1.2 Cross-Border Touristic Product:

Development and promotion of tourism products and services for supporting alternative tourism in the municipalities of Kyustendil and Leskovac.

Specific objectives:

1. Creating a digital virtual reality tool for supporting tourism marketing;
2. Supporting SME-s in the cross-border region by implementing inventory and piloting the presentation of 20 sites in virtual reality;
3. Strengthening the CB cooperation and development of the potential through exchange of good practices, visits and trainings to end users and staff.

Planned activities:

1. Development of a software of a virtual reality platform for visualization and promotion of the tourism potential on specific tourist site;
2. Research and analysis of the local economic operators in the field of tourism;
3. Production of photo, video and VR content for visualization and promotion of the selected local tourism operators;
4. Presentation of the platform features and standard template and trainings of end users;
5. Two-days training session of the project partners team for administering the platform and sustain the visual quality;
6. Organization of a CB event in Kyustendil - participation in one of the traditional festivals;
7. Organization of a CB event in Leskovac - participation in the Leskovac Grill festival;
8. Design, development and dissemination of promotional materials.

Outputs achieved:

1. VR platform for visualization and promotion of the tourism potential in English, Bulgarian and Serbian, including functionalities: - an interactive map of the cross-border area - tools - flat and panorama photographs, flat and panorama videos, active spots description of the objects included in the VR environment;
2. Research and analysis of the local tourism economic operators, including recommendations for possible tourism operators to be included in the platform (piloted 20 local economic operators - 10 from Kyustendil and 10 from Leskovac), mid and long term possibilities for VR visualisation and presentation (at least 20 more tourism operators);
3. Assignment of the platform content, including categorization, algorithms and rules;
4. Standard template for passportisation of a tourism site including description of the site, main features, target tourists, photo/video on demand;
5. Two training session for end users of the platform withat least 20 end users trained in each municipality, total of 40 for the CB region - one training in Kyustendil and one training in Leskovac and two-days training session of the project partners with at least 6 persons from the project partners (3 from NF 21 Century Association and 3 from the EC in Leskovac) trained;
6. Participation in one of Kyustendil traditional festivals of at least 20 persons from Leskovac, and at least 20 persons from Kyustendil. Project platform promoted during the event and 200 persons made aware of its features;
7. Participation in Leskovac Grill festival of at least 20 persons from Kyustendil, and at least 20 persons from Leskovac. Project platform promoted during the event and 200 persons made aware of its features.
8. Increased tourism attractiveness and visibility of the destinations – the cities of Leskovac and Kyustendil;
9. One newly established touristic product servicing the CB area of Kyustendil and Leskovac;
10. Four tools developed and implemented for marketing and promotion of tourist products in the CB area of Kyustendil and Leskovac.

Target groups: 130 local tourism economic operators and employees from hospitality sector; 50 tour operators and tourist associations; 1000 tourists searching for alternative or targeted tourism services and markets; 14 representatives of local government authorities, dealing with issues of digitization and promotion of tourism in the target area; 120 representatives of local cultural institutions and their associations concerned with digital culture, tourism and culture in general (museums, theatres, cultural centers, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, tour guides, electronic media, craftsmen); 30 local communities - agricultural, cultural and civil.

Objectives: 1. Improving the quality of the tourist offer and promotion of the joint tourist destination Sokobanja-Varshets; 2. Implementation of advanced software solutions for mobile communications between entrepreneurs involved in the tourism industry in the cross-border region; 3.Designing and introducing modern business models with interactive tools, aiming at a direct communication with the modern user; 4.Pro-actively involving local entrepreneurs in order to enhance their marketing knowledge and to obtain new skills for better communicating, promoting and deploying new products and services.

During the realization of the project, the following basic activities are planned: 1. Development of strategic documents: strategy for sustainable tourism development and marketing strategy of the joint tourist destination Sokobanja-Varshets; 2. Digitalization of tourist offer, which involves the development of a web application ie digital system for tourist information and mobile application named Tourist Guide Sokobanja-Varshets; 3. Organization of training for tourism stakeholders in the cross-border region, which refers to the use of new electronic tools and applications in modern business and the production of video tutorials with the same topic. In addition, promotional activities are planned in order to ensure visibility and popularization of the project, such as: publications in the media, production of promotional materials and video spots, organization of 2 press conferences.

Expected results: 1. Created strategy for sustainable tourism development of Sokobanja and marketing strategy of the joint tourist destination Sokobanja-Varshets; 2. Developed mobile and web application featuring information on tourist offer, attractions, tourism industry and services for both destinations - Sokobanja and Varshets. E-business instruments for providers of tourism services and products - Internet, Google Play and Apple store; 3.Organized training for the tourism stakeholders for the use of new electronic tools in the business.

Useful links:

Website: https://visitsokobanja.rs/

https://Visitvarshets.bg

Mobile application: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iphos.visitvarshets&hl=bg

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/visit-varshets/id1527988803

Facebook page:

Сдружение "Местна инициатива за Вършец"

https://www.facebook.com/%D0%A1%D0%B4%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%9C%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D0%92%D1%8A%D1%80%D1%88%D0%B5%D1%86-100318791357784/

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU3nrc9_VDw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8vER-zchYs&t=144s

Marketing strategy: https://www.varshets.bg/index.php?option=projects&range=notices&id=39