From one side of National Park Prokletije (Bjeshkët e Nemuna) to another, our team enjoyed the training dedicated to improving the adventure travel services on our tours!
The stunning nature of this area left us speechless, from Plav in Montenegro to Lepushe in Albania and Peje in Kosovo*. The aim of capacity building activities was to discuss requirements of the modern adventure tourists as a guest in their rural tourism accommodation (accommodation, parking facilities, camping sites, different service stations, etc).
Adventure tourism is a niche for further development of a tourism value chain in the Western Balkans. Adventure tourism has an environmentally low impact on natural resources to minimize damage to the environment (flora, fauna, habitats, water, living, energy use, contamination, etc). However, it was discussed about specific tourist products such as quads or four-wheel vehicles tours. Also, pollution with solid waste ( PET plastic) of the nature from other spheres of rural life was discussed.
One of the key results of those trainings was strengthening the partnerships among the tourism operators and actors in support services which is essential for further development of adventure tourism in the Western Balkan. At the training were present representatives from all three sectors (private, public and civil) active in tourism or support services.
The role of local stakeholders: tourism service providers, tour operators, farmers, individuals, local communities, and government institutions and how to include more sustainable actions were discussed. Creating social cohesion in providing services for adventure tourism will economically contribute to the economic well-being of the communities, generating sustainable and equitable income for local communities and including as many other stakeholders as possible.
Explore Balkans teams all around the Western Balkans are enthusiastic to welcome you during the season of 2022!
Capacity building is supported within the Project: Promotion of Economic Diversification in Rural Areas of South-Eastern Europe (SEDRA II) in SEE – Value chain capacity building on agriculture and rural tourism to promote employment opportunities supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and GIZ North Macedonia and implemented by the SWG RRD.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
