The Study on Sustainable Development through Eco-Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Final Report VOL.4 - PART F MASTER PLAN AND ACTION PLAN FOR VELEZ Part F - 1 The Study on Sustainable Development through Eco-Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Final Report Part F - 2 The Study on Sustainable Development through Eco-Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Final Report Chapter F 1 Visions and Directions of Regional Development of Velez Overall development goals and stragetires are shown in Chapter D1. In this chapter are presented development visions and directions specific to the Velez Study Area in line with the goals and strategies described above. 1.1 Visions for Velez Region (1) Visions for the Velez region Visions for the Velez region were formulated to show how the region’s tourism growth and tourism product diversity, people’s livelihood and resource base would become by the targeted year of 2015. Also shown are the region’s directions for growth driven by eco-tourism. Velez Region encompasses the three areas of unique geographic, climatic and historic-cultural setting - Podvelez, Blagaj and Nevesinje. Economic and tourism linkages among the three areas will remain weak. However, Nevesinje will strengthen its ties with areas in the west through attracting international tourists flowing in from Dobrovnik and Adriatic Coast and day-trippers and weekend tourists from Mostar City and the Herzegovina Region. Regional economic ties will also be strengthened via newly introducing venture of an eco-House along the National Route 17 selling a variety of farm and dairy produce of Blagai, Podvelez and Nevesinje. A cluster of diverse sports tourism opportunities, available from the three unique areas, will also attract more tourists of outdoor special interest tours. 1.2 Directions for Velez Regional Development 1.2.1 Regional Context According to the Regional Development Strategy of EU-RED, Velez Study Area belongs to one of the important regions of Herzegovina in BiH in terms of the economic development, where Mostar is expected to be the economic growth center of the region with a future road as the Corridor Vc (Pan European Transport Corridor) penetrating the country of BiH from the Adriatic Sea to the Corridor X in the north of Croatia through Sarajevo and Zenica. Once Mostar is firmly established itself as the engine of the Herzegovina, the Velez as a fringe area of Mostar City can be incorporated into the economic development of the wider Part F - 3 The Study on Sustainable Development through Eco-Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Final Report region including the tourism sector. Especially, tourism flow would become more dynamic in future due to the two strongholds of tourism, Mostar and Medugorje. Priority issues will e addressed such as strengthening of linkage by stronger tourism products linkages and diversification of agriculture by agro-tourism products development. Table F 1.1 Regional Context of Velez Study Area Mostar South East Nevesinje Blagaj/Others Podvelez/Others Socio • Administrative area covering Blagaj & Podvelez : • City area: 96,000ha -Economic 21,079ha • Land use: Conditions • Land use: forest/nature-84%, cultivate land-3%, forest/nature-65%, pasture-5%, urban settlement:0.8% cultivate land-11%, • Population: 4,093 recovered by only 38% before pasture-20%, war time urban settlement:0.2% • Many multi-race • Bosnian returnees • Population: 18,838 settlements have gone have resettled from this recovered by 128% out as Diaspora to out town to outside towns before war time of areas again after the war. • Serbian refugees into • Questionnaire to • Questionnaire to Nevesinje from FBiH potential labors potential labors are dominant rather - 50% employed (out - 30% employed (out than Bosniak or Croat. of total of total employment) • Questionnaire to employment) - Living conditions: potential labors - Living conditions: Bad-63% - 50% employed (out Bad-46% - Local economy: of total employment) - Local economy: Bad-70% - Living conditions: Bad-65% Bad-36% - Local economy: Bad-45% Livelihood • Highest income in the • Lowest income in the • Middle income in the and Industries study areas mainly by study areas mainly by study areas mainly by agriculture in the lack of domestic agriculture (collective suburban area of market and trading farm and forestry Mostar system before the war) • Major industries: Fish • Major industries: only • Major industries: farm, wine growing livestock for self Livestock & agriculture and lavender farm consumption and some forestry Part F - 4 The Study on Sustainable Development through Eco-Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Final Report Mostar South East Nevesinje Blagaj/Others Podvelez/Others Environmental • Abundant Buna River • One of the severest • Severer environmental Constraints gives better water environmental area in area in terms of water quality where sewer or terms of water supply supply mainly by Karst waste has not given in the study areas terrain due to lack of serious impact on river mainly by Karst terrain water source environment. due to lack of water • Owing to insufficient • Except increase of source management of waste settlement expected in • Owing to the remote disposal system, illegal future, there are a few area far from Mostar dumping sites have environmental City of which Mostar damaged good natural constraints. JKP serves waste and historical disposal services, this environment. area faces illegal garbage dumping issues. Priority Issues • Well organized • Encouraging • Inevitable tourism product agro-tourism as encouragement of development to fundamental livelihood agriculture and increase over-night • Appropriate scale of livestock industry with international tourists settlement with competitive product and day-tripper from livestock operation quality Mostar taking account of • Enhancing • Encouraging limited water resource agro-tourism and agro-tourism through and soil capability nature recreation sub-urban agriculture product as eco-tourism development destination Source: JICA Study Team based on each municipal government, January-2004 1.2.2 Development Directions for Three Sub-Areas Velez Region, situated at the periphery of the Mostar Metropolis, faces a stagnant economy, inflicted with a high unemployment rate and drain of younger population. In particular, noted are population re-drain (Podvelez), and an resettlement of returnees (Nevesinje) over pre-war level. However, Blagaj seems to enjoy access by tourists from Mostar. Eco-tourism is hoped to trigger take-off of the Velez economy. It will exploit unique settings of the three sub-regions in Velez - a suburban historic-cultural town (Blagaj), a Karst highland (Podvelez), and a plateau with agro-forestry (Nevesinje). With the above background, the Region’s Directions for Growth consists of the following three thrusts: Part F - 5 The Study on Sustainable Development through Eco-Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Final Report (1) Establish Blagaj as a historic-cultural tourism base, by strengthening tourists’ access from Dubrovnik and attracting day-trippers and weekend tourists from Mostar Metropolis. Blagaj will succeed in attracting some of excursion tourists to Mostar from Dubrovnik. Tourism-driven economy will become one of main livelihood of the Blagaj people. Younger population will come back to re-settle there and be engaged in the tourism sector. Short-cut via Buna-place is rehabilitated to attract tourists over a straight shot-cut, bypassing Mostar, of tourists from Dubrovnik. Blagaj will be reputed for farm-produce supply to Mostar consumers as volume of a variety of crops, vegetables and flowers grown by greenhouse farming will increase. A network of tourist routes including Tekiya connected with Buna-riverbank promenade and the beautified Old Town will attract more tourists. (2) Promote Podvelez as the distinguished destination for nature-seekers, taking advantages of a unique combination of livestock pasturing in the Karst highland nature setting. Podvelez will establish itself as a tourist base for nature-lovers and hikers with extended stay by its undisturbed and unique highland nature setting, coupled with a diverse outdoor activity offerings. A growing number of families participating in the milk-collection project will form a stable base for Podvelez people’s livelihood and diverse and interesting dairy products as souvenirs for tourists. Livestock growth is maintained, however, carefully below the area’s carrying capacity, considering available fodders and avoiding over-grazing. (3) Promote Nevesinje as an agro/forest village tourism and mountain destination with diverse nature on Velez Mountain range for special interest tour markets of sports and outdoor. Nevesinje economy will continue to be led by agriculture and raising livestock, as it embraces a wide arable land and pasture. Its economy will face difficulties to recover pre-war status, as agro-industry and wood processing industry bases were destroyed. However, eco-tourism will take off to a level, reaching more than 500 rooms offering country lodging, attracting special interest tour market for sport and outdoor activities including repeaters of Italian family hunters. Sports-tourism facilities will increase its number and diversity. A variety of recipe from “Organic produce and organic dairy Part F - 6 The Study on Sustainable Development through Eco-Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Final Report produce” from Nevesinje will acquire a region-wide recognition and are entertained at restaurants specialized in local taste. Neretva