Project Form

Summary schemeUCODEPGeneral data

Title: Bosnia and Herzegovina: valorise the territory, manage the development Type of initiative: OrdinaryChannel: Decentralized cooperationManagement: NGO promotedImplementing body:UCODEP and province of PisaOther implementing organizations:

Local counterpart: Green tour organisation for support of sustainable development; Small Business Association of Tuzla Municipality; Association Taste Herzegovina; Chamber of commerce of Tuzla canton; NERDA; Taldi; Municipality of TuzlaSector: Tourism Location: Region of Herzegovina, Tuzla canton

Project period:

March 2008 January 2009Status:

OngoingTotal amount:

146.964,00

MAE/DGCS Funds: 0, 00 Brief description of the project

ContextBosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is characterized by many natural resources (rivers, mountains, unpolluted regions) and typical traditional eno-gastronomic productions, where some of them are of excellent quality. This huge potential is underused and it risks disappearing because of bad preservation of natural resources and limited investments in the agriculture sector. Tourism, actually sustainable tourism, can become an important instrument to activate a process of recognition and conservation of local resources. Tourism in B&H has a great growing potential. It is not possible to define tourism flows in BiH through official data, which remain scarce and uncompleted. Observers recognised that a growing process started, increment rate is very high even if total numbers are still not relevant.With the aim to promote and valorise territorial resources and to avoid mass tourism and its negative effects, the projects fits in a strategy based on conservation of qualitative agronomic products and creation of sustainable tourism itineraries, favouring the development of small businesses in the rural sector, the identification, conservation and promotion of tourism itineraries and eno gastronomic products. Objectives

General objectives are:

Support the local economical growth in BiH through the valorisation of territories and natural recourses from a tourist point of view.

Improve life standards of rural population, through conservation of natural and traditional resources and developing a balanced process in order to reinforce small businesses which actively work in tourism field. Specific objective is: Improve and valorise the territory through the definition of two itineraries of eco and eno-gastronomic tourism, reinforce of partnership between Tuscany system and B&H, develop territorial planning between local and private institutions, and create two desk offices to support and coordinate activities in the field of tourism and rural development. Expected Results Improve the capacities of local actors, private and public, in the management and promotion of territorial resources in the field of tourism thorough the opening of two desk offices engaged in valorisation of production activities in tourism and rural tourism field.

Unique eno- gastronomic (vine path of Herzegovina) and naturalistic itinerary (Valley of Herzegovina) identified and lead through territorial planning

Created and reinforced instruments for promotion and marketing of touristic itineraries

Implemented trainings and technical assistance with the aim to increase small businessesOn going status of the projectIt is ongoing the activity of mapping of natural resources and typical products in the valley of Neretva and in Herzegovina region. Aim of mapping is the definition of two itineraries, one based upon natural resources and the other one on eno-gastronomic products. Mapping uses international tourism standards (ISO 18513) and is realised by WWF and Green Tour.

Once mapping activity is concluded, following activities are expected: Definition of two committees for the management of two touristic itineraries Trainings for local restaurant dealing with promotion of typical products Promotion of two itineraries trough web pages (www.travellingthebalcans.net), local and international fairs, brochures and leaflets, radio and TV programmesMunicipality of Pisa is in charge for the implementation of the following activities (now in phase of definition): 1. Creation of two desk offices for valorisation of production activities in the tourism and rural fields. 2. Trainings and technical assistance for the support to small businesses20 October 2008Remarks about the project status-