Description
Description (EN): Krusevo and Elbasan, as cross-border areas’ destinations, with a combined offer for tourists, such as the environment, valuable nature, protracted history and culture, active / adventure tourism potentials (paragliding, active sports, hiking, mount-baking, water sports), and many more, have firmly decided to go world top-level as touristic destinations. With the particular attention to creating new business opportunities for the wider region’s urban and rural areas, the project is adding to the project objectives and outputs by diversification of the tourism offerings and tourism marketing promotion.
With the setting of the proposed infrastructure improvements for active tourism, the planned joint strategic actions for developing and promoting one cross-border tourism package, the unique set of capacity-building measures, as well as actions for strengthening the cross-border stakeholder cooperation, the project opens new economic opportunities for the urban/rural communities. That is why the overall project objective is focused on long-term stable and sustainable tourism growth that achieves a balance between environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of tourism to guarantee long-term benefits to both communities and the countries as the cross-border areas.
Specific objectives:
1.To encourage active tourism in both CB areas by developing appropriate, modern, and safe infrastructure, spaces and facilities that will meet the necessary standards for further implementation and sustainable actions development;
2.To develop an integrated touristic promotion and ready competi tive tourism and hospitality services in CB area Krushevo – Elbasan for attracting domestic and foreign tourists and visitors.
Read more Achievements (EN): Summary of the achieved results:
1. Constructed an approach site for paragliding in Krusevo, accommodating 62 vehicles and 5-6 buses and mini-buses, featuring horticultural landscaping and urban equipment made from environmentally friendly materials. Facilities include areas for equipment loading and unloading, an information point, and participant and spectator registration.
2. Completed constructing a paragliding run in the Funar area, covering 1000m2 and hosting 300-500 participants annually.
3. Established, built and equipped a Tourist Info Centre in Funar, Elbasan, with approximately 90 m2 of space.
4. Installed two digitized measuring stations in Krusevo to monitor air quality (based on European AQI standards), wind speed, and direction.
5. Implemented Smart LED lighting along a cultural route in Krusevo, illuminating accessible roads, specific sites, cultural and historical landmarks, buildings, and monuments with approximately 200 LED lights.
6. Designed, arranged, and marked the urban downhill cycling route in Krusevo.
7. Arranged and signposted one adventure and hiking route with a length of 73 km in Funar, Elbasan.
8. Created two unique tourist packages as part of the Analyses and Strategy for Marketing, Promotion, and Branding of the unique Krusevo & Elbasan tourism package offered to ITOs (International Tourism Organizations).
9. Provided advisory support programs and training for tourism and hospitality service providers, with mentoring support offered to 30 tourism-related businesses.
10. Developed a training program for outdoor tour guides based on Training Needs Analysis (TNA), with 30 participants gaining advanced skills from both countries.
11. Organized one promotional event for relevant tourism-related stakeholders.
Read more
Expected Results (EN): Summary of the expected results:
1. Backing of the municipalities Krusevo and Elbasan in improving the tourismrelated infrastructure:
1.1 Construction of an approaching site for paragliders and spectators in MK
1.2 Mounting two air quality and wind measurement stations for paragliding and other sports purposes in Krusevo.
1.3 Building and arranging an urban-downhill biking trail in Krusevo
1.4 Obtaining smart LED lighting of accessible roads in Krusevo, and pointing out the main cultural and historic places/objects/monuments
1.5 Constructing Tourist Info Center at the entrance of Funar area, Elbasan
1.6 Constructing a paragliding run on the mountain top Maja e Korres
1.7 Developing a hiking trail within Funar area, Elbasan
1.8 Designing an Itinerary for active tourism, Signposts and maps posts for locating important cultural/historical attractions and places on the move from Elbasan to Funar and within Funar
2. Developed an integrated touristic promotional package
2.1 Designing one unique and comprehensive CB Analyses and Strategy for Marketing, Promotion & Branding of unique Krusevo/Elbasan tourism package
2.2 Online targeted promotional campaign (with market segmentation nature/active and cultural/heritage tourism) of the CBC Krusevo – Elbasan tourism package, encompassing two (6 min.) digital and/or 360º unique videos for (1) nature/active tourism and (1) cultural/heritage tourism
2.3 Attaining Google pinpointing of specific tourism locations One-stop online CBC Krusevo-Elbasan Tourism Info space established
3. Implemented joint capacity building actions
3.1 Training portfolio set and continuous ASP-Advisory Support Programme for tourism and hospitality service providers
3.2 Training program and guidelines for outdoor tour tourist guides and rescue service members
Read more
