A BRIEF Q&A WITH JAN KLAVORA, CO-DIRECTOR AT GOODPLACE AND ALEX CREVAR, TRAVEL JOUNALIST
Jan Klavora, a partner at GoodPlace, is an expert in the development of outdoor tourism products and the strategic planning of biking and hiking tourism. He works with destinations and businesses in all development phases including the identification of outdoor tourism products, strategic planning, the design of hiking and cycling trails, and marketing and sales.
Alex Crevar is a journalist, media consultant, and adventure route designer dedicated to responsible tourism. A regular contributor to several publications including The New York Times, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, and Adventure Cyclist magazine, he speaks at conferences on the merits of sustainable travel solutions, lectures at universities, and advises organizations on best practices in the tourism industry.
GoodPlace is an NGO developing sustainable and outdoor tourism. Can you elaborate on GoodPlace’s mission in promoting sustainable tourism, and how external collaborations or initiatives have contributed to the company’s efforts since its establishment in 2012?
Goodplace, established in 2012 as a private institute devoted to sustainable tourism development, aims to introduce sustainability principles into the travel sector in Southeast Europe. One of GoodPlace’s key roles is to encourage forward-thinking by offering a number of solutions and tools about how and why to implement sustainable management in the travel sector internationally. We believe sustainable tourism provides security and vision in the world of fast changes and complex relationships. Therefore, it is the only right way of development.
We cooperate with governmental and non-governmental policy developers, destination managers, and tourism businesses. One of our main projects is the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism, a multi-award-winning project we devised with our National Tourism Board. Over the last 11 years, GoodPlace has become a key partner for the region for the association Green Destinations, a representative of Travelife, and has developed a number of joint projects with other international partners. Besides developing the Slovenia Green national program, we have developed a similar project for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Estonia. We prepared a guidebook for development of national green schemes based on the case of Slovenia for the European Travel Commission.
We believe developing and implementing sustainable tourism goes beyond the certification of destinations and businesses, but also involves creating sustainable experiences for end consumers, offering them the chance to experience new destinations in a responsible way. For that reason, we have set up a methodology on the development of green tourism products like the award-winning Slovenia Green Routes (“Best in the World 2023” — National Geographic; “Most Sustainable Products in Europe” — The Guardian; and others). In only two years, we have accumulated more than 18,000 downloads from visitors eager to travel sustainably. This translates to over 16 million euros of economic impact for destinations and businesses.
GoodPlace has created adventure routes (such as the Trans Dinarica) in Slovenia and neighboring countries. How does the NGO ensure its routes provide authentic and unique experiences for guests and actively contribute to responsible travel and nature preservation?
Green Routes, such as Slovenia Green, were the first products in the world for visitors connecting certified-only destinations and business. This had a double positive impact. Destinations and businesses understood that, in order to be part of successful sustainable tourism products, they needed to shift their business-as-usual philosophies to more sustainable and responsible behavior. This provided an economic reason to attain sustainable tourism certification, which, in turn, created an increasing interest for certification by destinations and businesses along the developed routes.
The Trans Dinarica Cycle Route will create a similar situation since strong promotion will be given to certified suppliers along the way, which will motivate others to also focus on sustainable management. The other positive impact of such products is that it provides visitors with easier opportunities to find and book sustainable experiences. In the last few years, we have seen a dramatic increase in visitor interest to choose sustainable experiences … but they regularly report having a problem finding and trusting such offers. With GoodPlace’s methodology — adventure routes developed in cooperation with local communities and with respect to natural sites and protected areas — we provide authentic and unique experiences for a growing number of guests that demand the industry treat both nature and culture with more respect.
Supported by EDGE and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Trans Dinarica Cycle Route is a regional initiative, connecting eight countries in the Western Balkans and spanning over 4,000km in total. Could you provide insights into the challenges faced during the planning and development phases, GoodPlace’s collaboration with EDGE, and how these joint efforts have overcome obstacles to bring the route close to completion?
Creating a cycle route that pulls together the entire Western Balkans Region has been a pleasure and a labor of love. As cyclists ourselves, the idea of developing a sustainable tourism product that attracts other like-minded travelers is a dream. From this perspective, any “challenges” faced along the way must be seen as minor and, indeed, opportunities to make the product better.
