ACEG starts a new project on nature-based tourism in Prespa.

Following a two-staged selection process, PONT awarded a grant to the Albanian Centre for Environmental Governance (ACEG) for a project supporting the development of nature-based tourism in the Prespa National Park in Albania.

The first module of the project focuses on enhancing the technical capacity of the Pustec and Devoll local governments, with the aim of creating an environment that enables administration of local tourism businesses.

At the same time, in cooperation with the GIZ ProSEED/IDEA granting programme, the project will deliver training for young entrepreneurs in the Prespa National Park to develop and market nature-based tourism products.

Young entrepreneurs will be then invited to submit business proposals that are in line with the management objectives of the Prespa National Park. The proposals must focus on viable, long-term economic operations that facilitate meaningful and high-quality visitor experience, and that create economic opportunities for local communities and enterprises.

Promising business ideas will be supported with small sub-grants or by assisting their proponents in developing business plans and applying to IDEA-Grant Scheme under the Albanian Ministry of Finance and Economy, which provides subsidies and financial support for business ideas through the ProSEED Project.

PONT’s grant will also enable ACEG strengthen its technical capacities in the field of nature conservation and nature-based tourism, in line with their Strategic Action Plan for 2018-2020.ct, in cooperation with the GIZ.