EU supports the creation of cross-border tourist packages in the Black Sea Basin countries
The EU Delegation to Armenia and Heifer Project International Armenian Branch Office officially launched the “Single Cross-border Visitor package” (SCBV package) developed within the framework of the “Promoting Innovative Rural Tourism” (PIRT) programme.
The product was developed in the framework of Promoting Innovative Rural Tourism (PIRT) project funded by the European Union and is implemented by Heifer Armenia as a Lead organisation with partners from Bulgaria (Varna Economic Development Agency), Georgia (Heifer Georgia) and Turkey (Gumushane National Educational Directorate).
PIRT is a regional project directed at supporting regional cooperation and cross-border partnerships for economic and social development in four Black Sea Basin countries via promotion of rural tourism.
In the framework of the project a unique touristic package has been developed with up to ten rural tourism related itineraries. The touristic agencies of Armenia, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria will have the opportunity of selling this new product. The tourist buying the package will be able to travel through all four countries with one and the same package. The SCBV package will increase the inter-flows of visitors on the regional level and contribute to unprecedented cooperation between national authorities in the region and intra-country, aimed ultimately to sustaining the cross-border impacts of rural tourism.
The programme called “Promoting Innovative Rural Tourism” is co-financed by the European Union with assistance of € 473,000 by the European Nighbourhood and Partnership Instrument. The programme started in November 2013 with duration of 18 months. It is directed to the establishment of cooperation among the Black Sea Basin region countries (Armenia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia). Rural tourism systems are being created in the framework of this programme with the joint efforts from all the parties to promote the initiatives of common, traditional and innovative tourisms.
Regional cooperation is expected to be enhanced with the help of the integrated usage of physical and human resources and by exchanging experiences that will improve the overall quality of tourism services. This will support the development of the social and economic development of the Black Sea Basin region countries.
