The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Development Agency of the US (USAID) and Association of Adventure Tourism (ATA) B&H organized a presentation yesterday on Trebević Mountain called ‘Via Dinarica’.
The unique hiking routes of Via Dinarica naturally links six countries, including B&H. This is actually a cross-border trail that crosses the South Alps from Slovenia, through Croatia, B&H, Serbia, Montenegro to southern Albania.
Via DInarica, as a link of the Balkan countries, is a concept of the development of adventure and hiking tourism, which attracts tourists worldwide. This means that B&H must work with its neighbors on promoting adventure tourism as a regional product of the Western Balkans, bring in tour operators, accommodation services, quality trails, build cottages and signaling.
Acting Director of USAID B&H Alexander Bond said that many have forgotten that B&H was once in the 19th century the primary tourist destination for people from Europe, such as England and Germany.
‘’And 20 years after the war USAID wishes to help B&H through this project to regain the title of a beautiful tourist destination. Via Dinarica is a gem among all the other jewels of tourism that B&H has to offer’’, he added.
Bond pointed out that the idea was to launch the program for the purpose of creating jobs along the paths that people could continue to live with dignity in nature, as they have been doing for hundreds of years.
‘’I am a great admirer of the rivers in B&H and love fishing. Some people do not realize how spectacular B&H is, and our goal is to help them realize this’’, he concluded.
The Senior Program Coordinator of UNDP B&H Slobodan Tadić said that Via Dinarica from their perspective is a project that tries to connect the entire region and that all this positive connotations opens the doors to tourists in mountain regions, the Dinara mountain range that stretches from Slovenia to Albania.
‘’Our goal was to give our resources to the disposal of a single network by using existing infrastructure for an idea that stemmed from the realization of this project’’, he explained.
Tadić stressed that the goal of the project is the protection of nature, creating employment and tourism development.
‘’Our goal is to primarily establish a network of people that would be bound by the motto of Via Dinarica, which would take the brand, become a protected area and would come up with some results that lead to increasing the quality of life in rural areas’’, said Tadić.
He said that besides the promotion of the Dinarics, UNDP continues to promote rivers, cycling routes and everything else that is necessary to attract tourists.
Representatives of the Association of Adventure Tourism B&H Kenan Muftić said that Via Dinarica has three trails, or lines. The white line follows the highest mountains of Dinarics, the blue indicates part of the mountains along the Adriatic coast, and the green line represents the lower part of the mountains that are drowned in the Pannonian Plain.
‘’I have found the biggest part of the white line and a part of the blue line. What is the best part, it is difficult to say. But B&H is the heart of the Dinarics and that is what excites me. Everyone will find something for themselves’’, he said.
Manufacturers who are inclined to this track and which are supported by USAID since 2009 through lending technical training, organizing study tours and supporting the introduction of quality standards and new production technologies, had a mini fair yesterday Trebević in the mountain lodge Napretkov.
Among others, the B&H Association of Cheese Producers presented four types of cheeses that are popular with local connoisseurs, and those are: Vlasic, Livno, Trapist and cheese in the sack.
The company „Alma Derm“ from Kakanj presented handmade soaps, essential oils and aromatherapy oils, and the company „Eco Line“ from Mostar presented homemade jams, syrups, dried figs and organic fresh fruits and vegetables.
The aim of this interstate program is to provide a wide range of activities (hiking, biking, rafting), to highlight the uniqueness of each community in the area, as well as quality tourist services provided to visitors.
B&H travel agencies that offer packages for hiking, biking, rafting and rock climbing have attracted the attention of National Geographic, which in 2012 including mountain biking in B&H among the top ten global programs in adventure tourism.
Through the campaign “Pravac turizam! Mogućnosti su beskonačne” during April (direction tourism! Possibilities are endless) USAID is promoting tourism and the natural resources in B&H and potential economic opportunities in this sector.
One of the activities is a photo competition for the best tourist photograph B&H that is taking place on Facebook and on the website of USAID B&H, and until now has attracted 500 people.
One of the main features of mountain tourism is that it is available to everyone-from children to retirees, it is affordable, it offers both recreational and adrenaline activities in the fresh air, in areas that attract their beauty.
(Source: klix.ba)
