REPORT DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-TOURISM IN CONTEXT OF CROSS-BORDER COOPEATION

Ref.: 7-12-13/8-2 REPORT DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-TOURISM IN CONTEXT OF CROSS-BORDER COOPEATION Reginal wrkshp Brd Frtress-Music Schl, Slavnski Brd (Cratia), June 20-21, 2012 I. ATTENDANCE The first Reginal Wrkshp DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-TOURISM IN CONTEXT OF CROSS-BORDER COOPEATION within the prject Prmting Ec-turism develpment in the Sava River Basin was held n June 20-21, 2012 at the Brd Frtress in Slavnski Brd (Cratia). The wrkshp gathered ver 50 participants frm Bsnia and Herzegvina, Cratia, Serbia and Slvenia frm natinal authrities (Ministries) and lcal authrities (municipalities), turist rganizatins, chambers f cmmerce, public institutins (natinal parks and prtected areas authrities), NGOs, universities and frm internatinal rganizatins (ISRBC, REC, Ramsar Secretariat, WWF, UNESCO) and US Embassy. List f participants is attached as Annex I. t this Reprt. II. AGENDA Wednesday, 20 th June 2012 1. Welcme addresses - Municipality f Slavnski Brd (Zran Ivanvić, Deputy Mayr) - Internatinal Cmmissin fr Sava River Basin (ISRBC), (D. Kmatina, Secretary) - US Embassy (Hyt B. Yee, Deputy Ambassadr) 2. Framewrk Agreement n the Sava River Basin and crss-brder cperatin in the basin area cuntries 3. Opprtunities and challenges f develping ec-turism - Opprtunities and challenges f ec-turism - Ec-turism aspects in Cratia - Ramsar sites as ptential areas fr ec-turism - Experiences frm different aspects f ec-turism in wetlands - Experiences frm the regin Ramsar sites and ther areas (Lnjsk plje, Bardača, Škcjanske jame, Zasavica, etc.) - Discussin 4. Wrkgrups - Grup 1: Raising public awareness n advantages f ec-turism in wetlands - Grup 2: Planning and management f ec-turism n natinal and lcal level - Grup 3: Capacity building n specific skills needed fr ec-turism n sensitive areas (Ramsar areas) In cperatin with: 1

Thursday, 21st June 2012 5. Plenary sessin presentatin f all wrkgrup results 6. Presentatin f a pssible mdel example f crss-brder cperatin - Lnjsk plje/bardača 7. Panel discussin - Future perspectives f sustainable develpment f ec-turism with fcus t sensitive areas (e.g. Ramsar sites) - Imprtance fr natinal and lcal ecnmy develpment - Ptential fr transbundary and reginal cperatin 8. Cnclusins - Future steps in preparatin f the Outline f Operatinal Guidelines fr the Sava River Basin n ec-turism AD 1 Welcme addresses At the beginning Mr. Zran Ivanvić, Deputy Mayr f Slavnski Brd, welcmed the participants and stressed the imprtance f the wrkshp fr develpment f different kinds f turism fr the Municipality f Slavnski Brd. Secretary f the ISRBC, Mr. Dejan Kmatina stressed He stressed that the Parties t the Framewrk Agreement n the Sava River Basin (FASRB) declared turism as ne f the main pririties fr sustainable develpment f the regin n the Meeting f the Parties held in June 2011. He als presented the main gals f the wrkshp which are fcused n the exchange f experiences and different views f ec-turism and t the discussin n ec-turism pprtunities in the area f SRB. Mr. Hyt Yee, Deputy Ambassadr, ffers three reasns why the US Embassy supprts and c-spnsrs the cnference fr ecturism within the Sava River Basin. First, he describes that a shared cmmn interest exists fr prtecting the envirnment and encuraging sustainable develpment. Secndly, he mentins that this prgram will supprt the creatin f a green ecnmy, and green jbs that will create ecnmic grwth fr the regin. Finally he discusses the benefit f encuraging transbundary cperatin. Cperatin and cllabratin will encurage mre turists, lnger stays, and will prvide fr better prtectin f envirnmental resurces. He encurages a balance between wetland prtectin and turism and further states that this regin can be a mdel fr ther cuntries t fllw. He mentined that US Embassy has dnated mre than 100,000 USD fr the demining in the Sava River Basin which culd help t the ec-turism as well. He clses with: One River, Fur Cuntries, Unlimited Pssibilities. In cperatin with: 2

