Alternative types of tourism - a prerequisite for increasing the sustainability of the tourism business in the cross-border region

The aim of the project is to create preconditions for increasing the sustainability of cross-border tourism by developing alternative tourist routes. Thus, the aim is to diversify the offered tourist services, to attract tourists with wider interests in different areas of nature, history and culture and to extend the tourist season.
Project activities include preparation of an analysis of the potential for alternative tourism in the two cross-border regions, acquaintance of representatives of the target groups with potential sites and preparation of Guidelines for development of alternative types of tourism in the regions of Burgas and Keshan; training of the representatives of the target groups for acquiring capacity and skills for development of alternative tourist routes; development of sample routes, including the most promising sites for alternative tourism in both regions; promoting the results of the project among local and state administration, NGOs, branch organizations in order to plan their future activities.
As a result of the project activities, analyzes of the potential for alternative forms of tourism and Guidelines including the most promising sites in the regions will be developed and promoted. 4 sample routes will be created, which will be offered on the tourist market and will be the basis, together with the Guidelines, for the development of new tourist services. New business partnerships will be established between companies in the tourism sector on both sides of the border. Prerequisites will be created for diversification of tourist services and extension of the season.

Project status: Finished

The Project partners – the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Burgas and Keshan for the second time successfully implement a project aimed at strengthening mutual relations between the tourism businesses on both sides of the border, building sustainable partnerships and improving the conditions for the development of joint tourist destinations. Through the implementation of the project activities, tourism companies on both sides of the border got acquainted with the opportunities for alternative forms of tourism in both regions. They participated in the preparation and implementation of tourist routes and destinations and attraction of people interested in unpopular opportunities for recreation and entertainment such as lovers of historical sites, natural phenomena, culinary temptations, ornithology, water sports, spa and wellness treatments, picturesque villages, traditions and life of the local population.

As a result of the joint partners’ activities it is expected that they will have an impact on the development of sustainable cross border tourism, an increase in attendance, extension of the tourist season, creation of new jobs, deepening of contacts between companies, institutions and the local population from the two border regions are expected. For the purposes of the project activities, analyses have been prepared by the two partner organizations for the conditions and opportunities that exist for the development and implementation of different types of alternative tourism. The natural characteristics of the regions, the infrastructure, the existing practices and the presence of traditions and experience in offering alternative tourist services and attractions are considered.

The Guidelines for the development of tourist destinations, prepared under the project, which include alternative forms of tourism, were used as a basis for the trainings conducted under the project for tour operators and other stakeholders. Also two sample tourist routes have been developed by each of the partners to serve the travel agencies to enrich their programs and attract new customers.

The main result of the activities is the expansion of the partnership between all stakeholders involved in the project, which contributes to the socio-economic stabilization of the region through the development of sustainable cross-border tourism. D