Within the project “Cycling routes to improve natural and cultural heritage of Herzegovina and Montenegro – Cycling Rural”, funded by the European Union, Forum of Active Tourism called “Adriatic Outdoor Adventure” took place on March 12, 2021. International experts from the European Cycling Federation and Outdooractive, Europe’s largest outdoor platforms, discussed the development of active tourism in the Adriatic hinterland. About 150 active participants in the online forum had the opportunity to hear about the initiatives launched under the project “Cycling Rural”, as well as other projects in this area that are being implemented in the region.
Johann Sattler, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to BiH and EU Special Representative in BiH, pointed out that outdoor activities have become more important than ever, not only for the development of the economy, but also for strengthening of health. “The European Union is committed to supporting the countries of the Western Balkans with the aim of preserving and promoting their natural heritage and environmental protection. I am confident that the efforts of our project partners will lead to increased competitiveness of the area and strengthen cross-border cooperation between related businesses and institutions”, concluded Sattler.
Zdenko Ćosić, Prime Minister of the West Herzegovina Canton, also spoke about the importance of such projects, saying that the Canton is currently implementing five EU-funded projects in BiH worth about two million euros, three of which are related to tourism. “The canton has created strategic and legislative frameworks that are the basis for the implementation of projects in the field of tourism. We are an area rich in natural and cultural heritage and our goal in the future is to integrate the tourist offer of the County into the tourist offer of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “said Ćosić.
During the forum, international experts spoke about the possibilities of improving the offer in the field of active tourism through promotion and digitalization. Thomas Bullmann, International Business Development Manager at Europe’s largest outdoor platform “Outdooractive” from Germany, believes that the biggest problem is that the infrastructures are isolated (promoting only one destination) which reduces development opportunities at the regional level. “I would suggest that we move in the direction of development through partnership and digitalization towards all participants from the tourism sector in Herzegovina. In this way, the campaigns can be more meaningful and have a significant impact on the development of tourism in the region, “said Bullmann.
Iva Bencun, the owner of a travel agency from Zadar, believes that it is necessary to invest a lot of effort to get things started and to motivate guests who will have an active vacation. Her experience confirms the need to agree on a common brand, develop a brand strategy, encourage the local population to get involved in the process, and organize outdoor events, trainings and forums like this.
One of the conclusions of the forum is that such gatherings need to be organised once a year, so that trends can be followed, experiences can be exchanged and everything that has been done in the period between the two forums can be evaluated.
The forum of active tourism “Adriatic Outdoor Adventure” was held within the project “Cycling routes to improve natural and cultural heritage of Herzegovina and Montenegro – Cycling Rural”, funded by the European Union. The total value is around 495,000 euros, of which the European Union has provided 400,000 euros in grants. The project is implemented by the Office of the Government of the West Herzegovina Canton for European Integration, and the partners are the cities of Široki Brijeg and Ljubuški, the municipalities of Posušje and Grude, and the Tourist Organization of Herceg Novi from Montenegro.
