State of Tourism in Black Sea Countries

Client: World Tourism Organization and the GEF Black Sea Program

Countries: Bulgaria, Georgia. Turkey, Romania, Russia, Ukraine
Year Project Undertaken: 1995-6 (training component 1994-7)
No. of Person Months: 10 (Tourism element of larger GEF Project)

This project involved an assessment of the state of tourism in Black Sea Countries following the economic collapse of the East Block countries. The study involved field assessments and dialogue with tourism managers, infrastructure providers, and the planning community in all of the countries, involving the assessment of barriers and challenges for the industry in each country to deal with environmental issues, economics, marketing, human resource issues and assessment of any opportunities for partnership and new investment to resurrect degraded tourism enterprises. Training seminars were also held in each of the participating countries on the concepts of tourism sustainability, risk assessment, state of environment and rehabilitation planning.

The project results fed into regional workshops held in Istanbul, Sochi and Yalta with key tourism and planning personnel from these countries and was a component in the broader GEF Black Sea program. Dr. Ted Manning and Margo Manning led the field research and training components of the project.  Additionally, related training and specific course curricula on e.g coastal zone management, tourism development planning, project and program planning and wetland protection, and program evaluation methods, was provided at the Black Sea University in Mangalia Romania for key personnel and university staff from participating countries.

Photos

 

From left to right: Bulgaria coastal fort, Costinesti Romania beach activities, Batumi Georgia dachas