13/05/2022
After the initial meeting of the partners in the "Alter Trip" project organized by the leading partner last October in Thessaloniki, according to the agreement and the distribution of obligations, the third partner - MOBILNOST Bitola - was responsible for the organization of the second project meeting in Bitola. The meeting was held on May 13, 2022 at the "Millennium Palace" hotel on Shirok Sokak in Bitola, in the presence of representatives from all three partner organizations and some of the experts engaged in the project. On behalf of the leading partner – the Business & Exhibition Research and Development Institute (IEE) - the project manager Dr. Dimitris Kourkouridis, Marita Papagiani, Dimitrios Tampakis and their external expert Spiros Hioteris were present, while from the second partner - the Ministry of Internal Affairs ( Sector Macedonia and Thrace) of the Republic of Greece - their project manager Ioannis Kotziambasis was present. Representatives of "Mobilnost Bitola", also the organizer of the event, were the president prim. Dr. Niko Jankov, the member of the Management Board Fanche Georgievska and the project manager Ivona Jankova, as well as prof. Dr. Igor Nedelkovski, who together with external experts Dr. Irena Ružin and MSc Jove Pargovski presented part of the current activities within the project. The meeting started with a welcome speech from our project manager, and then each of the partners presented their activities implemented so far. As a true leading partner, IEE leads in terms of the number of activities carried out. Their representatives described in detail all the items of their responsibilities, and they also presented the initial version of the website where all the results of the project activities that will result from the studies on the legal framework, the actual situation regarding the accessibility of the tourist and catering facilities will be found, as well as activities in the cross-border region and the recommendations for easier and faster overcoming of the barriers on both sides of the border. Based on the studies, a particularly useful part of this platform will be the mapping and tour with all accessible locations and facilities, which will allow all users a clear overview of where there are conditions for visiting. Since the website is under development, the project manager proposed to consult the members of "Mobilnost Bitola" and other disability organizations and to convey their opinions and directions to the lead partner to take them into account in the development of the portal. The second partner also presented its activities so far, whose representative informed that they are facing certain delays, so there will probably be a slight delay in delivering the results from their side. Regarding our activities, despite the fact that we waited a long time for the necessary documents from our institutions, most of the activities are already underway and it is certain that the results will be delivered within the stipulated time. The first study on the legal regulations in the country has already been completed, and the field study is in progress, within the framework of which data is collected from the actual situation of accessibility in the Pelagonian region. Dr. Irena Ružin, who is an external expert for this study, shared part of the work done so far and cited Toše Proeski's museum in Krushevo as the best example of a building built according to all standards. We already know that the majority of the offer in the region does not meet those standards, but she is optimistic that most of the owners/directors of the tourist and hospitality facilities she visited are interested in participating in the training provided within the project. What most delighted our partners from Greece was the presentation of Prof. Dr. Nedelkovski and M.Sc. Pargovski, who presented the 3D tactile models of some of our most famous tourist attractions, made with QR and NFC technology and which will be available for the first time in the Balkans precisely in Bitola. Tactile models via NFC and QR technology are connected to an application for smart devices (phones, tablets) that contains a narrative description of the objects and a video in sign language, thus enabling access to our cultural heritage for both visually impaired and hard of hearing persons. More details about all such activities will be available within the media campaign that will follow in the further course of the project. The only dark spot from this event was the fact that it was seen first-hand how inaccessible the hospitality facilities in Bitola are. Namely, despite the fact that most buildings in our country are old and originally built for a different purpose, accessibility was not taken into account during adaptation, and even the fact that there are elevators, which are not of recommended dimensions and are placed between floors, and further makes them inaccessible for a good part of the visitors. However, the friendly staff was ready to help and expressed interest in learning and possibly investing in further adjustments to the space, which thanks to new technologies can easily increase accessibility for all visitors. After all, that is the goal of our project - to inform all participants in the tourism and catering sector that they may unknowingly discriminate against a large part of their guests, as well as to give them advice and guidance on how to overcome barriers and fully utilize the potential of alternative tourism. Summarizing the impressions, it seems that the meeting went in the best possible order and the guests from Greece, among whom there were those coming to Bitola for the first time, expressed satisfaction with the overall organization and hospitality from our side. The project "Alternative tourist experience - Alternative travel" is part of the IPA Programme for cross-border cooperation "Greece-Republic of North Macedonia 2014-2020" and is co-financed by the European Union and the national funds of the countries participating in the program. Activities continue.