AD 2 Framewrk Agreement n the Sava River Basin and crss-brder cperatin in the basin area cuntries Backgrund dcuments: AD 2 Razvj ek-turizma_kmatina Mr. Kmatina (ISRBC) presented the FASRB in relatin t turism in the Sava River Basin. The main issues f his presentatin were: - Sava River Basin as a natural basis fr cperatin - Legal and institutinal framewrks fr cperatin (FASRB and ISRBC) - Activities and results f the ISRBC regarding the sustainable develpment f the SRB. - Key cnclusins He stressed that ISRBC represents suitable framewrk fr implementatin f the reginal prjects and develpment f different kinds f river turism. The idea has strng supprt frm the Parties t FASRB. The prject n develpment f ec-turism is a gd basis fr further activities f the cuntries in this regard. AD 3 Opprtunities and challenges f develping ec-turism Backgrund dcuments: AD 3 Ecturism Cratia Cnference 12_Thmas Crisman AD 3 Jelena Šbat_EKO-TURIZAM U RH AD 3 Ramsar sites Tbias Salathe AD 3 Experiences f ec-turism_zran Klarić AD 3 Lnjsk plje_gran Gugic AD 3 BARDACA Ramsarsk mjest 1658 MMarkvic AD 3 Skcjanske jame Grdana Beltram_prezentacija AD 3 ZASAVICA PREZENTACIJA TURIZAM Mr. Thmas Crisman (University f Suth Flrida) talked abut the pprtunities, challenges and purpses f ec-turism in wetland areas in particular. He pinted ut the definitin f ec-turism and which ecsystems are wrthy ecturism sites. He presented sme practical examples f wetland areas where ec-turism is well develped and represents an imprtant ecnmy that culd lead t the imprvement f transprt, lcal cultures, and small private enterprises (bars, htels). But n the ther hand, wetland damages, scars t the ecsystem, and the cntaminants ec-turism can bring shuld be taken int accunt. He referred t the many pprtunities n the Sava River Basin, highlighting its rich eclgical sites. Ec-turism culd be used fr ecnmic develpment and fr envirnment management and prtectin as well. In cperatin with: 3

Mrs. Jelena Šbat (Ministry fr Turism f Cratia) presented develpment f Ecturism in Cratia. She stressed that the impact f turism t the envirnment has t be taken int accunt. She talked abut the Strategic Plan f Ministry fr turism f Cratia and the prjects which have been included in the funding prgramme f the Ministry. She discussed Ramsar sites as ptential areas fr ec-turism. She listed sme successful frmer prgrammes and publicatins regarding the prmtin f cultural and architectural heritage in Cratia and in the regin f Slavnija, Baranja and Psavina. Cratia has als develped the system f labeling gd ec-prducts as a trend in the mdern turist marketing (Cratia has the system f ec-prducts labeling fr fd prducts and Envirnmentally friendly label). Mr. Tbias Salathe, Ramsar Cnventin Secretariat, presented the challenges f Ramsar sites as areas f ec-turism. He pinted ut the advantages and disadvantages f wetland turism, main principles f sustainable turism and main messages f the Ramsar Cnvectin. He discussed different kinds f turism in wetlands (e.g. fldplain agr turism, fish pnd business mdels etc. The main messages f his presentatin were t use Ramsar as a Quality label! Mr. Zran Klarić (Institute fr turism Zagreb) presented experiences frm different aspects f ec-turism in wetlands in Cratia and abut the sustainable develpment f turism. He talked abut the main prblems in management f prtected areas and abut the limitatins in future develpment. Referring t sme similar examples in Eurpe, he defined the pssible directins f the sustainable develpment f ec-turism in prtected areas. Mr. Gran Gugić (Park f Nature Lnjsk plje), Mr Mihajl Markvić (University f Banja Luka- Bardača), Mrs. Grdana Beltram (Park Škcjanske jame) and Mr. Slbdan Simić (Special Park f Nature Zasavica) discussed n their experiences frm the Ramsar sites and ther prtected areas in the regin. They stressed different status f particular Parks regarding the envirnmental prtectin and their main activities fr prmtin f turism which culd help in develpment f the lcal ecnmy. They stressed the imprtance f cperatin with the nature parks authrities and the lcal ppulatin, and t strengthen the invlvement f lcal peple in the activities in prtected areas as well as buffer znes. It is very imprtant t raise awareness and educate different stakehlders (children, teachers, lcal peple, turist guides- prfessinals and vlunteers, visitrs t parks etc.). AD 4, 5 Wrkgrups Backgrund dcuments: AD 4 Ecturism_Wrkshp_Questins_final The participants were divided in three different grups. - Grup 1: Raising public awareness n advantages f ec-turism in wetlands - Grup 2: Planning and management f ec-turism n natinal and lcal level - Grup 3: Capacity building n specific skills needed fr ec-turism n sensitive areas (Ramsar areas) In cperatin with: 4

