Our bilateral youth exchange project "Eco-Tourism in Action: Youth, Nature and Sustainable Communities” builds on the established cooperation between Slovak and Georgian Scout organisations, which successfully implemented joint projects in 2024 and 2025 focusing on outdoor education and experiential learning. Slovakia and Georgia is home to diverse landscapes, Caucasus and Tatra mountains, ancient forests and rich cultural heritage.Tourism in both countries is experiencing a robust recovery with a strong focus on eco-tourism, sustainable travel and unique, authentic local experiences. Young people from both scout organisations recognise the growing importance of environmental protection, cultural preservation and responsible behaviour in the context of continuously increasing national and global tourism. Our project responds to the increasing demand for sustainable approaches within the tourism sector, with a special focus on eco-tourism and responsible travel. While the growth of tourism creates economic opportunities, especially for rural and less-developed regions, it also raises serious concerns related to over-exploitation of natural resources, environmental degradation, pollution, loss of biodiversity and pressure on local communities and traditions. At the same time, tourism can serve as a powerful tool for local economic development, rural empowerment and cultural exchange when implemented responsibly and sustainably. The key challenge addressed by this project is finding a balanced approach that maximises the economic and social benefits of tourism while minimising its negative environmental and cultural impacts. Hosting the youth exchange in Georgia provides strong added value for achieving the project’s objectives and maximising its learning impact. Georgia offers a unique learning environment due to its rich biodiversity, diverse landscapes, protected natural areas and strong traditions of rural and community life. These characteristics make Georgia an ideal setting to explore eco-tourism, sustainable tourism and responsible travel in real-life conditions rather than in a theoretical context. Many rural regions in Georgia face the dual challenge of: preserving natural ecosystems, cultural heritage and developing sustainable economic opportunities through tourism. This creates an authentic learning space where participants can directly observe and analyse the balance between tourism development, environmental protection and cultural preservation. Study visits to rural communities, eco-tourism initiatives and protected areas will allow participants to engage with local stakeholders and understand sustainability challenges from a local perspective. Furthermore, we see Georgia as an important bridge between Europe and its Eastern neighbourhood, offering valuable opportunities for intercultural learning. For Slovak participants, implementing the project in Georgia provides exposure to different development realities, traditions and approaches to sustainability, while Georgian participants benefit from sharing local knowledge and reflecting on their own role in shaping responsible tourism within their communities. At the end to summarize, our project will aim to empower young people from Slovakia and Georgia to become responsible, environmentally conscious and active contributors to sustainable tourism, by increasing their knowledge, skills and participation in eco-tourism, environmental protection and cultural preservation through non-formal, experiential and intercultural learning. Project has following objectives : - to promote environmentally responsible and sustainable tourism practices among young people from Slovakia and Georgia. - to increase youth participation and active citizenship in sustainability and tourism-related initiatives - to provide experiential learning opportunities through different study visits to eco-tourism sites, protected areas and rural communities - to promote eco-friendly practices in tourism by equipping participants with knowledge of eco-tourism principles and best practices, enabling them to promote sustainable and responsible travel within their local communities - to explore the impacts of mass tourism and eco-tourism through non-formal learning and raise awareness of the social impacts of tourism on cultures and communities - to foster intercultural exchange and dialogue by bringing together young people from Slovakia and Georgia with different cultural, geographical, social, economical backgrounds.