Turisticka Organizacija Ulcinj, partner of the GWA project, in collaboration with the Municipality of Ulcinj, has organised a seminar to present new ideas of tourism development in Ulcinj area.
Ulcinj has perhaps the largest number of protected areas and those that have the potential to be protected in Montenegro, such as the Nature Park "Ulcinjska Solana", Velika plaža, Valdanos bay, Ulcinj olive grove, Šasko lake, Bojana river, Stari Ulcinj, Ada Bojana. The area presents numerous trails with untouched landscapes and outstanding views of Lake Skadar and the Adriatic Sea, ancient towers and fountains, unexplored caves and many more amenities. All these assets can become tourism attractions of a great potential for the development of adventure tourism, if well manged and valorised.
According to Mr Arsllan HAJDINAGA, GWA project manager:
"The mountains in the hinterland of the city provide an opportunity for the development of hiking, camping, zip-line driving, off-road driving. Međurečki Canyon, located on the administrative border of the municipalities of Ulcinj and Bar, is considered by many to be one of the best in Montenegro. There is great potential for the development of speleological tourism as there are numerous unexplored caves both in the Anamal area and those located on the sea".
"There is a lot of space for the development of diving tourism and underwater research. Ornithology and bird watching is something that should be given special attention and thorough future development. Riding a bike and horseback riding is also something that can be used for the development of adrenaline tourism and being in nature".
Bekim Šurdha, associate for marketing and media promotion of Turisticka Organizacija Ulcinj, said that Ulcinj has a huge potential for the development of adventure tourism and that it can attract adventurers from all over the world, but that until now, not enough time and space has been devoted to it. "European projects play an important role here because they enable the exchange of experiences, learning from others, the application of good practices from the region, as well as the joint promotion of this segment of tourism. Previous experiences show that the development of adventure tourism, that is, active tourism, has not been approached in an appropriate way, because the numerous potentials for the development of this branch of tourism have not been adequately promoted," said Šurdha for "Vijesti", alluding to the great potentials that lie in the hinterland of the Ulcinj municipality, that is, the Anamal region. areas.
He noted that there are numerous picturesque trails for hiking in nature, which at one time were actively promoted by the Association of Mountaineers Rumija from Ulcinj. "First of all, I am thinking of the hiking trail that connects the Anamal area and the Krajina, which does not require great physical fitness and is suitable for all ages. The trail that goes along the mountain Taraboš, starts in Štegvaš and ends in Široka, in Albania, is particularly interesting. A total of 12 kilometers of easy ascents where during the hike you can see the Adriatic Sea on one side, while on the other side there is a fascinating view of Lake Skadar" he added.
!There is also a path from Klezna to Šas and the archaeological site of Svač, as well as a path from the village of Kaliman to Međureč, where you can see numerous fountains and buildings, such as the Kadrač tower, which was built by the Ottomans as an observation post. A special story is the Medjurečki Canyon, which is located on the administrative border of the municipalities of Ulcinj and Bar and according to many, is one of the best and most attractive in Montenegro".
Šurdha reminds that the canyon has a total of 7 waterfalls, the largest of which is at the entrance to the canyon and is 32 meters high. "It takes about 2 hours to pass through the canyon and it is an unforgettable experience for every adventurer," he says. He points out that bicycle paths are also very important.
"With relatively small investments, bicycle paths along the Bojana River, from Sveti Nikola, Sveti Đorđe and Fraskanjel, as well as within the Nature Park 'Ulcinjska solana', can be made attractive, which amounts to dozens of kilometers in total," says Šurdha. For fans of less demanding paths, he says, there are those located in the olive grove of Ulcinj, where you can also see numerous historical objects such as fountains from the Ottoman Empire era - Begova cesma, Javorova cesma, Bašbuljuk cesma, then old cobblestones, skilfully built cisterns between the olive groves… "An interesting fact is that Beg's fountain was built 50 years before the annexation of Ulcinj to the Ottoman Empire - it was built by the Ottoman sailors of the time. Numerous legends and other rich intangible cultural heritage are connected to this area, which can make a stay on these trails particularly interesting," emphasizes Šurdha.
Referring to water sports, such as kite boarding, kayaking and windsurfing, he says that it can be said that they are developed and represent a significant offer for attracting high-paying tourists. He adds that there is still a lot of unused potential for the development of adrenaline tourism on the coast and the sea itself. "First of all, I am referring to the numerous water caves, such as the Wolf's cave in Valdanos, which is also a unique historical clip with a story about the rich pirate heritage of the municipality of Ulcinj," says Šurdha. He believes that diving and underwater tourism are very little represented. "Shipwrecks represent a great chance for the development of diving tourism. I include the wreck of the Austro-Hungarian ship Karola near Cape Đerana, two nautical miles from Ulcinj, sunk during the First World War, then the wrecks of the steamers Gorizia from Trieste and the Austro-Hungarian Lloyd, as well as the passenger ship Bojana, which lies 50 meters under the sea, he reminded.
The Tourist Organization also believes that it is important to promote Ulcinj as an adventure destination through marketing campaigns and presence at international tourism fairs. "In order to be successful in this, the local government must invest more in the infrastructure that is needed for the development of this segment of tourism".