Within the framework of the People Powered Tourism project, we are developing tourism initiatives based on the active involvement of local communities and the principles of regenerative and transformative tourism. In Croatia, the project is being implemented in the area of Slavonski Brod and its surrounding rural region, while parallel activities are taking place in other partner countries across the Danube region.
We present one of the pilot initiatives from neighbouring Slovenia – “Cona Tezno – Industrial Stories” from Maribor. This pilot project is based on the active participation of the local community and focuses on the valorisation of industrial heritage and the strengthening of local identity in one of the city’s largest, yet less visible tourist districts.
Through the involvement of local residents, the preservation of industrial heritage and the creation of spaces for intergenerational dialogue, the project demonstrates how tourism can contribute to community regeneration and more balanced spatial urban development.
Examples such as this confirm the potential of tourism as a tool for creating social value, strengthening the sense of belonging and developing authentic experiences beyond the usual tourist routes.