Our project partners met in Sveti Martin na Muri on the 12th and 13th February for the 5th Steering Committee meeting and Study visit.

The main focus of the meetings was on confirming our product logo, discussing the AOE Bike Trail organizational structure and on finalization the cycling trail with all detours and resting points.

The session started with the presentation of the AoE Bike Trail Organizational structure by Damijan Jaklin, Velika Polana and Rudi Trinko, Trail Angels. After the presentation and discussion, the partnership agreed that the organisational structure will be called the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail Destination Management Organisation, shortly AoE BT Organisation, while regional coordinators will list all responsible trail authorities who will take care of the trail maintenance of each stage.

In the next session, the AoE Bike Trail Booking Center was presented by Günter Mussnig, Trail Angels. Mussnig explained everything related to the center, especially criteria for service providers and experiences. Trinko presented AoE Bike Trail Booking System and its main functions like trail planner, mobility list and the international system. 

The topics connected to the Strategic Marketing Plan were presented by Urška Dolinar and Anja Krajnik from Iskriva. In order to have a recognizable product, the partnership confirmed the product logo with the unique symbol – kingfisher. To make our project well known and successful, plan for marketing activities was presented, as well as AoE Bike Trail promotional online platform.

Ivana Korn Varga, WWF Adria and Luca Santarossa presented the first concept of the Valorisation programme which will be the core system for distribution of a certain percentage of income for nature conservation in the TBR MDD region. 

The second day of the meeting continued with a discussion about project management and communication activities, with the focus on the Interim Conference in Apatin, which will be held in June. The status of route implementation was presented by Máté Deák and Ádám Bolyós from Westpannon. Emöke Györfi from WWF Austria gave a brief overview of the values and principles of the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail and concluded working part of the SCOM with a summary of nature-oriented trail necessities. 

After the meetings, the partners visited Žabnik (the northernmost point of Croatia). On the way to Žabnik, Petra Murković, TZMZ shortly presented the tourism and cycling trends and activities in Međimurje County. When the partners arrived at Žabnik they were greeted by the representatives of the Tourist board of Sveti Martin na Muri who presented the ethnographic collection and interactive exhibition located on the top floor of Miller's house. The exhibition tells the story of the life of millers, old craft milling, as well as the life along the river Mura. Afterward, the partners visited the Mill on the river Mura, enjoyed and have a short walk by the river Mura.