Interreg IPA-CBC Hungary – Serbia Cross-border river tour routes and related sights in the Lower Tisza Region Good neighbours Table of Contents FOREWORD FOREWORD ................................................................................................3 TARGET GROUPS OF RIVER TOURISM ...................................................................4 College and university students, middle-aged adults (19- 40 years old) ......................5 Foreign river tourists (20-50 years old) ............................................................5 TWO-DAY RIVER TOURS ..................................................................................5 Tiszakécske – Csongrád 43 km .......................................................................5 Csongrád – Algyő 53 kilometres ....................................................................18 Békésszentandrás – Csongrád 47 km ...............................................................24 Szeged – Zenta 50 kilometres ......................................................................31 Zenta – Törökbecse 59 kilometres .................................................................33 Tiszaug – Szeged 93 kilometres ....................................................................35 ONE DAY RIVER TOURS ON THE TISZA ................................................................48 ONE DAY RIVER TOURS ON THE TRIPLE KÖRÖS ......................................................48 2 FOREWORD As the host of the project for the design of river tourism staging sites, MKKSZ (Hungarian Kayak & Canoe Association) presented at a press conference in Szolnok a development program for the Lower Tisza and the Körös rivers, which fits into the framework of the Accessible Hungary Programme. The Ministry of National Economy (NGM) Operational Program for Economic Development and Innovation (GIOP) has a budget of HUF 10 billion. It has earmarked EU funding for tourism, non-profit organizations, to develop the infrastructure of active tourism networks. The Accessible Hungary Program includes Tiszakécske, Mindszent, Szeged, Kunszentmárton and Csongrád, among others. With the support of the European Union, the construction and renovation of tour stages, the purchase of equipment related to river tourism and the service improvement necessary for its sustainable operation will be implemented. The development significantly contributes to the expansion of domestic and international tourism in the settlements of the Southern Great Plain region along the Tisza River and along the Körös rivers. Within the framework of the Hungarian Kayak-Canoe Association's project entitled "Complex development of river tourism on the Lower Tisza and the Körös rivers" (GINOP 7.1.2-15), a river tour stage was set up in Csongrád, among others. Csongrád, being located at the confluence of the rivers Tisza and Körös, is in a fortunate geographic location to contribute to the revitalization of river tourism on both rivers with this facility. It reinforces the objectives of this project and the complexity of the service provider background. The purpose of this tour guide is, without any pretention to being exhaustive, to help tourists on the rivers of the Lower Tisza region to organize their tours and, secondly, it lists the sights and attractions worth visiting. 3 THE HYDROGRAPHIC FEATURES OF THE LOWER TISZA REGION FOR RIVER TOURISM A significant part of the Southern Great Plain region is part of the Lower Tisza River Basin, where the water flow of the Triple-Körös and the Maros rivers contributes significantly to the amount of water carried by the main river. In terms of river tourism, the Maros is not significant as the length of its Hungarian section does not exceed 50 km. The Lower Tisza is a river stretching from Tiszajenő to the Serbian- Hungarian border, with a length of about 133 kilometres. The water levels of the rivers in the region are suitable for canoeing (paddling) even in the driest summers. The flow of the Tisza and the Körös rivers is slow and their current is weak. Fallen trees, vortexes, unpredictable winding bends and abandoned bridge legs do not test the ability of river tourists and do not endanger their boats, which means that it is highly recommended for novice river tourists to learn paddling techniques here and acquire the necessary river safety skills before daring to take to the wild waters of the rivers Rába, Bodrog or Hernád. Due to the nature of the lower reaches of the Tisza and earlier river regulation, there are fewer sharp bends, reefs formed in the riverbed, but even at low water we have to pay attention to the underwater structures forming the bank and the riverbeds (spurs). These also mean fewer sandy banks or flat banks for mooring and bathing. With a few exceptions, we can only set up our tents farther from the water, on higher ground. In essence, the Lower Tisza may not be as romantic and exciting as the Upper Tisza from Tiszabecs to Tokaj, but the multitude of attractions along the river and the highest number of sunny hours in the country here can compensate tourists visiting these parts. TARGET GROUPS OF RIVER TOURISM Students of the Upper Section of Elementary Schools and Secondary Schools (10-18-year-olds) It is important that, as part of river tourism, as many children as possible learn the skills of river tourism. Of course, one of the prerequisites for this is the ability to swim safely. Don't take risks! Do not take your students on a river tour without safe life jackets. During the tour, children will learn the basics of camping, they learn how to set up a tent, they will learn skills of self-sufficience while preparing their own food, and they will learn the rules of waterway traffic. A personalized river tour is well-suited to educating nature-friendly and environmentally friendly behaviour. 