Grup 1: The main gal f the Grup 1 was t prvide recmmendatins fr plicy makers in Sava cuntries - hw t make general perceptins f turism mre riented twards ec-turism as a desirable frm. The participants were independent turism and wetlands experts (internatinal & frm Sava cuntries). Grup ne discussed perceptins f ecturism and cnsidered ways t use ecturism t prmte wetland cnservatin, cultural preservatin, cmmunity prsperity, and ecnmic develpment in the Sava River Regin. The grup talked abut pprtunities t cllabrate and t market ecturism as a way t attract ecturism peratrs and turists. They cnsidered incentives t mtivate cmmunities t chse ecturism ver traditinal turism practices and discussed ways t achieve cmmunity cnsensus n what is cnsidered apprpriate use f wetlands, acknwledging that sme activities can harm wetland ecsystems. After the discussin, the fllwing cnclusins were made: - A mechanism f cperatin exists; - It is necessary t have a head plan the purpse f the prtected areas; - It is necessary t educate the public e.g. thrugh schls abut imprtance f nature and t develp public awareness frm the bttm t the tp and t include plicy makers and lcals. The stakehlders shuld be aware f the values f the lcatins; - Natural values shuld remain but they shuld be cupled with turism. Smart turism culd bring revenues; - The sustainable water management shuld be taken int accunt when and where the water is needed; - It is necessary t fcus n synergies between the traditinal manner f living in the wetlands areas and turism thrugh fr example ffering specific prducts; - The authrities (e.g. gvernments) shuld be mre prgressive in develpment f ec-turism n wetlands; - It is necessary t define the issues which attracts the turists; - The ecnmic benefits shuld be clear; - It is necessary t build the knwledge f gd and bad examples in the SRB and abrad, althugh each lcatin is unique and the differences shuld be celebrated - It is imprtant t make the stakehlders aware f the value f their lcatins, s they culd increase the pssibilities t develp and prsper. Als, there is a need t develp awareness frm the bttm t the tp frm lcal peple/inhabitants t the higher level f authrities; The grup als prpsed that in the next few mnths a similar cnference shuld be rganized. The cmmunicatin tl culd be established thrugh the web page f the ISRBC. In cperatin with: 5

