I was exited, trilled and delighted to accept the invitation for visiting the region of Kumanovo/Skopje and to create a strategy for cultural tourism for the North East region of Macedonia. (Why I insist of using the name of Macedonia instead of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is another story).
As a tourist myself, my journey was wonderful (except for few problems with transportation and hotel). As a consultant in the business of cultural tourism – it was frustrating, and instructive in the same time. Frustrating, because at this moment there was nothing I could do to help my hosts to create a strategy for their region – only 4 elements of the complex product called “cultural tourism” were there – great people, amazing cultural heritage and living culture, and acceptable road network. Everything else was missing – from the lack of understanding of hotel infrastructure to completely misunderstanding the tourist mind.
I was taken to 2 long journeys (7 AM to 4 PM or later) without the possibility to stop for coffee (until 1 PM) or lunch? until 5 PM. I was hold as hostage to my passport in a hotel that I disliked, in the outskirts of the city, without direct telephone in the room to call a taxi even. Thanks God, I left after one night, but it was after I threatened the owner that I will call my embassy to rescue my passport.
The next hotel was also outside of the city. Then I understood that inside of Kumanovo downtown there is only one hotel, of which I have seen the enormous and noisy restaurant. From the dirty floors leading to the restaurant and the smell of staled tobacco (I am smoker, so if I felt it, I cannot imagine how the non-smokers will feel), I only could figure out that no touroperator will risk putting his patrons in such a place.
Macedonia has a plan to develop tourism. It even has a strategy (or almost – it should be ready any moment, as per the UNDP), Ohrid is a great place (see pictures that Stevan Olson took the last year there). An increadible virgin nature alters with milenia old monuments of culture. Result: quasi no tourists. Why? Lack of understanding what is needed to create a cultural tourism product, where are the markets for it and political apathy to follow up with already good decision making.
All this made me think of advising any region, before even considering cultural tourism development to apply these rules.
