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VLAŠIĆ, October 4 (FENA) - Voluntary action on Mount Vlašić brought together members of mountaineering associations and people from across the country, including internationals and officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Expressing mutual support and commitment to the recovery of the tourism sector during the pandemic, the action was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina Nicola Minasi, USAID Mission Director Nancy J. Eslick, United Nations Resident Coordinator in BiH Ingrid Macdonald, UNDP Resident Representative in BiH Steliana Nedera, Minister of Environment and Tourism of FBiH Edita Đapo, expert advisor for tourism of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH Snježana Marić and senior expert associate of the Ministry of Trade and Tourism of RS Jelena Gavrilović.
“The goal of Via Dinarica voluntary actions is to promote nature tourism, especially now at the beginning of the season of hiking, mountaineering, cycling and other outdoor activities, which allows many people to enjoy the natural beauty of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Ingrid Macdonald, UN Resident Coordinator in BiH.
To jointly support the recovery of tourism in times of travel impossibility, UNDP has launched a series of voluntary actions under the Via Dinarica project to preserve nature and make Via Dinarica trails accessible to all tourists who enjoy nature.
UNDP Resident Representative in BiH Steliana Nedera pointed out that, in addition to promoting volunteerism, the goal of these voluntary actions is to support rural tourism and nature tourism in general, especially in this situation when destinations that can meet health and safety recommendations related to the pandemic are sought and which includes physical distancing and being in nature in the fresh air.
USAID Mission Director in BiH Nancy J. Eslick also joined the volunteers who worked on the maintenance of the trail.
“Support for tourism does not come only through the promotion of the natural beauties of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in which Via Dinarica is an outstanding example. Additional efforts are needed for tourists to come, stay longer and spend more money. Tourism generates income and jobs, which benefits all citizens of this country, and USAID is committed to supporting this sector. Such developed tourism can play a vital role on BiH's path to self-sufficiency,” said Eslick.
The action was also welcomed by the FBiH Minister of Environment and Tourism Edita Djapo, expressing the readiness of the relevant ministry to support the Via Dinarica project.
By working on cleaning, marking and arranging the trails, the volunteers contributed to a safe and complete experience of the natural environment on Vlašić, a mountain that mountaineers, hikers and tourists like to visit, Via Dinarica Project said.
Via Dinarica is an adventure-mountaineering route that stretches along the Western Balkans, whose goal is to connect the countries and communities of the Dinaric Alps by creating a unique and diverse tourist offer.
Via Dinarica promotes active nature tourism and offers exceptional content to domestic visitors at a time of drastic decline in tourism revenues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Therefore, the Via Dinarica project is recognized as a significant contribution to sustainable economic development, while preserving the environment and respecting the socio-cultural diversity and authenticity of communities.
The Via Dinarica project is implemented and co-financed by the United Nations Development Program in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNDP BiH) with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID BiH) and the Agency for Development Cooperation of the Republic of Italy (AICS).
The main project partners are the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the RS Ministry of Trade and Tourism, as well as the FBiH Ministry of Environment and Tourism, which also financially supports the project, announced Via Dinarica Project.
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