VIZIJA: A New Initiative to Promote Tourism in the Ohrid Region, Supported by USAID
On Friday, May 30, 2003, USAID Macedonia Mission Director,
Mr. Dick Goldman, will join with Ohrid community leaders,
VIZIJA Manager, Valentina Dostinoska, local businesses and
institutions involved in tourism, and the residents of Ohrid
to celebrate the opening of the Economic and Tourism Promotional
Centre - VIZIJA, in Ohrid.
The day will commence with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at
the VIZIJA office at 09:00, followed by a cocktail reception
at Hotel Millennium Palace, Ohrid.
The United States Government, through the United States
Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s)
Community Self Help Initiative Program (CSHI) and PRiSMa,
helped the Ohrid community plan and implement this project.
This project originated from various workshops organized
by PRiSMa, CSHI, the local employment bureau, and private
sector companies involved in tourism in the region. These
workshops were aimed at advancing the existing and potential
tourist resources of Ohrid. The long term goal of VISIJA
is to: 1) reach the foreign tourist market in a more sophisticated
and organized fashion, 2) improve the promotion of tourism
to the domestic market, and 3) bring economic and social
benefits to the region through increased business and income
from the tourism trade. The key strategy of the VIZIJA management
is to attract as many new members as possible to their organization
in order to guarantee their ongoing success.
CSHI assisted in the establishment of the Center, by providing
the offices with IT equipment and furniture (total contribution
$18,039). PRiSMa contributed towards the Center’s maintenance
and operational costs for one year, including the maintenance
of a website.
As a result of this project, Vizija is now a professional
institution directly involved in promoting the Ohrid region,
nationally and internationally. Equipped with an office,
staff, and modern technology, and well-connected with the
local business community, Vizija is confident in its role
to promote and help coordinate tourism and economic activities
in the entire region.
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