Among those relative challenges, finding the funding necessary to complete the route has been the most problematic. The Western Balkans Region is now coming to grips with the importance of responsible tourism. Tourism professionals and residents generally are starting to realize that a growing number of people are seeking green ways to enjoy the Western Balkans while also preserving the region’s resources. Once pioneering products like the Trans Dinarica are complete — providing the spine for adventure tourism in the region — future funding for sustainability projects will be easier to justify.
Collaborating with EDGE has been key because the project understands the vision needed to bring sustainable tourism choices to the Western Balkans. By prioritizing support for the cycle route, EDGE and GIZ have made the route possible.
From a developmental perspective, bringing locals into the conversation is both a challenge and a priority. The challenge is not in finding interest, many are interested. The challenge is making sure local voices are heard. Early on, EDGE and GoodPlace focused on including all stakeholders through a series of workshops and by incorporating local experts into the early virtual designs of the route and when the GoodPlace team went into the field to validate the Trans Dinarica as a real-time, on-the-ground cycle itinerary.
Can you also elaborate on the vision behind the Trans Dinarica Cycle Route, and share your insights into the anticipated impact this extensive cycling route will have on the region’s tourism and local communities?
As cyclists ourselves, we have been pedaling around the Western Balkans for years. In this way, the Trans Dinarica has been a long-time goal for our route-development team. As cycling has become more popular worldwide, we also realized we had a chance to create the region’s definitive cycle itinerary. The idea was, and is, to develop a way for the rest of the world to discover the eight countries of the Western Balkans — moving at human speed to better enjoy culture, food, and local traditions — which allows us to create an infinite number of epic adventures for adventurers and ourselves into the distant future.
One of the most positive byproducts of this route is that it brings travelers and locals alike to villages and towns that are often overlooked by tourism. It is clear that if an easy-to-follow and safe method for enjoying sustainable discovery is created, people will utilize the travel tools at their disposal. In doing so, they are also creating an economic engine so residents in these places loaded with rich heritage can stay in their settlements and communities rather than abandoning them for economic opportunities in cities or moving away to other countries altogether. Once you get visitors into these culture-rich areas of the Western Balkans, they are hooked and will come year after year — with friends.
Considering the broader context of tourism development in the Western Balkans, what recommendations or strategies do you believe are crucial for regional stakeholders, including governments and local businesses, to enhance the overall tourism experience and sustainability? How can collaborative efforts be fostered to overcome existing challenges and position the region as a sought-after destination for responsible and enriching travel?
The Western Balkans Region is as culturally rich and geographically diverse as any place in Europe. And, because it has been underutilized as an adventure destination, there is still a sense of raw discovery here. In the world of international tourism, this is quite rare. One challenge the region needs to overcome, however, is understanding that tourism development here should happen on its own terms rather than relying on superficial methods to make fast money, developing infrastructure without restrictions, and disregarding negative repercussions and resource mismanagement until years down the road.
We believe destinations in the Western Balkans should be confident that what they have is special — without sacrificing nature or heritage. The region should think about its citizens, culture, natural resources first, rather than simply making travelers artificially comfortable. Communities throughout the region should take the time to respect their true strengths and develop the travel industry slowly and correctly so that sustainable development benefits villages and communities into the future. This philosophy demands patience to develop correctly, critical thinking to be innovative, and the courage to believe in oneself.
The rise of technology, changing traveler preferences, and global events have reshaped the tourism sector. In your opinion, how should GoodPlace strategically position itself to capitalize on these shifts and remain at the forefront of delivering exceptional and sustainable travel experiences? Additionally, how might the company incorporate innovation to stay ahead in the dynamic tourism market?
We use technology to make sure travelers and locals possess the best and safest means to discover the Western Balkans: an easy-to-use application, website, GPX tracks for the cycle route, and information for bike-friendly services. As well, we work with the stakeholders to educate and build marketing capabilities, fostering an understanding of how to sustain success through promotion via traditional travel media and social media.
However, we also believe that technology is less important to the success of sustainable travel experiences than understanding the value of developing authentic stories that show respect for communities. A route such as Trans Dinarica enables communities throughout the region to share its history and geography in a meaningful way. In this sense, we are most interested in doing the hard work of creating an honest story for the region — which the Trans Dinarica represents.
