Ecotourism, a driver of sustainable development in the Lower Dniester: over 100 visitors discovered the region’s potential during an informative tour.
In order to understand how a model of ecotourism works, a regional information tour was organized in the Lower Dniester National Park. Thus, at the end of March, more than a hundred participants, including from the left bank of the Dniester, discovered and got to know the “Lower Dniester” region, with the financial support provided under the European Union program “Confidence Building Measures”, implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
The participants visited several localities along the ecotourism route, such as Hagimus, Stefan Voda, Tudora, Purcari, Purcari, Răscăieți, Talmaza and Grădinița. At each point, thematic activities took place: sanitation actions, tree planting, tastings of local products, discussions with the communities and presentations about the ecotourism potential of the region. The topics covered were integrated ecotourism models, youth and local community involvement, promotion of green destinations and development of trans-river cooperation networks.
An essential aspect of the event was the participation of economic agents and tourism partners from the left bank of the Dniester. Their presence provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and demonstrated mutual interest in developing common, sustainable and cooperation-oriented tourism routes.
The day ended with the drafting of a resolution, which includes recommendations for expanding local partnerships, developing green infrastructure, integrating heritage into the tourism offer and promoting the Lower Dniester destination as an example of good practice for sustainable tourism. The information tour was an example of civic mobilization, intersectoral dialogue and collaboration for the benefit of the region.