Republic of Moldova

FREE HAND FOR TOURISM IN BENDER REGION

Chisinau, 19 April 2010 - 19 April 2010, Chisinau-- Since April this year, touristic objectives from Transnistria region, namely Ramsar „Lower Dniester”, have become more accessible for tourists. Recently, the collaboration between tourism agencies from both shores of the Dniester river was resumed after a  18-year halt, in the view of developing tourism business in this region, and provide tourists with the opportunity to discover new places, such as historical units from Bender town, landscape architecture monuments from Cioburciu and Parcani, touristic compound „The Wine Museum Butîlca” from Ternovca etc.

The development of touristic itinerary in Ramsar „Lower Dniester” site stands for one of the activities unfolded by the project “Common building of the future for the internationally recognised zone of the Lower Dniester”, implemented by the Ecological Society „Biotica” within the program „Support to Confidence Building Measures”, financed by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.

The official launch of touristic itinerary in Ramsar „Lower Dniester” site took place recently, with representatives of Chisinau travel agencies testing it (overall 40 people). Tourists from Chisinau went sightseeing and visited the Fortress of Bender, the ramification of the Dniester river along the Turunchuck branch (in the Ramsar site), the landscape architecture monument in the village of Cioburciu, the tourism compound “The Wine Museum Butylka” in the village of Ternovka, and the “Bulgarian Estate” in Parcani village. This route can be followed by ordinary tourists, who are also suggested to visit the Chitcani Monastery, the Tiraspol “Kvint” Distilleries, etc.

“The Bender Zone has a huge potential for tourism. Twenty years ago, the town received 30 to 40 groups of foreign tourists daily. Unfortunately, after the tragic events from 1992, Bender was closed for tourism and, practically, no one visited it for tourism purposes for 18 years. Together with the Ecological Society Biotica we intend to revive tourism in the Transnistrian region, laying the foundation for a long-lasting cooperation between the tourism firms from the right and left banks of the Dniester river. We hope to attract into the Transnistrian region at least 10 percent of the tourists who visit Republic of Moldova”, stated Viktor Kulishov, Director of the Bender-based travel agency Atlantis, which is one of the partners of the Ecological Society „Biotica”.

For the first time in the region, the touristic route Ramsar „Lower Dniester” site opens a complex program including elements of commercial, historical, ecological and rural tourism. „The Transnistrian region, namely Lower Dniester site, is of a remarkable beauty. „Biotica” wishes to consolidate collaboration relationships between tourism companies from both sides of the Dniester river, contributing, thus, to toursim flourishment. We wanted very much to produce an authentic and functional offer. The site has been little explored despite its great potential. We tested the itinerary only with representatives of tourism agencies, hoping to lay the grounds for a new business in the field”, declared Alexei Andreev, Chairman of „Biotica” Board.

For contact: Victor Munteanu, UNDP Moldova Project Manager, tel. 260786, e-mail: victor.munteanu@undp.org or Irina Lazur, Communication and Information Coordinator, tel. 232523, e-mail: irina.lazur@undp.org