North Moldova, Ukrainian districts implement project on rural tourism

Chisinau 14 March  /MOLDPRES/ - The cooperation on the dimension of the rural tourism was the main subject of a cross-border project, Rural tourism – sure step to stimulating cross-border cooperation between districts of Soroca (Moldova) and Yampil (Ukraine, Vinnytsia region), set forth at a closing conference, recently held in Yampil.     
This cross-border project includes a string of trainings, study visits to tourism boarding houses, editing of a guide for providers of tourism services, support for organizing four festivals, a tourist map and a documentary film due to point out the tourism heritage from the Soroca and Yampil districts.   
Also, the infrastructure of cultural public institutions was improved and 30 tourist boarding houses, along with the local authorities from both regions strengthened their capacities in the tourist marketing sector. Within the project, the sides also set up a Moldovan-Ukrainian association of providing services, which is aimed at promoting rural tourism in the two regions, as well as at consolidating the capacities of the potential providers of services in the rural tourism field.   
The settlements from the Yampil region are characterized by a friendly geographical position, nice landscapes against the background of the Dniester river, hospitable residents dealing with popular art. Also, the wine industry is developed in the region and the Festival of Wine and Cabbage/Grape Leaf Rolls is held here each year.    
”The similitudes of our districts, as well as the existence of initiatives of cooperation both in the cultural and economic sectors are opportune, especially as they provide support to authorities and economic agents for the promotion of tourist services and tourist attractions,” the first deputy head of the state administration of the Yampil district, Ludmila Mayorova, has said.  
”The Soroca district council will do its utmost, so that the relations between the tourist operators from both banks of Dniester are functional and efficient, so that the businesses in the rural tourism sector are mutually advantageous and, at the same time, useful and attractive for all those who would like to visit the cross-border region Soroca-Yampil,” the secretary of the Soroca district council, Stela Zabiran, said.   
The project, Rural tourism – sure step to stimulating cross-border cooperation between districts of Soroca and Yampil, is implemented by the Viitorul (Future) Institute, in partnership with the Soroca district council and Yampil district administration. The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Moldova-Ukraine Territorial Cooperation Support Programme within the Eastern Partnership.