Promoting Sustainable Tourism through Increasing Municipal and Entrepreneurship Capacities in Wider Prespa Area

Emiliano Abedini
Published: 10 June 2021
Last edited: 10 June 2021
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Summary

In early April, the Albanian Centre for Environmental Governance (ACEG) marked the end of a successful 16-month long project with the financial support of PONT and the GIZ ProSeed/Idea programme. On this occasion, ACEG organized a tour expedition and invited donors and tour operators to enjoy the beauty of Prespa National. The project was able to deliver important products, such as a Youth Tourism Academy, municipal training and cooperation, alongside financial support for the opening of a new guesthouse in Micro Prespa. The Regional Administration for Protected Areas Korça, presented the Prespa National Park values and tourist attractions such as the work in progress, and the enhancement of the 18 new hiking trails which will diversify the tourism options for various groups. The guided three-hour hiking tour delved into the values of the park, its potential and the nature attraction of the national park.

Classifications

Region
West and South Europe
Scale of implementation
Local
Subnational
Ecosystem
Area-wide development
Freshwater ecosystems
Pool, lake, pond
Urban ecosystem and build environment
Theme
Connectivity / transboundary conservation
Local actors
Protected and conserved areas governance
Tourism
Traditional knowledge
Challenges
Land and Forest degradation
Loss of Biodiversity
Conflicting uses / cumulative impacts
Unsustainable harvesting incl. Overfishing
Lack of access to long-term funding
Lack of alternative income opportunities
Lack of public and decision maker’s awareness
Unemployment / poverty
Sustainable development goals
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals

Location

Prespa National park
Pustec, Korçë, Albania
Devoll District, Korçë, Albania
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Impacts

The project established a Youth Tourism Academy, where 38 youth enrolled the whole programme of 4 modules. In the end 18 business plans were developed by YTA members on nature-based tourism in Devoll and Pustec municipalities. The winning business plan was financially supported by ACEG and PONT.

A full module of nature-based training was developed for inter-municipal tourism co-operation in Pustec and Devoll municipalities.

Organized a two day excursion tour for 20 local partners, tours and travel operators to promote nature tourism, values of the Prespa National Park and connect people with nature.

 

Contributed by

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Margarita Buxhaku Albanian Center for Environmental Governance