Regional Tourism Cooperation

Centre for Sustainable Tourism Initiatives &

Montenegro Adventures

Podgorica, 1 October 2009

CSTI & Montenegro AdventuresCSTI – local NGO, established in

February 2006, spin-off from USAID project implemented by CHF International

Montenegro Adventures – established in January 2007, commercially registered subsidiary tourism agency and tour operator

Both entities were created as lasting mechanisms for tourism development and promotion aiming at o Fostering entrepreneurshipo Creating jobso Increasing incomeo Stimulating investmento Improving quality of life

Regional Routes developed byMontenegro Adventures, Green Visions & Outdoor Albania

First meeting with current regional partners in 2006Product development and market access in 2007 First regional group & individual trips in 2007 & 2008 with

Exodus, Explore, Mountain Travel Sobek, Regent Holidays...

• 14 day Culture and Nature trip (Albania & Macedonia)• 11 day Cultural heritage trip (Croatia, Montenegro & BiH)• 10 day trekking trip (Croatia, Montenegro & BiH)• 8 day trekking trip (Croatia, Montenegro & BiH)• 5 day trekking trip (Albania & Greece) etc...

Challenges with Regional Routes

• Pricing• Guide standards &

recruitment• Administrative

barriers• Border regulations• Partner

communication• Image of the

various destinations

IFC/WHL BALKAN HOTEL MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM

• Web based reservation & payment portal

• Local connection• Access to regional &

global markets• Knowledge sharing• Caring for

destination

IFC/WHL BALKAN HOTEL MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM

Network on the Balkans consists of destination portals:

One portal in Slovenia, two in Croatia, three in BiH, one in Serbia, one in Macedonia, two in Albania and three in Montenegro.

Example - Initial outputs from January to end September (Montenegro):

• No of unique visitors: 85138• No of visits: 117582• No of pages viewed: 202720• No of tourists visiting MN:

674• No of overnights: 2353

WHL REGIONAL COOPERATION EXAMPLES

SECOND PHASE – COOPEARATION:

• Client sharing• Technical knowledge

sharing (SEO, marketing through social media…)

• Development of Balkan Portal (ex-Yu + AL)

SECOND PHASE – CAPACITY BUILDING OF MSMEs:

Support to small hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses:

• Market readiness assessment

• Content collection exercise• Market access workshops

CSTI Regional Initiatives Supported by GTZ

Need to diversify funding and create strategic alliances with international organizations present in the field, and to expand its activities throughout Montenegro

Importance of donor cooperation meetings – e.g. Hiking & Biking Working Group

New opportunities within IPA funds

GTZ working in the broader region of Skadar Lake, helping local partners to form associations with the aim to build the agro – tourism products, thus connecting agricultural producers to tourism.

Thematic routes: • Wine routes• Honey routes• Smoked ham (proscuitto) routes

CSTI Regional Initiatives - Old Royal MN, Skadar Lake Product Development,

Via Dinarica

• CSTI submitted its first project “Re-discovering Cultural Treasures of Old Royal Montenegro Region”, the project was approved and we expect that the contract will be signed in October

• Partners: GTZ and Naturpark Schwarzwald in Germany

• New cross boarder Albania-Montenegro project submitted on 29 September

VIA DINARICA

Enhancing the way of life in the communities around the Central Dinaric Alps using sustainable tourism development as a tool.

VIA DINARICA

THANK YOU!

Slavica Vukcevicslavica@montenegro-adventures.com

Centre for Sustainable Tourism Initiatives

www.cstimontenegro.org Montenegro Adventureswww.montenegro-adventures.comwww.travel-budva.com www.travel-kotor.com

www.travel-podgorica.com