1.1 Tourist Attractiveness

The project proposal aims to invest in a multifunctional indoor sports complex in Kostinbrod and a swimming pool in the village of Dushnik of Gadzin Han, creating favorable conditions for joint sports activities and practicing sports tourism in the region. Planned activities:

1. Construction of a multifunctional indoor sports facility in Kostinbrod;
2. Reconstruction of the swimming pool in Dushnik, Gadzin Han Municipality;
3. Developing a Single Cross-Border Strategy and Joint integrated product for the Development of Sports and Adventurous Tourism in the Municipalities of Kostinbrod and Gadzin Han Activity;
4. Two-day discussion at a round table on "Cross-border identity in favor of sports tourism";
5. Specialized training seminar "Starting a business in the field of sports tourism".

Expected outputs:

1. Newly-built indoor sports facility in Kostinbrod;
2. Reconstructed swimming pool in the village of Dushnik;
3. Established conditions for the development of sport tourism in the municipalities of Kostinbrod and Gajin Han and the cross-border area;
4. Developed joint cross-border strategic document providing additional economic development and competitiveness of the municipalities of Kostinbrod and Gajin Han as sport tourism destinations and supporting the sustainable development of the tourist area in the cross-border region;
5. Developed integrated tourist product, created tourist packages, increased interest in tourist resources on the territory of the partner municipalities;
6. Created opportunities for exchange of experience and good practices, partnership, dialogue and interaction among stakeholders in the field of sports tourism;
7. Promoted sports tourism;
8. Successfully held training seminar in the municipality of Gajin han and trained 40 certified participants;
9. Increased capacity of the participants in developing and implementing approaches to starting a private business in the sphere of sports tourism.

Target groups are the following organizations from the municipalities of Kostinbrod and Gadzin Han: institutions engaged with development of sports tourism, including sports clubs, civic organizations, tourist centers, etc.; tour operators and tourist companies, guides, hoteliers (family hotels, houses and guests) and restaurant owners, owners of accommodation sites; representatives of local businesses,  related to the development of sports tourism: construction companies, retailers, transport companies; entrepreneurs, who want to start a business in the field of sports tourism.

The main objective of the project: Support the development of the sustainable tourism through providing and networking of vast spectrum of programs and collectively endogenous potential of the territory within and around of Visitor centres in Nis and Sofia. Specific objectives of the project are: 1. Providing infrastructure to enhance the tourism offer, the satisfaction of visitors and local population; 2. Long-term planning of new programs and services for the potential use of the sites for green tourism, education, scientific tourism and the promotion of cultural and historical heritage; 3. To offer a sustainable model of responsible tourism, with particular emphasis on mobility, distribution of generated revenues and environmental sustainability; 4. to improve local economic development through a participatory approach that exploits the endogenous potential of the territory.

Planned activities: 1. Construction of Visitor Center Cerje cave near Nis for introduction and promotion of natural protected values and characteristics 2. Development of software for digital registration of the historic and cultural sites in Sofia District 3. Instalation of information kiosks 4. Development and operative structure for sustainable management of common cultural and natural values 5. Developing of new touristic routes around Visitors Cave 6. Opening and promoting of Visitors’ Centre Cerje Cave 7. Joint training seminar on new touristic tendencies

Expected results: 1. Improved cross-border touristic offer by development of joint cross-border destination through introducing of visitor center in Nis instalation of information kiosks and furinishing and equiping of tourist info center and Museum of History in Sofia with supported programmes for visitors; 2. Improved capacity of population living in targeted area to diversify economic activities in rural areas; 3. Enhanced visibility of richness and diversity of the landscape and cross-border territory; 4. Strengthen of regional cooperation and intercultural dialogue.

The project aims to improve tourst attractiveness of the cross-border region Bulgaria - Serbia through: activities for protection, conservation - restoration, preservation and exhibition of early Christian bazilica, Castra ad Montenezium and Momchilov Grad; by providing interesting historical facts about the area, architecture and religion in antiquity on these lands; and protection and revitalization of these historic touristic sites and better protection and exposition in order to attract more tourists and visitors.

The project envisages: Renovation, conservation and exposition of early Christian bazilica and protection of fortress Castra ad Montenezium; Elaboration of common tourist guide with impressive photographs of the fortresses in Montana and Pirot; Reconstruction of the old fortress Kale in Pirot; Establishment of a working group for exhibition settings in fortress Kale - curator, design and information collection activities aiming at presenting the fortress in tourist attracting manner; Making presentations of fortress Kale - Pirot by modern methods - extensive and virtual reality.

Here you can find a common PIROT - MONTANA CROSS-BORDER TRAVEL GUIDE, which has been elaborated within the project.