PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN MACEDONIA “EASTERN (BREGALNICA)REGION AND SOUTHEASTERN (STRUMICA) REGION “CRADLE OF CULTURE - LAND OF NATURE” ACTION PLAN TOURISM PROMOTION FOR SOUTHEAST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA 04 September 2008 JICA, Sapporo
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PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN MACEDONIA
“EASTERN (BREGALNICA)REGION AND SOUTHEASTERN (STRUMICA) REGION
“CRADLE OF CULTURE - LAND OF NATURE”
ACTION PLANTOURISM PROMOTION FOR SOUTHEAST
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
04 September 2008JICA, Sapporo
- Name
Lazar Gazepov
- Organization
Municipality of Radovish
- Position
Head of Local Economic Development Department
Developed by:
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
- Name Ljupcho Karakashovski- OrganizationMunicipality of Pehcevo- Position Assistant in Local Economic Development Department
CONTENT:
1. Introduction
INTRODUCTION:
On its road to secure its place under the sun, Republic of Macedonia faces a number of challenges that constitute an important test of the nation’s commitment to improvement. One of these challenges relates to the sustainable tourism promotion and sustainable regional development. The Republic of Macedonia takes current efforts to elaborate a policy of sustainable tourism promotion and balanced regional development.The main effort of policy making is developed in accordance with EU specifications and modern world trends. This document will represent an account of priorities aimed to create successful projects that will provide multi-level support to Macedonia’s tourism promotion policy and regional development program. With this ACTION PLAN we will try to emphasize the importance of the different stakeholder’s role and necessity of networking among them. In this course it’s an outmost importance establishment and maintenance of tourism associations or organizations that can be functional on National, Regional and Local level. The priorities in recommendations for future efforts are focused on the optimum utilization of Macedonia’s cultural and natural heritage through strengthening existing capacities and promotion of tourist organization on national and regional level.
GeographyArea: 25,713 square km. (slightly larger than Vermont).Cities (2001 est.): Capital--Skopje 600,000; Tetovo, Kumanovo, Gostivar and Bitola 100,000+. Geography: Situated in the southern region of the Balkan Peninsula, Macedonia is landlocked and mountainous. Climate: Three climatic types overlap--Mediterranean; moderately continental; and mountainous, producing hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. PeoplePopulation (2006 est.): 2,042,894.Growth rate (2006 est.): 0.2%.Ethnic groups (2002): Macedonian 64.18%, Albanian 25.17%, Turkish 3.85%, Roma 2.66%, Serb 1.78%. Religions: Eastern Orthodox 65%, Muslim 29%, Catholic 4% and others 2%.Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbian 3%, and others 3%.Education: Years compulsory--8. Literacy--94.6%.Health (2006 est.): Infant mortality rate--11.1 deaths/per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy--males 71.79 years; females 76.43 years.Labor force (2006): 903,576; employed 578,810: services--37.5%; industry and commerce--44.9%; agriculture--17.6%.
GovernmentType: Parliamentary democracy.Economy GDP (2007 est.): $8.036 billion. Per capita GDP (2007 est.): $3,720.Real GDP growth (first quarter 2008 est.): 5.2%.Annualized inflation rate (first half 2008): 10.1%.Unemployment rate (2007): 34.9%.Trade: Significant exports--steel, textile products, chromium, lead, zinc, nickel, tobacco, lamb, and wine. Official exchange rate (2007 avg.): 44.7 Macedonian denars = U.S.$1; (2006 avg.): 48.8 Macedonian denars = U.S.$1.
