Justification: The region of West Stara Planina, in which REC for CEE is working already for 5 years, is one of the most underdeveloped areas in Bulgaria and is a priority for development under the Regional Development Strategy. At the same time the territory is of global significance for the protection of important species and habitats and currently a procedure is running for its designation as a Nature Park.
Since 2002 REC for CEE supports activities for the environmentally friendly development of the region, whereas ecotourism was identified by the local stakeholders as a key priority for development. In 2003 a Regional Ecotourism Action Plan was developed by more than 50 local stakeholders as part of the National Ecotourism Strategy, and in the following years the implementation of the plan was initiated. A Regional Tourist Route ?West Balkan? was developed, 150 km long and passing through the most attractive places in the mountain and through 10 small settlements; as well as a network of tourist information centers along the route.
In the region along the route are situated some of the most important habitats for conservation of the globally significant biodiversity in West Stara Planina, but until now the route does not offer opportunities for its protection and promotion. The route does not comply with the major criteria for ecotourism products ? there is lack of interpretation of the biodiversity and lack of trained staff for promotion of this biodiversity. The increasing number of visitors in the area will increase the income for the local people, but at the same time puts at risk the biodiversity if it is not well presented to the visitors.
The current project aims at presenting in an accessible and attractive way the value of the nature in the mountain and the importance of its protection to the local people, as well as to the visitors, whereas on one hand this will improve significantly the quality of the offered ecotourism product and consequently the benefits for the local people, while at the other it will create conditions for conservation and promotion of the unique nature. The project will use the already established route ?West Balkan? as an instrument for education in the most significant biodiversity of the mountain and for development of an ecotourism product.
Location. The project covers the territory of tourist route ?West Balkan?, passing through 10 small settlements in 5 rural municipalities ? Belogradchik, Chuprene, Chiprovtzi, Georgi Damjanovo and Berkovitza.
Project Target Groups are 52 households in the 10 settlements, 5 tourist information centers, 5 municipal administrations, 9 local non-governmental organizations, 5 forestry departments, as well as all visitors of the region.
Goal and Expected Impacts: Protection and promotion of the globally significant biodiversity of West Stara Planina and its transformation to an ecotourist product from which the local communities will benefit.
Expected impacts:
? Better protection and promotion of the globally significant biodiversity of the region through trained local people and visiting public;
? Increased benefit for the local people through improved quality, attractiveness and marketing of the ecotourism product.
Objectives and expected results.
Objectives:
1. Development of interpretative program along the tourist route West Balkan for the most significant species and habitats
2. Developing local capacity for the interpretation of the biodiversity and organization of the ecotourism product
3. Marketing and promotion of the ecotourist product, the route and the biodiversity of the region.
Expected results:
1. Improved protection of 5 important habitats;
2. Developed 5 ecotourism products;
3. Trained 73 persons in interpreting biodiversity and organizing tourist products;
4. Increased promotion of the West Balkan tourist route and increased number of tourists.
Major activities
1.1 Interpretation of the biodiversity
1.2 Development of a guidebook
1.3 Development of 5 interactive modules
1.4 Organization of a demonstration program in Chiprovtzi
2.1 Training of 10 certified mountain guides
2.2 Training in biodiversity interpretation/animation
2.3 Organization of tourist programs
2.4 Establishment of working group on Biodiversity Management and exchange of experience with Nature Park Stara Planina, Serbia
3.1. Marketing research
3.2. Development of promotional materials
3.3 Development of website
3.4 Promotional tourist programs
3.5 PR campaign
3.6 Participation in Tourist Fair ?Vacation 2008?
4 Evaluation, analysis and lessons learned
Partnership with GEF SGP proposals/projects: The project plans to exchange experience with the GEF SGP project ?Demonstration project for ecotourism development in Vurshetz Municipality?. The promotional materials and tourist packages will also be distributed to other projects with similar focus from GEF SGP ? in Razlog, Vlahi and Arda river.
Sustainability: The products of the project will remain property of the local organizations and small business. The business is a major target group in the project, which is a prerequisite for its sustainability because the business will benefit from sustaining the project results. The internet site will be maintained by the TIC, which will be trained to do it. The interactive infrastructure will be maintained by the local tourist associations. The two major institutions involved in the project ? REC and the Regional Association for Tourism Development are sustainable institutions will assured presence and capacity for continuing the activities in the region in the future.