The EU-funded EaP TC Programme aims to promote and strengthen territorial cooperation between regional and local state authorities, communities and civil society organisations in the Eastern Neighbourhood. This cooperation involves developing joint solutions to common social and economic development challenges in the participating border regions.
The project, funded by EU Eastern Partnership Territorial Cooperation Program, aims at bringing together bikers and bicycle lovers from Armenia and Georgia together with “NGO Center” in Vanadzor and Georgian partner “Center for Caucasus Tourism Georgia”.
In the frames of the initiative camping bases will also be established and the bikers will have all the necessary information and guidance with the help of maps, booklets and vocabularies specifically designed to facilitate the process of going from Armenia to Georgia and to help tourists.
Armen is from Vanadzor. This year he has finally bought a bicycle and now Armen is looking forward for this project. “My friends and I have a lot of ideas about bike travel. In the nearest future we plan to ride to Georgia. Although the condition of the roads is bad, we have already had such an experience…”, Armen noted. For young people like him, the road renovation and creation of favorable conditions for bicycle tourism is going to be one of the main achievements of this program. But this is not the only objective of the project. The expected outcome includes also development of rural cross-border tourism between Armenia and Georgia. The project will create a touristic platform for all the interested parties, and will provide biking packages in both countries.
Mrs. Arpine Hakobyan, head of the NGO Center of Vanadzor, noted that they have already finished the process of research and gathering representatives from all possible target sectors. “Right now the works of preparing 4 bike tour-packages combining biking and rural tourism across Armenia and Georgia is almost completed. The booklets will be published soon. We haves started to build the website of the project where there will be comprehensive information about the project objectives, events, latest developments”, she says.
Mrs. Zara Nikoghosyan, the project coordinator mentioned, “The classes of basic English languages skills for tour-guides and farmers are in the process now. It’s important for them to be able to communicate with the tourists.”
As planned, the works for establishing two camping base in each country are proceeding as well. “We have agreed with the head of Dsegh village in Lori, Armenia and soon the construction work will start”, Mrs. Zara Nikoghosyan says. Another camping base will be built in Borjomi.
According to Mrs. Syuzan Hovsepyan, head of grant programs at “NGO Center” they have been provided with some space by Vanadzor municipality to set up bicycle rental and repair centers.
By implementing biking and rural combined cross-border tourism cooperation project a number of important changes in the region are expected to come up, such as – renovation of the roads as well as development of transport economy.
On July 19-21, 2016, the village of Margahovit, Armenia, will host an exclusive three-day training for cycling guides under the EU grant project «Biking and rural combined cross-border tourism, as innovative approach for promoting cross-border cooperation».
The participants of the training will have a chance to learn more about the cycling tourism in the region, watch a presentation on prepared tours and will share their experience during thematic discussions.
In addition, on July 20, the local youth will be able to participate in the cycling training and learn to ride a bike under the guidance of an experienced cyclist Vazgen Galstyan.
The project «Biking and rural combined cross-border tourism, as innovative approach for promoting cross-border cooperation» is implemented in the framework of the Eastern Partnership Territorial Cooperation Programme (EaPTC) with the financial assistance from the European Union.
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