Table1. Selected data for the regionsTable2. Generation of value contributed by institutional sectors in the
regions
Population Employed Unemployed rate % Households GDP % national avarage
Macedonia 2.022,547 460,544 38,1 564,237 6,850 -
East (Bregalnica) Region
203,213 54,779 34,5 64,490 5,104 75
South-East (Strumica) Region
171,416 50,559 34,4 49,695 6,050 88
Total Non financial sector Financial sector Government sector Households
Non profit institutions serving households %
Macedonia 100 54,7 3,6 17,1 24,0 0,6East
(Bregalnica) Region
100 47,2 1,8 15,3 35,3 0,4
South-East (Strumica)
Region100 39,5 1.2 11,7 47,2 0,5
GOAL:
“Republic of Macedonia to become top European touristic destination, to create new 2000 jobs in tourism sector, to increase the foreign financial flow up to 28%, to increase domestic and foreign investments and to improve regional development until the year 2020. “
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
This is statement of national tourism strategy that is currently under development.
1. Encourage development and investments with a positive business climate;
2. To improve quality and range of tourism products; 3. To create effective local partnership for sustainable
tourism;4. Natural protection and cultural conservation; 5. Human resources development;6. Networking on local, regional, national and international
level;
STRATEGIC ACTION AREAS:
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
1. Tourist centric approach;2. Utilization of best world global practices;3. Tourist destination development ;4. Effective partnership;
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
GLOBAL TRENDS• ECONOMICGLOBALIZATIONGROWING COMPETITIONCHANGING TOURISM PATERNSIMPROVEMENT OF TOURIST SERVICES • SOCIALGROWING WEALTH GAPCHANGE OF DEMOGRAPHIC AND POPULATION• ENVIRONMENTALCLIMATE CHANGE
NATIONAL TRENDS• ECONOMICECONOMIC TRANSITION INFLATION• SOCIALUNEMPLOYMENTMIGRATION-IMIGRATION• ENVIRONMENTALENVIRONMENTAL POLUTION
GLOBAL AND NATIONAL TOURISM CHALENGES
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
POTENTIALS• GEOGRAPHIC POSITION- CROSSROAD (NORTH-SOUTH AND EAST-WEST TRANSPORT CORRIDORE)
• PRESERVED NATURE AND ECOSYSTEMS (MOUNTINS,,LANDSCAPES, THREE LAKES AND PLENTY OF NATIONAL PARKS RICH WITH FLORA AND FAUNA)
• HISTORY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES,, HANDSCRAFT, ARCHEOLOGICAL SIGHTS AND MONUMENTS)
• TRADITIONAL HOSPITALITY (TRADITIONAL CUISINE WITH WARAETY OF FOOD AND DRINKS-FAMOUS LAMB AND VINE),
RISKS• POLUTION OF ENWIRONMENT (LOW ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AWARENESS, HUMAN PRESSURE ON DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS)
• FINANCIAL RISK (HIGH COST OF TOURIST BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE,MEDIUM AND LONG TERM EFECTS)
• SOCIAL RISK (MIGRATION AND EMIGRATION PROCESS, COORDINATION AND COOPERATION BERWEEN STAKEHOLDERS
• CULTURAL RISK (LOSING THE AUTHENTICITY OF TRADITION AND HERITAGE BY COMERCIALIZATION)
POTENTIALS AND RISKS FOR PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN
THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
1. ONGOING PROCESS OF NATIONAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY;
2. ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT; (REVITALIZATION OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL ROADS AND HIGHWAYS)