Grup 2: The main gal f the Grup 2 was t prvide recmmendatins fr multi-stakehlder planning & management f ec-turism activities. The participants were lcal and natinal authrities, prtected area management authrities and NGOs. Grup tw discussed ways t supprt the management f Ramsar wetlands and acknwledged the imprtance f varius stakehlders. The grup talked abut Ramsar wetland management expectatins and discussed ways t integrate existing guidelines and plicies t better prtect the sites. They als cnsidered additinal prtectin measures and mnitring t prevent eclgical damage assciated with increased turism. The discussin cnsidered nt nly turist presence, but als ways t develp turism infrastructure with regard t waste/water management, green energy, and transprtatin. Finally, the grup cnsidered ways t create a turism netwrk t link Ramsar sites alng the Sava River. After the discussin fllwing cnclusins has been made: - Stakehlders are imprtant in the prcess f develpment f ec-turism: lcal peple, lcal authrities (cunty, municipality...), private wners / cncessinaires, fishermen, farmers, water management authrities, frests (frest farm), Cuntry authrities (inspectrs, ministries, entities...), academic cmmunity, experts - The prblems encuntered in the management f the prtected areas (Ramsar sites): Lack f management plans; Lack f cperatin between natinal and lcal institutins (the slutin shuld be a cperatin between all levels f authrities); Lack f regulatins n natinal, reginal and lcal levels; Lack f expert institutins; Lack f cmmunicatins between different stakehlders n all levels; - Steps twards the better management f prtected areas: The balance between the sustainable develpment and turism as an imprtant branch f ecnmy shuld be established; Transbundary crdinatin between the Ramsar sites managers shuld be established as well as with ther existing institutins (e.g. NGOs, bike rganizatins etc); Educatin f stakehlders including the lcal peple is very imprtant. They shuld be aware abut the value f the sites; The existing ptentials shuld be used; Inclusin f Ramsar sites in the everyday way f life, and turism Develping ther pssible resurces (eg, cycling) Cperatin between state institutins and lcal gvernments, als within varius sectrs In cperatin with: 6

Prmtin f turism ptential (there is interest, but further develpment is needed) Definitin and classificatin f ptential frms f turism Grup 3: The main gal f the Grup 3 was t prvide recmmendatins fr adapting turism sectr capacities in the Sava regin t the needs f ec-turism. The participants were turism sectr wrkers & rganizatins, business sectr, and develpment representatives. They discussed n the questins. The discussin began by defining ecturism frm the perspective f the participants. The grup was then asked t identify businesses and expertise existing in the regin, acknwledging that peratin f an ecturism business can be cmpetitive and challenging. The grup discussed pprtunities t prvide training and resurces t lcal cmmunities t assist them in ecturism develpment and cnsidered ways t ensure that the ecnmic gains frm ecturism benefit lcal cmmunities by enhancing wetlands and develping lcal skills. The grup talked abut ways t determine carrying capacity at each site, and cnsidered ways t mnitr the success r failure f ecturism develpment frm the perspective f the envirnment, the businesses, the cmmunity, and the turist. There are sme examples f gd practice, such as Lnjsk plje (HR), Chamber f Cmmerce Sisak (HR), prject Sava Navig (HR, BiH), pl Starača (BiH), Ascending thrugh the Sava etc. Cmpetitiveness, prblems - supprt f existing specialists Turist rganizatins are nt recgnized by the lcal / reginal gvernment as a partner, they can lead all the develpmental tasks Lack f lcal supprt, but als the supprt f natinal authrities Lack f prmtin and lbbying, additinal incentives are needed s that successful examples d nt remain at the level f (finished) prject (PP Lnjsk plje finances lcal transprtatin lines) Revenues frm ec-turism receive nly SLO and HR (freign turists) The Schengen brder - a new ptential prblem Prtectin f areas ften des nt declare because it burdens lcal (reginal) budget Branding f lcal breeds and the prduct is expensive Lack f cmmunicatin skills (verbal / nnverbal) at all levels Lack f peratinal turism strategies that accmpany the financial resurces "Ec" sales the prducts, but reality des nt justify the expectatins Marketing is tantamunt t advertising (nt defined target market) After the discussin fllwing cnclusins has been made: - Ec-turism is additinal branch f classical turism, it might be cnsidered as luxury; - Turist rganizatins shuld invest mney t advertising and infrmatin; In cperatin with: 7

