Fostering Interventions for Rapid Market Advancement FIRMA Project Overview October 01, 2009 Snjezana Derviskadic, MBA Tourism Team Leader

FIRMA Overview – RCI Conference – Oct-09 2 Overview Focus on three sectors: –Wood processing –Tourism –Light manufacturing (metal processing) Guiding Objectives: –Stimulate growth of SMEs, generate employment and increase household income by –Achieving Copenhagen Economic Criteria: “The existence of a functioning market economy as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union.” Secure sustainability through increasing capacities of FIRMA Implementing Partners

FIRMA Overview – RCI Conference – Oct * Foreign Arrivals Growth11%8%18%20%17%-7% Overnights / Tourist Tourism Sector Status Moderate drop in foreign arrivals Entity tourism strategies in process of formal adoption Tourism law has not advanced Reduction in budgetary support due to crisis-related revenue reductions BiH still an emerging tourism destination of interest, but well below potential due to weaknesses in marketing and product development * Jan-June annualized. NOTE: Official statistics substantially understate actual arrivals

FIRMA Overview – RCI Conference – Oct-09 Tourism Sector Interventions Product development –Niche products –Development efforts based on product linkages rather than geographic definitions –Product quality measurements and mechanisms –Environmental Impact Assessment Marketing and promotion –Branding –Marketing strategy –Marketing and promotion activties Workfoce development –Development of industry’s continuous training and education capacities Industry structures –Strenghtening private sector capacities in public-private dialogue

FIRMA Overview – RCI Conference – Oct-09 Tourism Sector Prospects USAID CCA “legacy”: BiH autorities: –Dedicated grant funds for tourism development projects – (both entity budgets) –Municipal funds Significant EU funds: –CBC funds with Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro –IPA Funds Dedicated tourism SME grant line - € 2 mil Dedicated tourism policy support - € 2 mil Increased international support: –UNDP –GTZ –Bi-lateral: Spain, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Switzwerland, Japan, Austria,... FIRMA will resume donor coordination role

FIRMA Overview – RCI Conference – Oct-09 FIRMA You’ll hear from us soon!