Within the project “Cycling routes for the improvement of natural and cultural heritage of Herzegovina and Montenegro – Cycling Rural”, funded by the European Union, on Friday 12.03.2021. from 2 pm to 5 pm at the Bigeste Hotel in Ljubuški, an active tourism forum called “Adriatic Outdoor Adventure” will be organized. The aim of this forum is to acquaint the tourism sector with the initiatives that have taken root in our area and to highlight and convey success stories in the field of active tourism development in the Adriatic hinterland. The forum will bring together international experts in the field of active tourism, and those interested will follow the program through the Zoom application. The organizer is the Office of the Government of the West Herzegovina County for European Integration.
The forum will open the presentation of the project “Cycling Rural”, participants will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the most successful initiatives launched through European Union projects: “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure – T.A.R.A.” and Adriatic Canyoning. Current projects in the field of tourism will also be presented: “EU4Business”, “Tourism Development Promotion” and “Via Dinarica”.
The second part of the program concludes with a panel with international speakers who will discuss their experiences and share the success stories they have gone through on the path of developing active tourism across Europe. The panel will feature Ed Lancaster from the European Cyclist Federation (Belgium); Jack Delf of Black Mountain Montenegro; Iva Bencun from the Feral Tours agency (Croatia), the moderator of the panel will be Nedo Pinezić, a tourist advisor from Croatia.
The West Herzegovina County, through the Tourism Development Plan, is improving the infrastructure for outdoor activities, with an emphasis on bicycle paths. The organization of such a forum represents a significant contribution to the promotion of bicycle paths in Herzegovina and helps to position Herzegovina as a desirable cycling tourist destination on European cycling platforms.
The “Cycling Rural” project started on October 1, 2019, and the implementation will last for 18 months. The total value of the project is around 500,000 euros, of which the European Union has provided 400,000 euros. The project holder is the Office of the Government of the West Herzegovina County for European Integration, and the partners are the cities of Široki Brijeg and Ljubuški, the municipalities of Posušje and Grude, and the Tourist Organization of Herceg Novi from Montenegro.