Ambassador Greg Delawie, Mission Director James Hope, and many enthusiastic hikers among the USAID/Kosovo mission staff were on hand June 15^th to officially inaugurate the Kosovo section of the beautiful Via Dinarica.  The Dinaric Alps run through the heart of the Western Balkans, connecting the region from Slovenia to Albania, and including, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, and now Kosovo.  The trail extends nearly 2000 kilometers and promotes rural tourism, highlights the traditions and cuisine of the region, and helps to develop small businesses in the fields of hospitality, tourism, and agriculture.  National Geographic recently lauded the Via Dinarica as being poised to become “one of the world’s top trekking destinations.”

USAID’s EMPOWER Private Sector activity and the Kosovo Mountaineering and Alpine Federation worked together to officially include Kosovo’s western and southern sections in the Via Dinarica trail.  Empower invested 34,100€ in a variety of activities, including assisting in the laying out, mapping, and marking of the trail; engaging international experts for their technical assistance; developing promotional materials; and building the capacity of local tour operators to deliver adventure travel services.  The inauguration of the 120km Kosovo segment of the trail now links Kosovo’s tourism to the Via Dinarica global product platform and will expand tourism and tourism-related employment.