Project for Environmental and Business Tourism

Municipality of Ivanovo, Rousse District

Iv. Shahunova

Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Ivanovo

In 1998, the Municipal Council of Ivanovo adopted a project for the development of rural and environmental tourism with the following main goals:

1. Protection of the biologic diversity at the Roussenski Lom National Park.

2. Use of the historical, cultural, natural and economic resources, and of available unused municipal and private dwellings.

3. Implementation of the program of the Ministry of Culture for the cultural and historical zone Ivanovo - Cherven.

Management of the project is assigned to a municipal tourism bureau headed by the Deputy Mayor of the municipality. In the preparation of the project Order No. 567 of the Ministry of Forests and Forest Industry (Official Gazette, No. 30 of 1970) was taken into consideration by which the river valley of the Roussenski Lom river is proclaimed a national park. There is an approved park development project which calls for a limited regime of usage:

• A regulation plan of the municipality, which outlines the places for recreation, tourism, construction and the requirements for a park regime.
• The existence of an unfinished building for a Youth Centre which can be transformed into a visitor center.
• The restoration and conservation program Ivanovo - Cherven the first stage of which is already completed. Work on the second stage is due to begin.

The project also includes one- and two-day routes and a one-week stay in a village. The routes include visits to the UNESCO obelisk, the Ivanovo Rock Churches, the Cherven mediaeval town, the Roussenski Lom Park, the Danube, amusements. Features, such as fishing, breeding animals or growing vegetables, using their products, and riding in carts are also part of the project. For those who like authentic folklore, the community centers offer different programs. For a larger group of tourists, a celebration of local holidays and customs can be organized.

To implement the project for development of rural and environmental tourism, My Eco World program has been prepared and, consequently, adopted by the Municipal Council. It provides education for children and adults.

The first training course with experts from the Roussenski Lom National Park was for students from the eco-clubs in the villages of Ivanovo, Pirgovo and Koshov. On the Day of the Child, with support from the Ministry of Environment, the Municipality organized a celebration of the occasion for the children. Its motto was A Gift from Nature - Let s Preserve It . The members of the eco-clubs demonstrated the skills and knowledge that they had learned.

A group of American tourists arrived for the Easter holidays. A group of students went down the river valley of the Roussenski Lom. Preparations for the organization of a joint holiday with a Romanian municipality on the other bank of the Danube have begun. The celebration will be related to recreation, culture, animal life and vegetation in our region.

We believe that this is just an optimistic beginning. The hard work itself is still ahead.