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Struga & Pogradec for promoting tourism and cultural heritage – COOLTOUR

FIELD
INFO
Project Title
Struga & Pogradec for promoting tourism and cultural heritage – COOLTOUR
Type of Contract/Category
Grant contract
IPA Component/ (national or regional) Programming year
Cross-border Programme the Republic of North Macedonia – Republic of Albania under the Instrument of Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) allocations for 2018 – 2020
Lead applicant and co-applicants
Lead applicant: Municipality of Struga Co-applicants: – Municipality of Pogradec – NGO Green Institute (NM) – Institute for Rural Development, Environment and Tourism (ALB)
Context/background

The Municipality of Struga and the Municipality of Pogradec are neighboring municipalities, divided by the border between North Macedonia and Albania. They are both part of the Lake Ohrid region, known as one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe, surrounded by mountains.
Despite the touristic potential of these two municipalities, there is a lack of services and trained touristic service providers and weak presence in the touristic market place and lack of an integrated management and promotion strategy of cultural and natural heritage and insufficient involvement of community actors, in both Municipalities of Struga and Pogradec. For this reasons, there is a need of joint management of common heritage sites through direct and constant involvement of local/regional stakeholders/experts.
The public authorities in these two municipalities should gain a deeper knowledge of the territories involved, thanks to the territorial mapping, as well as ingrowth incomes due to the establishment of a new management model. By developing the potential of tourism by promoting cultural heritage and values, the targeted sites themselves should benefit from a higher flow of tourist, impacting local economy. Through the best available means of promotion, digital mapping and web positioning, local, regional and world-wide public will be aware of the new touristic sites and content, so the economic growth assured through the self-sustainable models.
The aim of the Project COOLTOUR is to increase the joint touristic offer that will provide the new dimension to cultural tourism in area of these two municipalities, in line with national and local strategic documents; to develop and improve the infrastructure and the current situation which can offer occasional and short-term programmes, to turn to multi/stakeholders facilities users, offering a variety of cultural and innovative content during the whole year.

Abstract (short project summary)

The Project will act on facilitating development the potential of tourism by promoting cultural heritage and values in both Municipalities of Struga & Pogradec. This will be achieved through the comprehensive management plan that implies a tourism and promotional detailed action plan; establishment and equipment of the local tourist offices in Struga and Pogradec; training for tourism workers and civil servants in the field of tourism and sustainable development; the creation of new touristic facilities and products, their management plan and the development of sustainable financial plans; SMEs from the targeted area have the need for better integration with tourism content as well as improved infrastructure which will attract more visitors and extend the seasons.
This will be achieved by:
• Empowering the capacities of touristic service providers and operators in Struga and Pogradec
• Improving the public tourism infrastructure in terms of upgrading the facilities for environment friendly touristic activities, pollution reduction and sustainable development
• Joint touristic offers from Struga and Pogradec to increase in terms of common cultural heritage and values

This will be achieved by creating a team of experts composed by both sides, then a joint touristic agency and opening two touristic offices in both cities. It will be completely reconstructed a pedestrian street by the lake in Struga, and rehabilitation of the walls of Pogradec ancient Castle, with many side components. In this Project will take place trainings, providing the touristic businesses with Renewable Energy Solutions, interventions in the touristic infrastructure and other PR and awareness raising campaigns.

Final beneficiary
– 1 Tourism University in Struga – At least 67 accommodation providers from Struga – At least 63 restaurants along the Ohrid Lake Struga – At least 75 accommodation providers from Pogradec – At least 85 restaurants cross the Ohrid Lake in Pogradec – Community living in Struga Region (16.599 population) – Community living in Pogradec Region (61.530 population) – At least 280.000 tourist annually – Public officers and public employees of the Municipality of Struga and Municipality of Pogradec.
Action location/s
• Municipality of Struga, Republic of North Macedonia • Municipality of Pogradec, Republic of Albania
Objectives

Overall Objective: To stimulate a balanced, inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development in the cross-border area.

Specific Objective: To develop the potential of tourism by promoting cultural heritage and values in both Municipalities of Struga and Pogradec.

Activities

1.1: To create a team composed by both Albanian and North Macedonian experts.

1.2: To organise 10 specific capacity building trainings organised touristic service providers and operators.

1.3: To establish New Joint Touristic Association of Struga & Pogradec.

2.1: To design a Plan and intervention in the touristic infrastructure.

2.2: Improvement of energy consumption of touristic business providers promoting green energy, installation of photo voltaic panels.

2.3 Intervention to mitigate human activities impact on the environment.

3.1: To create a map of touristic places around Struga and Pogradec on the two sides of Ohrid Lake and along the border.

3.2: To create a web page and Electronic Touristic Terminals of “Struga&Pogradec side of Ohrid Lake”.

3.3: To create channels to promote JTA network and Cross Border values.

3.4: To create 1 Video Promotion & 1 Documentary Movie

Impact/Output/Result

1.1: To create a team composed by both Albanian and North Macedonian experts.

1.2: To organise 10 specific capacity building trainings organised touristic service providers and operators.

1.3: To establish New Joint Touristic Association of Struga & Pogradec.

2.1: To design a Plan and intervention in the touristic infrastructure.

2.2: Improvement of energy consumption of touristic business providers promoting green energy, installation of photo voltaic panels.

2.3 Intervention to mitigate human activities impact on the environment.

3.1: To create a map of touristic places around Struga and Pogradec on the two sides of Ohrid Lake and along the border.

3.2: To create a web page and Electronic Touristic Terminals of “Struga&Pogradec side of Ohrid Lake”.

3.3: To create channels to promote JTA network and Cross Border values.

3.4: To create 1 Video Promotion & 1 Documentary Movie

Facts & Figures

The key facts & figures relevant to the project:
Facts:

·         Project duration: 36 months

·         Start date of the project: 01.01.2022

·         End date of the project: 31.12.2024

Figures:

·         Cost of the action:  955.760,94€

·         EU contribution: 799.971,91€

EU contribution percentage: 83,70%

Final useful footnotes

For more information: Contact: Email: info@struga.gov.mk  

Tel: ++ 389 46 781434, 781223, 782015. Fax: ++ 389 46 781434