Project “Explore Cross-border Aquatic Biodiversity – EXChAngE” video tells a story about the main project output: a new cross-border tourism product – the Blue Pass, which enables visits of new thematic routes: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (Croatia), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (Montenegro), Hutovo Blato Aqua Path, and Mostar Aqua Path (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and attracts more tourists in the area. Blue Pass ticket is available at EXChAngE project partners’ selling points.

The project is implemented in the period of 27 months, 14th August 2020 – 14th November 2022, by the international consortium composed of five partners: (1) The University of Dubrovnik, the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research (Croatia) as the lead partner, (2) Tourism Organization Kotor (Montenegro), (3) The Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro (Montenegro), (4) Tourism Organization of Herzegovina-Neretva County (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and (5) Nature Park “Hutovo Blato” (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The project’s main objective is to strengthen and diversify the tourism offer through exploring cross-border aquatic biodiversity and to enable better management and sustainable use of cultural and natural heritage.

The project is supported within the Interreg IPA Cross–border Cooperation Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2014 – 2020 and uses ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union. The total project budget is 1,7 M EUR with EU co-financing of 1,4 M EUR. The project duration is from 14th August 2020 to 14th November 2022.