2023-2024 – The Glimpse of the Balkans Project

The Glimpse of the Balkans initiative aimed to strengthen collaboration among three inbound tour operators and Destination Management Companies (DMCs) from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Through joint activities and training sessions, the project focused on enhancing the capabilities of staff employed by participating tour operators and over 75 suppliers across four countries. Thematic regional tours, emphasising ecotourism, rural tourism, and soft adventures, were selected to facilitate closer cooperation, capacity building, and identification of existing gaps and needs along the value chain. In response to the post-pandemic landscape, characterised by a surge in individual, family, or small group travel and a growing emphasis on personal health and sustainable tourism, the project recognised the challenges small tour operators face in managing regional tours for small groups and the importance of cross-border support. All consortium partners were licensed businesses with expertise in project implementation and were aware of the significance of digitalisation and skill enhancement in inventory management, forecasting, and workforce development. The project’s activities were meticulously crafted to support partners in new product development, training, capacity building for suppliers and their employees, standardisation, digitalisation, and product promotion through business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) channels.

The project, "The Glimpse of the Balkans," was supported by USAID's Economic Development, Governance, and Enterprise Growth (EDGE) and implemented by Robinson Adventure Team (Serbia), Sarajevo Insider (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Montenegro Adventures.