For the majority, getting out into nature is high on the list of things to do. However, many of us don’t consider getting lost in the mountains to be our definition of fun. Now is the perfect time to call a rescue helicopter. What makes this helicopter tour’s bucket list adventurers different? Well trained mountain guides.
THE Professional Adventure Travel Association (ATTA), which connects professionals at all levels of the adventure tourism industry, recently held training in the mountains just outside Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, for exactly the people on which you rely on to provide a service that is both professional and potentially life-saving. The five-day seminar, which is part of the ATTA program AdventureEDU education division – was a workshop focusing on the outdoors, leadership, travel, healthy lifestyles, teamwork and the passion needed to pursue a guiding career.
Video: Tamas Varga
The importance of this type of event cannot be emphasized enough. Supported by REG, or Regional economic growtha project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and an adventure tourism operator based in Sarajevo Green Visions, the training was an important step in creating a culture in which professionalism is valued. This seemingly expected trait is, to be frank, not a success story everywhere in the world. And, more importantly, for a booming adventure travel region – the Western Balkans, located in southeastern Europe – it can also mean the difference between travelers booking their next trip here or in a country more concerned with attracting guests.
Simply put: the stakes are high. And the question is fundamental: how can a region consolidate its recent tourist popularity with traveler-oriented quality? The answer and the goal of the training: to promote best practices in a region that suddenly finds success on every street corner, next to every beautiful stream and on every mountaintop hike.
To this end, top trainers came from all over the world to mentor 20 young mountain and river guides from Western Balkan countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania. One instructor, from Seattle, was Dan Moore. Moore is the CEO of Pandion, a leadership facilitation consultancy, entrepreneur and professional adventure guide with over 15 years of experience. Jean-Claude Razel, French living in Brazil, specializes in security management, operation and product development, through his company. Alaya. He has traveled to more than 60 countries and is a three-time world rafting champion.
The key to a good visit, as participants, who run successful regional businesses, would discover from their trainers, is to create a dialogue between the place and the visitor. Take for example the Via Dinarica Trail, a mega hiking trail that crosses the Western Balkans and was recently named one of National Geographic Traveler’s hiking trails. Best in the world destinations for 2017. The trail offers an easy-to-follow story and storyline allowing visitors to experience both the outdoors and the dense culture that runs through the area.
Photo: Tamas Varga
The Balkans, as a region, is growing in terms of tourism, mainly due to the abundance of natural resources, ease of access (proximity to major European centers) and the historical heritage of the cities. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a great example of everything coming together in a beautiful composition. The numerous rivers, lakes, mountains, museums and churches each offer a unique experience.
In addition to emphasizing the natural resources of this region, educators spoke about the hackneyed image conveyed by the media of the Western Balkans. Known for its complex history, this region has had its ups and downs when it comes to tourist attraction. In order to benefit from the good side of their rich history – rather than the negative side – Balkan countries must work as a group to improve services, improve tourism offerings and merge urban exploration and adventure.
“We need to emphasize the importance of details,” Lorenc Konaj, a mountain guide from Bosnia and Herzegovina, said during the training. “What are a customer’s needs and wants and how to change their perception. This is a very delicate term, as too much or too little can lead to erroneous results and therefore exaggeration should be avoided. A mix of traditionalism and modernism is always the way to go here. In Bosnia and Herzegovina we clearly have this.
Next time you book a trip to Europe, make sure to visit the mountains and villages of the Western Balkans. You can be sure that the guides will be prepared and happy to see you.
Image at top: Alexander Donev
Alexander Draganic is a freelance writer and sommelier based in Sarajevo. He is also the only and youngest WSET Level 3 certificate holder in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
