Project “Harmonization of Tourism Development in Rural Areas of the Carpathian Region”

The project “Harmonization of Tourism Development in Rural Areas of the Carpathian Region” is realized by the Association of Economic Development of Ivano-Frankivsk, in partnership with the Department of the External Economic Relations and Tourism of Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, Development Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Maramures (Romania) and Carpathian Foundation – Ukraine with the support of the Hungary–Slovakia–Romania–Ukraine ENPI Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007–2013.

Goal of the project: support to socio-economic development of rural communities of Carpathian Euroregion based on implementation of effective and efficient local policies and proactive tourism industry development and promotion mechanisms within border regions of Romania and Ukraine.

Locations of the Action: Ukraine (Ivano-Frankivsk region); Romania (Maramures County).

Target groups: Regions’ rural communities; rural tourist services providers; tourist information centers; entrepreneurs and industry employees; government and local self-government institutions; relevant civil society institutions; potential tourists.

Main activities:

1. Introduction of a joint tourism policy in accordance with EU practices through the development of the Carpathian Rural Development Strategy and an effective cross-border tourism services marketing system.
2. Facilitating the preservation of natural and cultural environment of the Carpathian Euroregion through the establishment of a joint tourism destination “Colorful Rural Carpathia“.
3. Improvement of the Rural Carpathia’s competitiveness in Europe through the implementation of the Carpathian Tour Pass.
4. Improvement of the skills and knowledge level of tourism industry professionals through the training programs of the Summer School.
5. Building joint information and marketing space and a more positive image of the Carpathian Euroregion in the regional and international markets.

Estimated results:

Quantitative: 1 Steering Committee; 4 meeting of Steering Committee; 2 conferences (80 participants); 2 expert groups; 5 expert groups meetings; 4 round table sessions (80 participants); 4 focus groups (80 participants); 1 analytical research, 1 public opinion survey (300 rural guesthouses; 2000 tourists), 1 marketing audit; 1 database of network participants; 1 Carpathian Rural Development Strategy; 1 pilot tourist product „Colorful Rural Carpathia”; 1 Carpathian Culture & Arts Events Calendar (11000); 1 Rules of tourist behavior in the Carpathians (30000); Carpathian Tour Pass (8000);  1 three-lingual tourist brochure about the region (10000); 1 three-lingual catalogues of Carpathian Tour Pass members (8000); 1 three-lingual Rural Carpathia tourist map (10000); 1 three-lingual brochure about Carpathian Tour Pass (10000); 1 Carpathian Tourism Development Office; 8 training modules; Summer School (40 participants, 8 days); informational stands for network partners (20); 1 web-portal.

Qualitative: A system of developing and promoting tourism services for Ukrainian and Romanian border regions; joint Ukrainian-Romanian tourist destination “Colorful Rural Carpathia”; competitiveness of the Carpathian Euroregion and its image in the European markets improved; improved self-employment indicators in the tourism sector; improved tourism sector information environment within the Carpathian Euroregion.

A project implemented by  the  Association of Economic  Development of Ivano-Frankivsk  Address: 26 Dnistrovskа St.,  Ivano Frankivsk, 76018 Ukraine  Tel/Fax: + 380 342 723714	This project is funded by the European Union  Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine ENPI  Cross-border Cooperation Programme  Address: VÁTI Nonprofit Kft. Gellérthegy u. 30-32. H-1016 Budapest, Hungary