Slovakia – Poloniny Park Development Slovakia

What

Following Poland and Romania, Slovakia officially launched the Lagging Regions Initiative in January 2018 with the Prešov region as a Catching-up Regions Initiative (CuRI). Partners implementing the SK CuRI include the European Commission (EC)/Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office for Investments and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, the Prešov Self-Governing Region Office (PSK), and the World Bank. The Initiative provides tailored support to this lagging region, with a focus on boosting the impact of EU investments in the regions. The World Bank (WB) was asked to help coordinate the activities, and an Administration Agreement was signed in May, 2018 between DG REGIO and the World Bank.

Scott Wayne was commissioned to undertake a study, in collaboration with consultant colleagues, Dr. Jordanka Tomkova and Prof. Ludmila Novacka, of the Prešov Self-Governing Region, especially focusing on Poloniny National Park.

Activities & Services:

  • Field visits to the Snina District and Poloniny National Park, including discussions with stakeholders about the challenges and opportunities of tourism.
  • Detailed recommended action plan, which included recommendations about the following:
    • Trail development
    • Community assistance along the trail
    • Establishment of an adventure center in one of the communities
    • Focus on adventure activities such as cycling, horseback riding, and hiking
    • Establishment of a regional destination management organization

Results:

The main result was an extensive report, Unlocking the Endogenous Tourism Potential of Poloniny National Park and Snina District of the Slovak Republic,  which is Output 2 of the World Bank’s tourism-related support to the European Commission (EC) and the Prešov Self-Governing Region (PSK). The report examined the current tourism development and market of the PSK, focusing particularly on the lagging district of Snina and the National Park of Poloniny, and the opportunities for their improvement as potential drivers of equitable local economic growth in the PSK. It was conducted in support of the EC’s Catching Up Regions Initiative. The Report was based on fieldwork by the World Bank Group task team and provides evidence-based recommendations that will inform the PSK’s future policies, strategic planning, and investments in the regional tourism development, particularly in the Snina District.