4 June 2009 | A UK-based charity is promoting as an alternative tourism destination the mountainous and sparsely populated area in the cross-border region between Kosovo, northern Albania and Montenegro, where it aims to create a protected Peace Park.

Tourism to the area is slowly developing thanks to mountain bikers, trekkers and cavers, as well as the efforts of the Balkans Peace Park Project, B3P, a Yorkshire-based charity, the Yorkshire Post reported recently.

“It is an incredibly beautiful area and has enormous potential for sustainable tourism. It was known as a resort between the world wars when travel writers went there. But it was closed to foreigners during Communism and is still classed as a dangerous area by United States and the Foreign Office,” Former B3P chairman and Balkans expert Antonia Young told the publication, adding that, although some progress has been made, a Peace Park may take years to realise.

The Balkans Peace Park Project, according to the charity’s official website, aims to facilitate the creation of a trans-national, cross-border park in the adjoining mountain areas of the three countries, as a symbol of peace and cooperation in order to promote environmental conservation, stimulate local employment and promote sustainable visitor activities in the region.

And while the creation of the Peace Park is still in its beginning stages, in the meantime the organisation has various activities planned for the summer of 2009: offering English classes and training connected with sustainable environmental development for children and workshops for adults in the village of Thethi in northern Albania; and sending volunteers to help with building an eco-village in Montenegro and constructing a waterfall trail in Kosovo.

For more information on B3P’s summer 2009 projects, visit the organisation’s website.

Read more about Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro on BalkanTravellers.com