Project name: “Inter regional cooperation in the field of the cultural and alternative forms of tourism. Best practices exchange and creating of know-how”, Contract Reg.№ BG161РО001/4.2-01/2008/025 under Operational Program “Regional Development” 2007-2013, Priority Axe 4: Domestic development and cooperation, Operation 4.2. Interregional cooperation, financed by voluntary help scheme BG161PO001/4.2-01/2008: “Interregional cooperation support and exchange of best practices”.

Basic goal of the project: To create preconditions for effective dialogue and good practices exchange regarding the development of the alternative forms of tourism and implementation of effective marketing of objective points of the cultural tourism in Mineralni bani municipality, Haskovo redion.


The specific goals of the project are:

• Satisfying of the necessity of competences of the local administrative authorities and the structures of the civil society in the field of the marketing of the tourist products in order to popularize the region as an attractive tourist destination, rich on historical and cultural landmarks. This goal will be achieved trough implementation of the training “ Marketing of the tourist products” of the interested parties;
• Creating of partner’s net between the local authorities from Haskovo region (with a host Mineralni bani) and the Province of Pisa, Italy. The project has high level of effectiveness regarding the interregional cooperation;
• Implementing of experience and good practices exchange trough the organizing of visits in the two partner’s countries from the leading organization and the partners;
• Involving all the interested parties into the process of popularizing of the tourist destinations and objective points and the effective marketing of the tourist objects. As a part of the project the organizing of a seminar is foreseen under the title: “Public private partnership – precondition for the development of the tourists objective points and for the popularization of the cultural and historical wealth of the country”.
• Creating of new practices and cooperation between all the parties in the process of the tourism and marketing destination development. An international conference is foreseen to be carried out for sharing experience and exchange of good practices and ideas.
• Creating of wide range of know-how, which aims to guarantee sustainability of the achieved results on the project.

Target groups and final beneficiaries:
The target group on the project is the population and the local community in the Municipality of Mineralni bani, Haskovo, Bulgaria, including the municipality administration, representative of the NGO sector in the region and the civil society.

Direct beneficiaries:

• The population of the Municipality of Mineralni bani – about 8000 inhabitants. Trough the popularization of the municipality as a tourist destination and as a result of the implemented activities on the project the opportunities for economical development and enhancement of the well-being of the population will improve;
• The Municipality administration of the Mineralni bani, the representatives of the NGO sector (community centers, NGOs), museums, representatives of the local tourist business, representatives of the small family business and representatives of the legal bodies represented from the Ministry of the culture, The Agency for tourism, the Ministry of the Regional Development and Works and the Regional Administration - Haskovo. The same are potential participants on the project activities, about which they will receive the relevant information and materials.

Indirect beneficiaries:

• The population of the Haskovo district: discussing the popularizing opportunity for the historical and cultural heritage and the potential of the tourist objective points placed on the territory of the entire Haskovo district in order to create an integrated tourist product. In this way preconditions will be created for enhancing the local economy and especially the population, working on the field of the tourism;
• Local and national tour agencies.

The project is implemented in collaboration with the Leading organization – the Haskovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Municipality of Mineralni bani and the administrative structure of Pisa Province, Italy – the Agency of tourism.

             Start of the project: April 2009                                      End of the project: October 2010