realistic governance structure that reflects the capacities and needs of local stakeholders.
The workshop confirmed the relevance of the proposed hybrid governance approach, combining existing regional destination management structures with stronger local participation and coordination.
The results will contribute directly to the finalisation of the ENRICH-US Pilot Action Concept (D.2.1) and guide the implementation and evaluation of the planned pilot activities.
With the completion of all four stakeholder workshops, Bystřice has reached an important project milestone, moving from territorial analysis and participatory planning towards the practical testing of sustainable tourism governance solutions.