TOURISM IN RURAL AREAS: A TOOL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION OF YOUTH

The French Embassy & Caritas BK BiH & Alterural – Association for the development of Rural Tourism BiH

 organized the round table devoted to the development of rural tourism on the 5th and 6th of May at  Aquareumal Fojnica

The round table was organized regarding the first official visit of René SOUCHON, President of the Regional Council of Auvergne, in order to analize the possibilities of the tourism development in rural areas as the main tool for the development and integration of youth and reduction in the trend of rural exodus.

The round table, next to President, with welcoming words officialy opened: Salkan MERDŽANIĆ, Mayor of Fojnica, Dominique GESLIN, Advisor for culture of the Embassy of France in Bosnia and Herzegovina and fra Miljenko STOJIĆ, Director of Caritas BK BiH. The event was welcomed by representatives of government and entities, and participants were mayors, representatives of municipalities, experts and professionals from BiH, France (particular region of Auvergne) and Serbia.

 

The first day of the event, 5th of May, paricipants visited the rural house in the village Obojak (area of the Prokoško lake) and the rural house of Tuka family in the village Lužine (Fojnica) which are the old traditional bosnian houses renovated by Caritas International Belgium and Caritas BK BiH. In addition to tasting the famous Bosnian coffee, rakija and home made cakes prepared by the hosts, participants had opportunity to witness that rural tourism is a good way to earn additional income to rural families.

The second day of the event, 6th of May, the state in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of rural tourism on the state and the entity levels was presented by Nedeljko Babić on behalf of the Ministry of  Environment and Tourism FBiH, Jelena Gavrilović on behalf of Ministry of Trade and Tourism RS and Suad Đafić on behalf of the Commision for the Coordination of Youth issues in BiH. Experts from France, BiH and Serbia presented the new trends of rural tourism, internet as inevitable instrument of commercialization of rural and eco tourism, while the last part of the agenda was devoted to general enviromental matters.

The president René SOUCHON stressed in his last remarks that the metodology is the key for the rural tourism development and that any program is not possible without public services and improving presentation via internet. Rural tourism is inseparable from economic growth of the municipalities and offers the new possibilites to young people. He pointed out the similarity of  the Auvergne region with BiH which has excellent potential for tourism development in rural areas. H.E. Roland Gilles, Ambassador of France in BiH closed the round table saying that the Embassy of the Republic of France will continue to support these type of activities.

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