:: project Bulgaria - Belarus ::

Results in ECA eco-tourism development
Rural Innovation Group

The ECA members Country Escape from Belarus (one of the newest member) and Business Incubator – Gotse Delchev, Bulgaria have already implemented common activities under the project “Information and consulting Center as an innovative method of entrepreneurial activity in the rural areas” funded by OSCE- the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The beginning was during the eco-tourism pannel of AIECA 2008 in Tambov, Russia. After the exchange of ideas and experience and a long e-communication in the Rural Innovation Group the Belarusian Association Country Escape with the ECA support has designed and submitted a project proposal and won small grant with the main objective to eccelerate development of rural areas through effective and innovative entrepreneurial model. That project is an important part of the ECA eco tourism concept.

The common activities:

1. Exchange of experience, good practices and successful projects in eco and agri-tourism in ECA region
2. Training for entrepreneurs from Belarusian rural areas
3. Study visit of Belarusian representatives in Bulgaria
4. Publications
5. Development of virtual business incubator

The training for 25 representatives of entrepreneurs and tourist boards was in Minsk, Belarus 16-17 September. It was very practically oriented.

Rositsa Djambazova, Business Incubator – Gotse Delchev provided training on services in tourism of the Business Incubator and development of an effective cluster in eco-tourism and shared 10-year experince of her incubator. Then there was a practical task for the trainees. Divided into 3 groups they had to develop an interesting eco tourist product, using the potential for tourism development, taking the best decision about the resources, time and price and “sell” the product to a tour operator in competition among them. The winner was the village “Hermes”. Hermes was the God of trade and entrepreneurial spirit.  The group called the village Germesovka and created a tourist product using available resourses the best. They won because of their exciting presentation, imagination, creativity and sence of humor. However the villages Aphrodite and Demetra also had good products.  The methodology was learning by doing and making fun.

Stefan Schandera had the difficult task to present the ECA Business incubation experience and sustainability, phases of the development and concrete examples from Incubators in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine. He also provided training on branding. There was a fruitful discussion what makes a business incubator successful. After that he put practical tasks for the 5 groups of trainees to identify services which an incubator must provide and who and how should fund an incubator. Each group presented their results which could help a lot the establishment of a virtual business incubator in Belarus.

Each of the trainees shared the personal action which will take to implement the learnt. All of them deserves the certificate for successful

On 2-5 October 5 representatives from the association “Country Escape” and districts Gomel and Brest, Belarus visited in Bulgaria the Business Incubator-Gotse Delchev and the area. They participated in a workshop with Bulgarian representatives dealing with eco and rural tourism for sharing experience, good practice and interesting activities and projects. It was a busy agenda to see and taste as much as possible the tourist product developed by the incubator in the Gotse Delchev region to meet and talked to local people - members of tourism network and to taste the local specialties. The Belarusian partners were in a local Chitaliste (community educational and cultural center), participated in a funny tourist attraction with 4 generations in the village of Banichan, bought colorful traditional wool stockings from craftswomen in Breznitsa, enjoyed wonderful rural stone houses and mountains even in a heavy rain, relaxed in mineral swimming pools and tasted delicious local dishes, vegetables and fruit and of course home-made rakia, famous Bulgarian spirit. They had the opportunity to talk with the clients of the Business Incubator – Gotse Delchev to learn about their business and results. Bulgarian national costumes fitted wonderfully the Belarusians. Part of the group visited some tourist sites in Greece included in cross-border tourist routes developed by the Business Incubator. They had the opportunity to feel the local spirit and soul and they responded perfect.
The final decision is to use the tourist potential for future cooperation and development and we continue our work: Belarusian partner will develop the business services of virtual business incubator to support rural entrepreneurs using ECAbit experience and develop cross-border cooperation in tourism utilizing the Business Incubator –Gotse Delchev experience. The interesting model of Bulgarian Chitaliste as an innovative hub in villages could be used in a future project Belarus-Sweden.

The other members from ECA are invited to join to eco tourism development.

As an image speaks better than 1000 words we enclose pictures.