A bicycle race in Mitrovići Nature Park, near Zavidovići, on Saturday 14 May officially marked the beginning of the TAJAN (Tourism, Adventure, Joy, Attractions, Nature) project. The program consisted of a promotional race – recreational cycling along a 23 kilometer route from city to Mitrovići – and a cross-country race at the nature park, with five laps of 3.5 kilometers each.
The project launch was attended by relevant ministries in the cantonal government, representatives of Zavidovići and Kakanj Municipality and representatives of the Tourist Board Association as well as large number of citizens. The TAJAN project will promote the Tajan Nature Park, the only nature park in Central Bosnia, as a tourist product, focusing on development of tourism infrastructure, coordination and development of human resources, and marketing and promotion. The combination of training and infrastructure development will enhance the tourism offer, while marketing activities and promotional events will improve the image of Tajan as a tourist destination.
The EU funded this project in the amount of €350,000 through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). ”We will contribute an additional €60,000, and Zavidovići Municipality will provide €40,000, bringing the total project value to €450,000,“ said the director of the Zenica Doboj Canton Tourist Board, Senaid Šabanović.
In the next 30 months Tajan will develop major tourism infrastructure: mountain bike and hiking trails will be equipped with GPS navigation, towers for wildlife observation will be built, the Srednja stijena and Lukina pećina caves will be opened for visitors, and a tourist information centre will be opened in Kamenica to facilitate renting of mountain equipment and provision of accommodation and food for tourists.
Along with training for members of the Mountain Rescue Service and the supply of hiking and other equipment, special attention will be devoted to promoting the project internationally. Participation in tourism fairs abroad is planned, together with the organization of sports and other events, and the printing of multilingual promotional materials.
A rafting competition, followed by repairs to the caves, is planned for late May, and other projects are also scheduled. We believe that the nature park can attract more and more tourists every month, especially nature lovers, said Šabanović.
Race Winners
Fifty competitors from throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the cross-country race, among them a number of foreigners, mostly representatives of embassies and international organizations. The winner in the junior competition was Keserović Loren („Lasta,“ Sarajevo), in second place was Emin Đonlić („Maglaj” Maglaj), and third was Tarik Mujanović („Atom“ Zavidovići).
First among the seniors was Aldin Rizvic („Živinice „Živinice), in second place was Adnan Avdić („Zeljeznicar” Sarajevo), and third was Agan Muhić (Živinice“ Živinice).
