Volunteers supported the improvement of BiH's tourist offer - cleaned the Via Dinarica trail on Čvrsnica

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Italian Ambassador Nicola Minasi and Peter Cronin, Director of the Office for Democracy and Governance at USAID Mission in BiH, joined a volunteer action on Saturday to maintain a hiking trail on the Čvrsnica mountain as part of the Via Dinarica project, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) together with members of the Croatian Mountaineering Society Prenj 1933 from Mostar and the Mountaineering Society Plasa from Jablanica.

Via Dinarica is an adventure and hiking route stretching across the Western Balkans, aiming to connect the countries and communities of the Dinaric Alps by creating a unique and diverse tourist offer. Via Dinarica promotes active tourism in nature and offers exceptional content to domestic visitors during a drastic reduction in tourism revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the Via Dinarica project is recognized as a significant contribution to sustainable economic development, while preserving the environment and respecting the socio-cultural diversity and authenticity of communities. As a nature-based tourism initiative, Via Dinarica offers visitors the opportunity to spend their free time in a healthy environment where physical distancing is possible, while visiting interesting natural, cultural, and historical tourist sites.

Nicola Minasi, the Italian Ambassador to BiH, regularly participates in and supports all volunteer actions on Via Dinarica, which include useful social work and environmental protection: "Via Dinarica offers us a natural and healthy environment, which we need more than ever at this time. Therefore, it is important to preserve and maintain everything that nature so generously gives us."

Also, representatives of USAID, including Peter Cronin, Director of the Office for Democracy and Governance at USAID Mission in BiH, supported this action by working on trail maintenance: "I am pleased to be able to enjoy this beautiful natural environment today and at the same time contribute to the maintenance of the Via Dinarica trails. This is a practical example of how you can spend your free time in a unique and attractive tourist location while supporting the development opportunities of local businesses on the Via Dinarica trails."

In this way, volunteers contributed to a safe and complete experience of the natural environment near Mostar and Jablanica, which is gladly visited by hikers, excursionists, and tourists. The Čvrsnica mountain abounds with hiking trails and paths, and volunteers from all mountaineering societies that conduct activities on Čvrsnica are constantly working on marking and maintaining them.

Via Dinarica improves economic development opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina by fostering sustainable nature tourism development. Via Dinarica connects cities and rural communities in the region, raises awareness of good business practices and environmental protection, and develops a tourist offer based on unique natural beauty, traditional products, and cultural-historical heritage.

Recognizing the potential of the initiative, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and USAID, together with partners – the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Trade and Tourism of Republika Srpska, and the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, decided to support the Via Dinarica project implemented by UNDP.