4 Our settlements near our rivers are often important for historical reasons or for transport purposes. No history or geography lesson at school can compare to the personal experience of visiting them on site. From a financial point of view, river touring and camping are still cost-effective trips for the class. Last but not least, river tourism also has a role to play in bringing up new generations of water sports athletes. Numerous examples prove that there is a select group of top Hungarian kayakers or canoeists who, in their childhood, became lovers of water sports during a river tour and later became successful national top sportsmen. College and university students, middle-aged adults (19- 40 years old) According to statistics, this is the age group that is the most involved in river tours, with friends, families and people, and in the form of team building training sessions organized by their workplace. They are the ones who already have a certain level of comfort requirements for participating in river tours. This age group, especially ladies, has legitimate expectations for board and lodging, but especially for infrastructure services. Foreign river tourists (20-50 years old) Based on the growing number of participants in the International Tisza Tour, we can conclude that there is great interest in Hungarian waterways. At the same time, they are the most demanding target group with the highest expectations, but they also spend the most during their stay. By investing in the right amount of infrastructure and by organizing quality programmes, they can be multiplied, which can be a major source of revenue for the region. TWO-DAY RIVER TOURS Tiszakécske – Csongrád 43 km At the RKM 286 Sign: Tiszakécske GPS: N 46.9426539 – E 20.1245677 In this region, it is advisable to start the Tisza tours from Tiszakécske, which is easily accessible from the north via the M3 motorway and from the south by main road No 44. It is a good idea to arrive the day before the tour so we can start our two-day tour the next day. We can book accommodation at the Tisza riverbank campsite, one of the advantages of which is that we can take our boats inside the camping site. The camping site is located in the floodplain, which is easy to find by following the signposts. The nightlife here is quite noisy, so for those who want to 5 relax and unwind it is worth booking accommodation in one of the small town's nearby guest houses or the thermal spa camping site. In the afternoon before departure, especially in case of a rainy or cooler day, visit the city's refurbished thermal bath for a few hours. Tiszakécske, Thermal Spa In 1950, the two settlements (Old and New Kécske) were united under the name Tiszakécske. On October 27, 1956, in the heat of the Revolution, 17 people were killed and many more wounded in a shocking attack by a military aircraft strafing the crowd on the ground in Tiszakécske. A monument on the main square was erected in honour of the victims. 1986 – Tiszakécske receives the title of town. This was followed by dynamic development that lasted until the early '90s. Due to the dynamic development, the town has a secondary school and a vocational school. The system of social institutions has been established. Busy cultural and community life has begun. Over the years, Tiszakécske became the centre of the Hungarian zither movement. Tiszakécske is still developing today. The Tisza Free Lido is 200-300 meters long sandy stretch of the riverbank on the right-hand side of the river with gradually deepening, relatively clear water. 6 Tiszakécske, free lido At the RKM 278 Sign: Tiszainoka-Tiszakécske pedestrian ferry GPS: N 46.9038788 – E 20.1548183 You arrive at the ferry after about 8 kilometres of nice paddling. If you want to take a short rest, it is advisable to dock in the ferry port on the left, while the ferry is on the other side. Don't leave your boat in the ferry passage! If you decide not to dock, be careful of the passage because the ferry towrope is deep in the middle of the river. Do not grasp the rope by any means, for doing so may capsize your boat. It is recommended that the ferry be passed close to the opposite bank where the rope is stretched high above the water. At the RKM 276 Sign: Tiszakürt GPS: N 46.886991 – E 20.117984 Following the next 12 kilometres you arrive at Tiszakürt on the left bank.