On Thursday, November 23, 2023, an event was held at Zlatar to mark the official start of the project “Joint Actions for the Development of Rural Tourism.” This initiative aims to strengthen the tourist offer of the cross-border area between Serbia and Montenegro.
Strategic Importance of Rural Development
The event featured opening remarks by the President of the Municipality of Nova Varoš, Radosav Vasiljević, and the Director of the Tourism Organization of Western Serbia Region, Miroslav Rađen. Presentations were delivered by project manager Snežana Zečević, municipal assistant Marijana Đokić, hotel director Slavica Adžić, and journalist/herbalist Momčilo Antonijević.
The event served to introduce the public to the project’s goals, highlighting the role of natural resources in the future development of underdeveloped municipalities and the economic potential of rural tourism in the cross-border region.
Knowledge Exchange and Best Practices
Attendees included representatives from regional tourism organizations, healthy food producers, agricultural cooperatives, and partners from Northern Montenegro. The gathering concluded with a display of handmade handicrafts by rural women and herbalists from the Zlatar region, emphasizing local traditions.
Financing and Partnership
The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Serbia-Montenegro Cross-Border Cooperation Program 2014-2020 (IPA II). It is implemented in partnership by the RDA BKP, the Municipality of Šavnik, and the Tourist Organization Zlatar. The total value is 264,724 euros, with the EU providing 225,016 euros (85%).
This initiative represents a vital step toward removing obstacles in the sector and increasing the share of rural tourism in the total tourist traffic of the region.