- The fcus shuld be t attract lcal turists; - Different kinds f turism shuld be cnsidered (e.g. nautical turism, bike turism, caneing (regattas)); - Crdinatin and cnnectin f existing resurces (natinal and lcal institutins) is necessary; - It is prpsed t develp cmmn web site (e.g. ISRBC web site); - The educatin f lcal guides (prfessinal and vlunteers) is necessary; - Lcal (ec)prducts shuld be prmted; - The area must be viewed as a whle, nthing can and can nt wrk if it is harmful t sme ther aspect - Natural values are (nly) a small part, minimal interventins are necessary t develp the ec- turism - Custmize frms f ec-turism,t its area - Travel agencies have t make itineraries and advertise turist ffers frm their native cuntries, but als frm neighbring cuntries - Cnnect turist destinatins, turist agencies and rganizatins - Use different types f turism (ec-educatin, schls...) - It is necessary t make a "stry" alng the entire river basin - Cultural rutes - Knwledge f wn strengths and weaknesses - Cntinuus training f turism prfessinals - RS / BiH have t develp turism prduct - the shifts are seen at the fairs f turism (rafting, rafting) - GDP grwth is a prerequisite fr turism develpment AD 6 Presentatin f a pssible mdel example f crss-brder cperatin - Lnjsk plje/bardača The participants discussed pssibilities f crss-brder ec-turism cperatin, between tw Ramsar sites: Lnjsk Plje (LP) and Bardača. This example was chsen t mtivate the participants fr a discussin whether these tw sites (despite differences in institutinal functining and management) culd cperate t develp a jint turism ffer given their gegraphical prximity within the same natural unit, Central Psavina regin. If pursued further, this culd be an example t be replicated fr ther Ramsar sites, having in mind that presently (ec) turism ffer between the Ramsar sites in the Sava basin is nt intercnnected. Fllwing issues were stressed during the discussin: - Bth sites are Ramsar sites and they shuld be preserved as such; lcal peple are imprtant t preserve the nature; - Different levels f management are implemented at the tw sites: LP is managed by park administratin, while there is n management institutin at Bardača as legal wnership issues are still being reslved and the prclamatin f prtected area is in prcedure befre the Republika Srpska institutins; In cperatin with: 8

- LP has develped Management Plan (althugh nt fficially adpted yet), while at Bardača n Management Plan exists; n measures culd be implemented withut the prper spatial planning; - Lnjsk plje is prepared t share its gd practice examples in implementing turism activities and develp jint crss-brder turism ffer with Bardača wetlands as sn as feasible; - Schengen brder regime which is expected upn Cratian accessin int EU may be a prblem fr turist migratins and implementing crss-brder activities; - Despite internal institutinal difficulties, Bardača is a part f the Sava river basin and reginal effrts (such as this ISRBC reginal ec-turism initiative) might be an impetus fr reslving f the lcal institutinal prcesses which wuld enable prper prtected area management in accrdance with its Ramsar status, as well as enable crss-brder cperatin prjects AD 7 Panel discussin Backgrund dcuments: AD 7 PREZENTACIJA-SARA AD 7 Şlavnski Brd - Turizam u zaštićenim prstrima Mr. Thmas Crisman (University f Flrida), Mrs. Grdana Beltram (Škcijan Caves), Mr. Kir Kuščer (University f Ljubljana), Mr. Gran Gugić (Lnjsk plje NP) and Mrs. Snežana Štetić (University f Nvi Sad) were participants in the panel discussin. Mr. Thmas Crisman stressed that in rder t mve frward, we need t knw where we are tday, and prvide a mdel that the private sectr will implement. This is nt a static prject; it will be a dynamic, diverse prject with a different plan fr each wetland. While discussing the Ramsar wetlands, we shuld nt frget the river. Mrs. Grdana Beltran thught that the advantage f Park Škcijan Caves is because it represents a link amng different levels. T be successful we have t understand hw valuable ur resurces are. She expressed ptimism that Slvenia was nt that different than ther the ther cuntries, as well as stressed the imprtance f netwrking amng the sites Mr. Kir Kuščer thught that any develpment needs t be sustainable. There shuld be small grups f visitrs and a fcus n educatin and research in these areas. He stressed the imprtance f educatin; in the way peple shuld interact with nature and the way nature reacts t human actins. He thught that leadership and plitical assistance alng with a strng eclgical plicy was needed. While thinking glbally, we shuld act lcally, and develp cmpetences and cmpetitiveness in rder t prevent freign (utside f Sava regin) tur peratrs taking ver dmestic (reginal) market in the Sava basin. Mr. Gran Gugić said that it was gd t fcus n develping ec-turism in the Ramsar sites because there is infrastructure and staff already existing n these sites. This prject might be a gd pprtunity t earn mney (demnstrate ecnmic value f ec-turism prjects), incrprate the surrunding cmmunities neighbring t Ramsar areas, and t raise awareness abut Ramsar wetlands and the envirnment. In cperatin with: 9

