Encompassing 34 municipalities, Podravje is Slovenia’s second largest statistical region, with 16.1 per cent of the population living within an area of 2,170 square kilometres. Nature, culture, water and wine are the four foundations of the developing tourism industry in this region, which is also known as the ‘Green Door of Slovenia’. Founded in 1993 by Maribor Urban Municipality, Maribor Regional Development Agency is a limited liability company owned by six municipalities. It is a non-profit professional development institution and comprises a small group of creative and professionally-qualified experts from various disciplines. The guiding principles of MRA are: to create a modern economic infrastructure, to draw upon the expertise and experience of other regions, to encourage local initiative, innovation and business enterprise, to reinforce the technological, ecological and human resources of the economy, to promote the creation of high-quality jobs and to preserve natural resources and cultural heritage. Its regional programme of activities includes: assistance in preparing the region to enter the EU (host organisation of the Euro Info Centre Maribor), co-ordination of cross-border projects with Austria; identification of potential investors; setting up of the Logistics Centre and the Entrepreneurs' and Training Centre in Maribor; preparation of a database of business premises and offices; and above all preparation of a regional strategy for tourism development, including the creation of a border tourist zone, the development of wine and fruit roads, the revitalisation of the Drava and Mura Rivers and the establishment of tourist signposting, tourist promotion facilities and a network of Tourist Information Centres. The Agency participates in the TEMPUS PHARE Cross Border Co-operation and Life Natura III and Intereg III programmes.
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