About the project:

The overall objective of this project is to support the development of sustainable nature and rural tourism in the Lake Ohrid and Jablanica region by helping local inhabitants to start-up and manage small tourism related businesses. The southwest region of Macedonia and its natural characteristics, rich cultural heritage, and protected areas are a very good base for the future development of tourism. Lake Ohrid is the most famous tourist destination in this region. All current investments and efforts on the behalf of the public and private sector are focused on the cities (Ohrid and Struga) and rural parts are largely ignored. Although the Program for Rural Development (IPARD) is available, local inhabitants do not have the capacity to benefit from the money made available by the European Union. Implementation of these programs is impossible without human capacity and there is a danger that those who need them most will not use them. Inhabitants of the rural areas surrounding Lake Ohrid and Jablanica lack knowledge and skills in order to develop rural tourism related businesses. The unemployment rate in some of the villages is more than 50%. Depopulation is one of the major problems these villages are facing. Municipalities do not have the capacity to resolve these negative trends. There is no strategy or action plans for development of nature and rural tourism.

Timeframe:

March 2011 - ongoing

Partners:

MASHAV – Israeli’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, Faculty of Tourism – Ohrid, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Supply of RM, GIZ

Results:

• Three-week study visit to Israel (March 2011)
During this study visit LDA representative Katerina Vasileska has participated on a course for sustainable development and got introduced with methods how Israeli institutions are dealing with challenges they are facing in agriculture, water supply, rural tourism.
• Israeli Short-Term Consultancy Mission to Macedonia (November 2011)
The five day mission was conducted between October 30 - November 4, 2011 and carried out by Mr.Shai Dotan, then acting director of CINADCO and Director of Agro-tourism in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr.Yaacov (Cobe) Meller – Rural Tourism Expert, Tourism Projects and Mr.Yehuda Eroni – General Manager, Trade and Tourism Projects, Ltd. Israel. The overall goal of the mission team was to examine the existing situation in rural tourism in the Ohrid Lake Region of Macedonia.
• 2 week Training Course in rural Tourism for Trainers (March 2012)
The training was held from the 19th-29th of March in 2012 at the Faculty of tourism in Ohrid. 35 participants from various sectors (private, public and NGO sector) were trained to promote rural tourism in the region. As a part of the course they also worked on case studies and helped 3 entrepreneurs to develop their business plans.
• Training organized by German-Macedonian network for Sustainable Tourism (May 2012 - September 2013)
LDA representative Jasminka Popovska has participated on 4 modules as part of this training, and had one-week study tour to Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development in Germany.

Supported by:




See photos here