During the 2025 summer season, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica (UMB), in cooperation with the Barbora Route – Terra Montanae Civic Association, is conducting a survey among pilgrims who have walked the Barbora Route – whether they have completed the full trail or just one of its stages.
The main goal of the survey is to determine the profile of the typical pilgrim and the overall number of visitors, but more importantly, to better understand the motivations, preferences and needs of those who choose this unique route that runs through the historic mining region of central Slovakia. The results of the questionnaire will serve as a valuable basis for designing new services and products in the field of cultural pilgrimage tourism.
Getting to Know Those Who Walk for Knowledge
The Barbora Route, which passes through towns such as Banská Bystrica, Kremnica and Banská Štiavnica, is not only a physical journey – it is also a path of discovering stories of mining heritage, moments of personal reflection, and a sense of collective identity. That is why it is so important to understand what attracts pilgrims to the route, how they perceive their experience, and what could enhance it even further.
Gathering Insights for Better Planning
The survey is being conducted via an online questionnaire, open to all pilgrims, regardless of whether they walked the entire trail or only a part of it. The questionnaire is anonymous and takes only a few minutes to complete. Data collection will continue until the end of autumn 2025.
Pilgrim questionnaire available here: Dotazník pre pútnika putujúceho po Barborskej ceste
Supporting the Development of the Barbora Route
The data collected will help UMB not only to define the profile of the cultural pilgrimage tourist, but more importantly to contribute to more effective planning of services and infrastructure along the route. The survey is also part of UMB’s wider projects, which include the development of an innovative business model for the Barbora Route, the organisation of a hackathon focused on creating new products, services and experiences linked to the mining region’s cultural heritage, the preparation of educational activities for schools focused on mining cultural heritage and regional history, and the innovation of the Mining Treasures digital platform.
Help Us Improve the Barbora Route!
Whether you spent one day or nine on the route, your voice matters.
Let’s walk together in search of knowledge – including through your feedback.
The survey is being carried out as part of the following projects:
Kultúrny pútnický cestovný ruch ako nástroj udržateľného rozvoja území: Perspektívy a výzvy v kontexte baníckeho kultúrneho dedičstva Stredného Slovenka Funded by the EU NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Slovakia under the project No. 09I03-03-V05-00009.
SECreTour project (2024-2027) is financed by the Horizon Europe programme of the European Union. Financed under GA No. 101132584
Banícke poklady Funded by the EU NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Slovakia under the project No. 09I01-03-V04-00051/2024/VA