This culd be a chance t cme up with a visin. He als prpsed establishing f wrking grups in each cuntry that culd cmmunicate twards Ramsar Cnventin. Mrs. Snežana Štetič thught that Ramsar sites are nt the nly ptential f the Sava River Basin. Different srts f turism culd be develped. The dmestic turists are very imprtant and shuld be included in the turism strategy as well. She prpsed the cperatin and netwrking f activities, fr example via rganizing nautical regatta, vlunteer camps, the Sava day celebratin etc. that culd bring life back t Sava river banks, as well as additinal develpment f cycl-turism that culd especially target the Western Eurpe. She thught if the lcals did nt rganize themselves the freign turist peratrs wuld cme. In additin tw presentatins have been prvided regarding the turist ptentials f Surčin Municipality. The subsequent discussin stressed again the imprtance f physical planning, which is a precnditin and an instrument fr planning any future ec-turism develpment initiatives. This requires a well infrmed lcal ppulatin that can that way get invlved and recgnize its interest, as well as inter-sectral cperatin at all levels. AD 8 Cnclusins At the end f the wrkshp Mr. Dejan Kmatina annunced that main bjectives f the wrkshp have been fulfilled. The prject team has reviewed a lt f useful infrmatin n hw t prceed. He prvided sme key wrds n future steps f the prject as fllws: - Turism in the Sava River basin is inhibited by the absence f majr turist destinatins and attractins, thugh the lcal level industry has and cntinues t develp turism pprtunities. The market fr turism in the basin is cmpetitively geared twards transient turists (cyclists, bird watchers, etc.) that seek multiple attractins as a reginal destinatin. Hwever, the turism sectr in the basin is nt currently rganized t market itself as a regin r attract the target turists. Develpment f turism in the Sava River Basin depends n a basin-level apprach and reginal cperatin between all fur cuntries, particularly t prvide a strategic apprach t develpment and marketing the Sava River as a reginal destinatin and chesive turist prducts/reginal turist identity; - Ec-turism and ther frms f sustainable turism (agr-turism, ethnturism, etc.) shuld be strategic apprach that can be prmted at the subreginal and lcal levels in rder t develp a chesive apprach t turism and imprve current effrts and trans-bundary cperatin and eclgical and cultural prtectin. - Ramsar sites prvide existing fcal pints fr develping ecturism/sustainable turism, and can be used as a starting pint fr netwrking the regin and develping a basin level apprach fr bth lcal ecnmic grwth and advancing sensitive prtectin issues. Examining these needs, cnference participants identified the need fr a reginal mechanism t advance discussins amng the natinal and lcal stakehlder and facilitate new reginal appraches. The ISRBC represents an existing ptin t develp reginal dialgue amng natinal and lcal levels thrugh a stakehlder-based apprach. The ISRBC will advise Parties n the pprtunities, which wrkshp participants identified, and In cperatin with: 10

develp recmmendatins drawing n its mandate t develp turism by the Parties. The ISRBC has already respnded t this mandates thrugh: (a) recnstructin f waterway n the Sava River and its navigable tributaries is a basis fr further develpment f turism; (b) supprting a new initiative fr basin-wide bike lanes running alng the Sava River. Mr. Kmatina presented sme f the next activities in the prject: It is necessary t prepare cncrete prpsal (e.g. guidance); Part f the ISRBC fficial webpage will be dedicated t Ec-turism; A reginal cnference n ecturism will be held in autumn (prpsed lcatin is Surčin (RS) In cperatin with: 11