DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM

DEVELOPMENT OF TOURIST CLUSTERS IN BULGARIA

Role of the Coordination Council: 1.Management and coordination of the clusters in the South Central Region and of the other 6 clusters as a strategy for the economic development of Bulgaria through the development of tourism; 2.Coordination of the clusters for their individual development as outlined in the National Strategy; 3.Coordination between the National, Regional and Municipal administrations and the private sector.

Role of the Workgroup: 1.Training and preparation of personnel for:  Analysing local resources and creating the data base necessary for the development of projects;  Training for preparation, development and management of EU funded projects; 2.Developing and managing EU funded projects; 3.International marketing, providing of tourist streams and coordinating their movement.

Role of the Municipalities: 1.Improvement of the infrastructure with EU resources; coordinating and assisting the development of the local business sector; Promoting new employment; creating programs in the sphere of ecology, culture, minorities etc. 2.Stabilizing the self-financing of the municipalities; 3.Consolidation and development of the EU project administrative experts.

Role of the Business Sector 1.Increasing competitiveness by participating in EU funded projects; 2.Creating new services for the tourist streams and training the personnel for achieving high quality standards; 3.Promoting and exploiting the full range of tourist opportunities and services in the interior of the country.

“THE ANCIENT ROAD OF THRACIAN WINE”

Economic outline of the project - 1  Hotel and restaurant business, building of shops for souvenir, cosmetics etc.  Restructuring of farming activity – energy agriculture  Exploration of the terrain and preparation for land regrouping and consolidation for growing: ► Vineyards; ► Ethereal oil crops and cultures; ► Semi-wild and cultivated berries; ► Orchards; ► Energy agriculture;

Economic outline of the project – 2  Infrastructure – Reconstruction of the road network, repairs of the major and secondary roads, sewerage, road signs, advertising signs, etc.  Exploration of the opportunities for building perfumery and cosmetics enterprises, wineries, food factories, development of the hotel business and utilizing the mineral water in the region (at the moment the utilizing is less than 30%)  Training and certifying the people involved in the tourist industry and the restructuring of the agriculture.

Geographic Outline of the Project - 1  Route – “The Ancient Road of Thracian wine” beginning at the branch of the “Trakia” highway /International Motorway E 80/ near the village of Kalugerovo and runs through: Panagyurishte, Strelcha, Krasnovo bani, Krasnovski bani, Starosel and Panicheri. The towns of; Hissar, Bania and Karlovo. The villages of Streltzi, Zelenikovo and Brezovo and then re-enters the “Trakia” highway just before the town of Chirpan.  Total length of the route – 166 km

 The managers and owners of the wineries, hotels, restaurants, the producers of ethereal cultures, shops, the curators of museums participating in the “Ancient road of the Thracian wine” are within the following municipalities: Lesichevo Municipality Panagyurishte Municipality Strelcha Municipality Hissar Municipality Karlovo Municipality Kaloyanovo Municipality Brezovo Municipality Bratia Daskalovo Municipality Chirpan Municipality Geographic outline of the project - 2

“THE ROAD OF DIONYSIUS”

Economic outline of the project - 1 ► Creating tourist infrastructure which would be registered in the European Union and the world tourist agencies. ► Creating jobs and revitalizing regional economies. Development of the regional economy in the spheres of: ► Agricultural and food industry. Vine and wine production, fruit and cannery production. ► Growing ethereal crops, extracting attar and other ethereal oils. Hotel business and tourism – rural, eco, wine, cultural and historical tourism;

Economic outline of the project - 2 ► Promotion of the cultural and historical heritage of the region while providing employment for the people working within this sector; ► Variety of services; ► Overall increase in well-being of the population;

Geographic outline of the project - 1  Route – “The Ancient Road of Thracian wine” beginning at the branch of the “Trakia” highway and Motorway E 80 near the village of Kalugerovo and runs through the municipalities of: Pazardjik, Krichim, Perushtitza, Rhodopi, Kuklen, Assenovgrad, Kardjali – to Perperikon and Haskovo Mineralni Bani and re-enters the “Trakia” highway at the town of Haskovo.  Length of the whole route –220 km

Geographic outline of the project – 2  The managers and owners of the wineries, hotels, restaurants, shops, the producers of ethereal cultures, the curators of museums participating in the “The Road of Dionysius” are within the following municipalities: Pazardjik Municipality Krichim Municipality Perushtitza Municipality Rhodopi Municipality Kuklen Municipality Assenovgrad Municipality Kardjali Municipality Haskovo Municipality

“THE ROAD OF ORPHEUS “

Economic outline of the project - 1 ► Creating infrastructure of an international tourist destination which would be registered in the European Union and the world tourist agencies. ► Creating jobs and revitalizing regional economies. ► Development of the regional economy in the spheres of: 1.Agriculture, food-processing industry 2.Canning industry 3.Growing ethereal crops, herbs, mushrooms, extraction of attar etc.

Economic outline of the project - 2  Hotel business and health tourism, rural, eco, wine, religious, cultural and historical tourism;  Variety of services;  Overall increase in the well-being of the population;  Promotion of the cultural and historical heritage which is abundant in the region while providing employment for the people working in this sector;

Geographic outline of the project – 1 ► Route – “The Road of the Orpheus” begins at the city of Plovdiv and continues through the Municipality of Kuklen on the way to the Municipality of Assenovgrad, through the village of Bachkovo towards the branch at the village of Yugovo and here there are three other branches:  The so called ”winter route” through Narechenski bani, the towns of Chepelare, Smolyan, Rudozem, the village of Chepintzi and continues into the Greek Republic.  The so called ”summer route” through the town of Laki, the villages of Manastir, Davidkovo, Banite and towards Smolyan continuing through Rudozem, the village of Chepintzi and arrives to the city of Kavala in the Greek Republic.

Geographic outline of the project – 2  The managers and owners of the wineries, hotels, restaurants, shops, the producers of ethereal cultures, the curators of the museums participating in the “The Road of Orpheus” are within the following municipalities: Plovdiv Municipality Kuklen Municipality Assenovgrad Municipality Lucky Municipality Banite Municipality Chepelare Municipality Smolyan Municipality Rudozem Municipality