Measure 1.1: Increasing productivity and competitiveness of economic, rural, cultural and natural resources of the programme area
Project Title: Sustainable Biking Development
Project Budget:
| Project Value | EU Contribution | |
| Republic of Serbia | € 122,902.34 | € 104,402.34 |
| Montenegro | € 68,330.74 | € 57,835.13 |
| TOTAL | € 191,233.08 | € 162,237.47 |
Beneficiary of funds in Montenegro: Municipality of Pljevlja
Partners: Local tourism organization Pljevlja
Biking Club Rudar Pljevlja
Beneficiary of funds in the Republic of Serbia: The City of Kraljevo
Partners: Tourism organization of Kraljevo
Mountain biking Club Čiker Kraljevo
Area of implementation:
• Montenegro: Montenegro, northern Montenegro, Pljevlja
• Serbia: Raska County, Kraljevo
Target groups: Local tourism organizations, two biking clubs and 65 members of biking clubs, 5000 schoolchildren, 157513 citizens of targeted municipalities
Project duration: CRIS No 256 623 – 01/02/2011 – 01/08/2012
CRIS No 256 360 -01/02/2011 – 30/09/2012
Project objectives: The overall objective: To improve quality of recreational tourism in the municipalities Pljevlja and Kraljevo of Serbia and Montenegro cross-border area through interaction of people and communities in order to jointly strengthen mutual cooperation utilizing human, natural and infrastructural resources as well as cultural and sport values.
The specific objective: To create conditions for development of mountain biking and cycling as a new kind of tourist offer and promote mountain biking and cycling benefits in municipalities Pljevlja and Kraljevo of Serbia and Montenegro cross-border area
Activities and results of the project:
Sustainable tourism development has been identified at the top of priorities by municipality of Pljevlja and Kraljevo City. The project focus was on recreational tourism development, specifically development of mountain biking.
Project implementation was significantly supported by local partners – tourism organizations of Pljevlja, and Kraljevo, and cycling clubs „Rudar“ from Pljevlja and „Čiker“ from Kraljevo. The project activities were realized within four components where high cooperation with respective stakeholders and final beneficiaries has been achieved.
Within the first component of the project, the two Project designs for marking and signage of mountain biking and cycling trails were developed. Based on these project designs 354.3 km mountain biking trails were signed and arranged in the project area, in particular 297.2 km in Pljevlja Municipality worth 14.627,56€, 57.1 km of mountain trails in and 28.4 km of cycling trails were marked in the city of Kraljevo worth 19.195,96 €. Furthermore, a cycling polygon was constructed in Kraljevo and a cycling polygon was arranged in Pljevlja as well as five biking parking lots were constructed in Kraljevo.
Second component of project include activities related awareness raising, dissemination and project visibility through creation and distribution of the leaflets, organizing press conferences and continuous PR activities. Two Baseline surveys at the sample of 351 inhabitants from both municipalities were conducted. The results of the survey were used as the guidelines for the overall promotional campaign conducted throughout the project. In particular, 20.000 copies of leaflets and project brochures were designed and printed and distributed as well as 5.000 maps of joint marathon route with appropriate guides and 450 T-shirts. Joint biking marathon under the name “”Through Serbia and Montenegro by bicycle” from Kraljevo to Pljevlja was organized with participation of more than 55 bikers mostly from Serbia and Montenegro. Finally, the web site www.planinskibiciklizam.org was developed.
The third component of the project included capacity building activities in both counties relevant to the benefits from using the bike, its importance and contribution to kids’ healthy rising, increase of their physical activity, and reducing environmental pollution. In this respect more than 500 stakeholders in Kraljevo and 200 in Pljevlja, were trained at project level.
As the first step of the fourth project component the Project Management Team was established, that was responsible for overall project implementation. The Team was composed of Project Manager, Project Coordinator, and Assistant for Cycling Development, Assistant for Mountain Biking Development, PR Assistant, and Administration and Finance Officer.
Project “Sustainable Biking Development” has contributed to upgrade of mountain biking and cycling as a new tourist offer and promotion of mountain biking and cycling benefits in municipalities Pljevlja and Kraljevo.
