During the period 9-12 October 2017 was performed training on Destination Planning in Uzunköpru, Turkey, which was organized under Project “One Destination Two Countries”, reg. № CB005.1.22.134 and subsidy contract № РД-02-29-40/20.03.2017 under Interreg Cross – Border Cooperation Bulgaria – Turkey Programme 2014-2020 CCI: 2014TC1615CB005.

Lead Partner of the Project is the Uzunköpru Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Turkey and Haskovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry from Bulgaria is a Project Partner.

The training was attended by 20 Bulgarian and Turkish representatives of tourist information centers and tour operators, hoteliers and restaurateurs as well as representatives of non-profit organizations active in the field of tourism. The participants in the training were welcomed by Ercan İhtiyar, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce - Uzunkopru and Yancho Yanev - Chairman of the Haskovo CCI.

The lectors at the training were Koray Genç - lecturer at Abant Izzet Baysal University and Professor PhD Emel Gönnich Guler - lecturer at the Thracian University, Faculty of Alternative Tourism who introduced to the participants the important stages in the planning of the destination. The lecturers also presented practices from different countries for planning in different areas of tourism.

The participants in the training had the opportunity to explore the most important landmarks in Uzunköpru - the long bridge, the restored St. John’s Church, which is used as a cultural center, and recreational parks. They all noticed and expressed that the development of tourism requires improvement of the places to visit as well as the intensification of the exchange of tourists between Haskovo and Uzunköpru.