3. AIRPORT MODERNIZATION; (RECONSTRUCTION OF TWO EXISTING AIRPORTS AND CONSTRUCTION OF NEW IN EASTERN PART OF MACEDONIA)
4. WORLD MEDIA PROMOTION OF MACEDONIA; (CNN-SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF MACEDONIA)
5. ATRACTING WORLD FAMOUS HOTEL CHAINS; (HILTON, MARRIOT, ETC..)
6. DEVELOPMENT OF TOURIST ATRACTIONS; (MACEDONIAN VILLAGE )
7. BRANDING OF PRODUCTS AND REGIONS; (OHRID LAKE, CHEESE, LAMB, VINE, ETC..)
ONGOING TOURISM RELATED PROJECTS
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
8. ARHEOLOGICAL HERITAGE; (INTENSE EXCAVATION AND CONSERVATION) 9. REVITALIZATION OF OLD CITY CENTERS AND SQUARES; (BIT PAZAR,
SIROK SOKAK ETC..)10. REVITALIZATION OF OLD HANDCRAFTS AND TRADITIONS; 11. FORESTRING; (INTRODUCING THE DAY OF THE TREE AND LANTING
100 MILION TREES IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS )12. MAINAINING THE CLOSE TIES WITH OVERSEAS DIASPORA; (2-3
GENERATION OF MACEDONIANS ABROAD)13. MACEDONIAN HISTORY PROMOTION PROJECTS; (CONSTRUCTION OF
NEW NATIONAL THEATRE AND SCULPTURES OF FAMOUS MACEDONIANS-EX. ALEXANDR THE GREAT)
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
ONGOING TOURISM RELATED PROJECTS
CUSTOMERS (domestic and foreign tourists) PUBLIC SECTOR (related ministries, agencies and
subjects on central level, regional and local authorities) BUSINESS SECTOR (tourism operators, travel agencies,
hotels, restaurants, resorts, SME’s,professional and business associations and media)
Number of trained and certified personnel;Number of renovated facilities;Number of overnight stays;Number of festivals and fairs;Distribution of tourists per year;
Mid term 2015
1.3 Straightening the human capacities related to tourism
Number of trained and certified personnel;Number of provided trainings;Number of training tools developed;
Mid term 2015
1.4 Improvement of road infrastructure
PUBLIC SECTOR;BUSINESS SECTOR;ACADEMIC SECTOR;CIVIL SECTOR;
Number of reconstruct roads;Number of newly constructed roads;
Long term 2020
Objective EASTERN REGION
Research, protection and development of natural tourist potentials
Program 1 Spa tourism
No. Action Stakeholders Indicators Term
1.1 Human resources development, certification and standardization
PUBLIC SECTOR;BUSINESS SECTOR;ACADEMIC SECTOR;
Number of different type certified tourist workers;Share of different types of tourism companies certified with (ISO 14001, HACCP, EMAS, etc..) Number of students in tourism branch per educational level;Number newly formed tourism educational institutions;
Long term 2020
1.2 Improvement of tourist services (quantitative and qualitative)
Level of tourist satisfaction;% of salary growth per year;Number of newly constructed tourist capacities;Level of involvement of different stakeholders;
Long term 2020
Objective EASTERN REGION
Research, protection and development of natural tourist potentials
Program 1 Eco tourismNo. Action Stakeholders Indicators Term 1.1 Promotion of ECO and
GREEN tourism activities CUSTOMERS;PUBLIC SECTOR;BUSINESS SECTOR;ACADEMIC SECTOR;CIVIL SECTOR;
Number of visitors, domestic and foreign;Number of ecofriendly local initiatives;Level of visitor satisfaction; Number of tours per year;
Long term 2020
1.2 Development of tourist product of traditional Macedonian cuisine and beverages
Number of reconstructed and newly constructed facilities;Length of road network;Presence of vertical and horizontal signalization;Number of newly formed SME’s;
Number of volunteers;Number of projects managed on local level;
Short term 2010
Bregalnica and Strumica region
MONITORING :
THE MONITORING OF ACTIVITIES FROM ACTION PLAN FOR BOTH REGIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LENGTH OF TAKEN ACTION . THIS WILL BE DONE ON REGULAR BASIS ON THREE MONTH, SEMIANNUAL AND ANNUAL BASIS.
THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, DEPARTMENT FOR TURISM AND BUREAU FOR STATISTICS WILL CONTINOUSLY OVERWATCH THE PROGRESS ACCORDING TO THE LAW. ALSO DIFFERENT TYPES OF STAKEHLDERS WILL CONDUCT THEIR OWN MONITORING ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS.