Una tourism cluster - Raising awareness on the importance of preserving natural resources, by linking them to people’s livelihood

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Una Tourism cluster members

WWF Adria

WWF Adria provides a model on how national parks can generate environmentally responsible economic development by encouraging entrepreneurs to start or grow businesses in the tourism sector. Activities include establishment and support to Una Tourism Cluster and work with its 27 members, (private sector hotels, B&B facilities, women associations, organic food farms), establishing an eco-market; providing a grants program to fund new tourism facilities and integrate local products into tourism offers; branding and standardization; and strengthening the capacity of TC Una members. 300 families are directly benefiting being cluster members or employees of hotels/restaurants which are cluster members while more than 1000 people are indirectly benefiting. The idea is that all products and services marked as UNASANA are recognizable as high quality and unique in the region, while simultaneously meeting criteria for being sustainable businesses within protected areas.

Last update: 28 May 2019

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Context

Challenges addressed

Lack of access to long-term funding

Lack of alternative income opportunities

Unemployment / poverty

Scale of implementation

Local

National

Multi-national

Ecosystems

Temperate deciduous forest

River, stream

Theme

Sustainable financing

Gender mainstreaming

Sustainable livelihoods

Indigenous people

Traditional knowledge

Tourism

Standards/ certification

Location

Una-Sana Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina

East Europe

Impacts

Now cluster members have formalized cooperation, empowered position for participation in decision-making process, strategic direction and are focused on building an identity for Una as a tourism destination, increasing its promotion, improving the quality of tourism offers and services, and strengthening overall the competitiveness of the tourism sector. Similar initiatives from other parts of the country already started to use this model and a cooperation agreement between Tourism Cluster Una and Tourism cluster Herzegovina, Lika Cluster, universities etc. is signed.
Tourism is now a leading economic activity. This is a result of joint action, more intense and coordinated promotion, strengthening of the quality of tourism services, and the creation of a unique identity for local tourism offers. Through long-term cooperation with the Una Tourism Cluster, WWF, NP Una, will promote tourism to the Una- Sana area at tourism fairs and raise awareness of the Cluster at national and regional levels.

Number of cluster members – 27 organisations
Number of products (traditional local gastronomic offer) – 30
Number of new services (outdoor tourism, cultural-historical) – 20
Number of families directly benefiting – 300 (cluster members or employees of hotels/restaurants which are cluster members)
The indirect benefit to the people – 1000 (family members collecting an income from the activities)