The White Trail, part of the project “Via Dinarica”, was opened today in the nature park Blidinje, thus making a big step forward towards further development of platform for sustainable development of tourism and local economic growth in BiH. “Via Dinarica” is a project which is being implemented and financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in BiH and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in BiH since 2014, the UNDP stated.
The aim of this initiative are promotion of Dinaric corridor and the reduction of economic, social and regional differences in BiH through the affirmation of Via Dinarica as a regional tourist destination and the increase in competitiveness in the field of adventure and recreational tourism which promotes the natural heritage of BiH.
“The US Government believes that tourism is important as a driving force for the strengthening of economy in BiH. Tourism is one of the fastest growing branches of economy in BIH and I firmly believe that there is still a lot of space for growth in this area. Our aim is to establish a corridor Via Dinarica on three key trails – the white trail which follows the peaks of mountains, the green trail which follows the central part and the blue trail which follows the seacoast – they will be tourist destinations owned by local communities and managed by those local communities, thus ensuring sustainable source of income for a large number of interested subjects,” said Maureen Cormack, Ambassador of the USA to BiH.
“Opening of the White Trail represents an important contribution to the development of the Via Dinarica brand as an integrated tourist product which can contribute to the human development and the improvement of the quality of life for all people in BiH,” said Sezin Sinanoglu, Resident Representative of UNDP in BiH.
“Opening of the White Trail and the Via Dinarica initiative are a chance for Bosnia and Herzegovina to represent itself in a positive light because tourism is one of successful examples that can represent our country on regional and international plan, especially in the field of foreign trade and economic relations,” said Mate Franjičević, Deputy Ministr of Foreign Trad and Economic Relations of BiH.
With the symbolic tying of alpine rope, ambassadors Cormack and Sinanoglu and the Deputy Minister Franjičević opened the White Trail in BiH in accordance with the main motto of Via Dinarica, about “natural bonding” of people, natural beauties and cultural heritage.
Via Dinarica is a platform for sustainable development of tourism and local economic growth in seven countries through which the mountain chain of Dinaric Alps stretches, from Slovenia in the north to Serbia, Kosovo and Albania in the south.
(Source: nap.ba/photo: nap.ba)
