An exceptionally important project of the Fortress of Culture has been selected among a small number of approved initiatives out of a total of 188 applications. The European project HOT CHAI marks a new phase in the revitalisation of St. Michael’s Fortress. In just over two years, the northwestern tower will be restored and opened to the public, access areas and entrances will be upgraded, and LED lighting will be installed along the southeastern promenade of the fortress.
The Fortress of Culture Šibenik has been granted funding for its fourth cross‑border cooperation project in the field of tourism and culture within the Interreg IPA CBC Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro programme. The previous three projects were Fortress ReInvented (2017.-2019.), FORTITUDE (2020.-2022.), and GIFTSnet (2024.-2027.).
The new project is called HOT CHAI (Heritage Oriented Tourism preparing for Challenges of AI‑driven era), focusing on the development of sustainable and inclusive cultural tourism through the enhancement of cultural sites and the application of innovative digital solutions. Implementation is expected to begin in the second half of 2026 and will last for 24 months. Its total value amounts to €2,241,828, of which €1,905,554 is provided through EU co‑financing under the Interreg IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro programme.
Once again, the lead partner is the Public Institution Fortress of Culture Šibenik, with project partners being the Agency for Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage and Tourism Development of the City of Jajce, the Municipality of Tivat, and the City of Vrlika.
The project connects four destinations — Šibenik, Jajce, Tivat, and Vrlika — with the aim of jointly developing and strengthening their cultural‑tourism offer. The main objective of HOT CHAI is to advance sustainable cultural tourism through investments in cultural‑site infrastructure, improved accessibility, and capacity‑building for project partners in the use of AI‑based tools for creating innovative and interactive tourist services.
CONTINUATION OF IMPROVEMENTS AT ST. MICHAEL’S FORTRESS
Project activities are divided into two main components. The first relates to the development of tourism offerings through physical improvements to cultural sites, the creation of new content, and strengthened cooperation in sustainable tourism planning. The second component focuses on capacity‑building and promotion, including partner training in the use of artificial intelligence, development of internal action plans for digital transformation, and promotion of the new tourism offer.
A special emphasis is placed on investments in cultural and tourism infrastructure, for which €1,201,921 — more than half of the project budget — has been allocated. The largest infrastructural investment will take place in Šibenik, where plans include the restoration and opening of the northwestern tower of St. Michael’s Fortress, upgrading of access areas, and installation of LED lighting along the southeastern promenade. In Jajce, the project will fund LED lighting for the outer walls of the medieval fortress and the reconstruction of the Barutana roof. Additional investments include the procurement of multimedia equipment, museum display cases, and furnishings for the Barutana in Jajce, the Museum and Gallery in Tivat, and the Traditional House in Vrlika.
AMONG THE MOST SUCCESSFUL
At the fifth meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Interreg IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021-2027 programme, held in Podgorica, 25 cross‑border cooperation projects were approved under the Second Call for Proposals. The call enabled applicants to design and submit innovative initiatives addressing key development priorities of the cross‑border area: research and innovation, energy efficiency, circular economy, healthcare services, culture, and tourism.
HOT CHAI was approved under the specific objective for culture and tourism, as its implementation will contribute to the preservation and modern interpretation of cultural heritage, as well as to the development of innovative tourist experiences that combine technology, culture, and sustainable destination development.
Interestingly, a total of 188 projects were submitted under the Second Call, and only 13% were approved — confirming the highly competitive nature of the programme. The Monitoring Committee also stressed that this was the final call for project proposals within the 2021–2027 financial period.
