ПРОЕКТ ДЕТАЛИ

Traditional handicrafts and food are important part of both municipalities' identities and cultures which their inhabitants take pride in. Moreover, they are powerful tools to attract visitors to the regions, as they mark regions’ uniqueness. Yet, analysis show that not enough has been done to support this sector, and there are still challenges that need to be resolved and opportunities to be seized to help craft sector revive and grow and bring socio-economic benefits to both regions. In the Strategy for tourism development of Municipality of Tetovo (2017), conducted SWOT analysis identified many strengths (S), weaknesses (W) and opportunities (O), including the following: S: rich cultural inheritance of the municipality, and traditional artisans; W: unfinished process of cultural heritage valorization, inexistence of management-plans for managing the cultural heritage, insufficient promotion of traditional artisans; and O: High interest of the parties for the development of cultural tourism, international promotion of the cultural heritage of the municipality of Tetovo, organized trainings for the forgotten crafts or other traditional artisans, organizing cooking competitions for traditional dishes, and training of rural tourist guides. Also, within the Strategy for development of Tourism in Municipality of Prizren, conducted SWOT analysis identifies following strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, to name few: S - cultural heritage, multi-cultural spirit, geographic position - proximity to Albania and North Macedonia, readiness of local institutions to support tourism, traditional cuisine, existence of crafts (such is filigree); W - barriers to accessing cultural heritage sites, insufficient promotion of local guides, lack of city branding, lack of a mechanism for cooperation with tourism actors, negative experience by foreign visitors, limited number of traditional restaurants, lack of tourist products; O - Improving the flow of information through information centers, catalogues and other digital media, Branding the identity of Prizren and its promotion, promotion of local traditional crafts, facilitating access to cultural heritage sites, capacity building of people in tourism, product development and new tourism activities, improving infrastructure. Overall Objective: To accelerate tourism development in Polog and South Economic Regions (municipalities of Tetovo and Prizren) through improved quality and diversified offer of crafts and micro tourism and hospitality (THS) sector entities, resulting in increased attractiveness of the region, and more satisfied visitors. Specific objectives: 1) Created and launched new touristic content and new opportunities for better presentation of local and traditional crafts products, through infrastructural interventions in both Tetovo and Prizren municipalities 2) Raised capacities of local craftsmen/women in both regions for overall better management and development of their micro businesses, i.e. improved branding and marketing (including digital) and increased sales (including online). 3) Strengthening cross-border cooperation through organizing joint crafts events, boosting regions' promotion, inciting CB exchange of knowledge between crafts organizations, and stimulating CB visitors’ circulation Direct Beneficiaries: • Tourists, domestic and foreign; • Local inhabitants of both regions; • Local household economies; • Specific interest groups including environmental, religious, • Cultural heritage protection agencies and women entrepreneurship groups; • Other tourism sector businesses such are the hotels, restaurants, etc. . Results 1.1 Two touristic sites revitalized/renovated 1.2 Two touristic sites promoted/commercialized 2.1 One training curriculum designed and developed 2.2 Two training groups delivered (4 modules each) 2.3 100 to 150 individual mentoring sessions delivered 3.1 One joint business linkages event organized and delivered (with at least 30 participants- at least 40% women) 3.2. Two joint promotional events - craft fairs organized and delivered (1 in each municipality) with at least 30 exhibitors, at least 40% women. 3.3. Two workshops organized and delivered for developing joint offer oftour operators and craftsmen/women 3.4 At least 4 new offers/products included in the local tour operators offer 3.5. At least two promotional videos recorded 4.1. Two survey reports developed (one from the baseline survey and one final