Restoration of the Brod Fortress by the EU funds

General researches show that cultural tourists have above average income and education, and that they are middle-aged and elderly. It this sense it is possible to say that the frequent link between tourism and cultural sector is conditioned by efforts to increase the attractiveness of tourist destinations. Tourism potential of the Brod Fortress is not nearly used up. Devastated during the Homeland war, and because of the large area occupied (approximately 33 hectares), for the reconstruction of the Brod Fortress is needed almost 100 million euros. By initial budget of the Ministry of Tourism, the city of Slavonski Brod has approached making the project documentation required for applying fortress revitalization towards the European Union. As the European Regional Fund regulations provide for the possibility of applying for individual stages of nominated buildings recovery, under the condition that each phase of the project is feasible in terms of creating separate functional units with their own values, the city authorities are negotiating with the authorized ministries to carry out the Brod Fortress restoration candidacy successively, since the expenditure cover of full restoration in the near term would not be possible. The purpose of the primary questionnaire research which will be conducted will be to find out the views and opinion of local inhabitants about it if it is realistic to expect that the relevant European institutions would recognize cultural, touristic and economic potentials of the Fortress and give financial help in fortress rebuilding based on the previously made feasibility studies. The research results will show what is the impact that political lobbying may have on the development of local communities projects that have strategic importance in the European context.