Background Investments and Outcomes Lessons Learned What Works

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1 Review of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Community-Based Tourism Investments in ECA Social Development - Europe and Central Asia Region October 26, 2010 Review of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Community-Based Tourism Investments in ECA FY Background Investments and Outcomes Lessons Learned What Works Directions for Future Operations 1

2 Background Many ECA countries have rich and diverse cultural assets largely untapped for development and poverty reduction Major political and economic changes of the 1990s left ECA s cultural heritage vulnerable to damage and loss CH and community-based tourism projects responded to lack of government capacity for heritage management Since FY1996, ECA supported diverse conservation, tourism, and community and economic development activities iti addressing cultural l assets Size of projects ranged from $150,000 to $110 million (LILs averaged $5 million) ECA s Portfolio FY Loans 1. Russia Federation, St. Petersburg Center City Rehabilitation Project - FY97 2. Georgia Cultural Heritage Project (LIL) -FY Romania Cultural Heritage Project (LIL) -FY98 4. Bosnia/Herzegovina Cultural Heritage Pilot Project -FY Azerbaijan Cultural Heritage Preservation Project (LIL) -FY01 6. Macedonia Community Development and Culture Project (LIL) -FY Russian Federation, St. Petersburg Economic Development Project -FY03 8. Albania Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Clean-Up Project -FY05 9. Georgia Protected Areas Development Project FY Azerbaijan Rural Environment Project FY Russia Preservation and Promotion of Cultural Heritage Project (FY11)* Grants/TA 1. Georgia Cultural Heritage Initiative (IDF) - FY Albania Support to Butrint National Park Management (IDF) FY99 3. Armenia Cultural Heritage Initiative (IDF) FY Central Asia Trans-boundary Biodiversity Project (GEF) FY99 5. Trans-Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan) Trans-Caucasus Tourism Initiative (TCTI) FY Croatia Karst Ecosystem Conservation (GEF) FY Community Empowerment for Cultural Tourism and Heritage Protection in ECA (Georgia and Uzbekistan) (TFESSD) FY Azerbaijan Rural Environment Project (GEF) FY Albania Butrint Global Biodiversity and Heritage Conservation Project (GEF) FY Bosnia Herzegovina Forest and Mountain Protected Areas Project (GEF) FY Albania and Montenegro Lake Skadar-Shkoder Integrated Ecosystem Management Project (GEF) - FY Economic Impact Evaluation of Heritage Projects in ECA (Georgia and Macedonia ) (TF) - FY10 2

3 Common Features Cultural Heritage Conservation Tourism Development Community Development Institutional Capacity Building Investments Cultural Heritage Conservation Conserving historic buildings/street infrastructure for urban regeneration Adapting historic buildings to create new uses & income streams Upgrading inventories to improve accessibility of information and asset management Training for heritage workers to promote conservation & increase income Training for artisans to save traditional skills, develop new enterprises, & increase income Providing small competitive grants to encourage community action & stewardship 3

4 Conserving historic buildings and upgrading infrastructure for urban regeneration Tblisi, Georgia (before) Tblisi, Georgia (after) Adapting historic buildings for new uses and income streams Macedonia cultural center Macedonia art gallery 4

5 Adapting historic buildings for new uses and income streams Uzbekistan crafts workshop and sales Training heritage workers to promote conservation and increase income Bukhara, Uzbekistan (before) Bukhara, Uzbekistan (after) 5

6 Training artisans to save traditional skills, develop new enterprises, and increase income Sighnaghi, Georgia Uzbekistan Providing small competitive grants to encourage community activity and stewardship 6

7 Outcomes - Heritage Conservation Protected assets from further deterioration or permanent loss Encouraged private investors to renovate historic buildings & open new offices, hotels, restaurants, shops, & galleries Promoted increase in residents and visitors to the historic districts, adding income to existing businesses Raised property values (in old Tbilisi, as high as 500% since Rose Revolution) Revitalized traditional skills & generated new income sources, especially for youth Increased income streams & sustainability by encouraging adaptive reuse of historic buildings (crafts shops, galleries, offices) Raised awareness of the importance of cultural assets & increased number of NGOs & businesses active in conservation Investments Tourism Development Developing tourism assessments, analysis, and strategies to support realistic investments and expectations Training tourism providers (B&B owners, tour operators) to strengthen business skills, service levels, and profitability Providing small competitive grants to prepare new tourism services and products Improving site presentation and marketing to raise visitor and community interest and appreciation Upgrading tourism infrastructure to increase safety and amenities (railings, benches, landscaping, lighting) 7

8 Developing tourism assessments and analysis to support realistic investments and expectations Bosnia-Herzegovina Albania Cultural Heritage & LED in Western Balkans Study: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia Training for tourism providers to raise levels of service and profitability Azerbaijan Butrint Nat l Park & World Heritage Site - Albania 8

9 Providing small grants to prepare new tourism services and products B&B Refurbishing, Macedonia City Walking Tour, Macedonia Improving site presentation and marketing to raise visitor and community interest Tblisi, Georgia 9

10 Upgrading tourism infrastructure to increase safety and amenity (paths, railings, landscaping, lighting, basic services) Uplistsikhe, Georgia Uplistsikhe, Georgia Outcomes - Tourism Development Generated Additional Revenues larger numbers of tourists to cultural sites (Mostar, Trans-Caucasus, Georgia CH) Expanded Employment - tourism services, handicrafts, extended value chain (graphic design, web development, sign fabrication) Diversified Local Economies cultural and natural tourism sites, services, and products in project areas Improved Competitiveness enhanced hospitality skills, raised visibility, & increased number of sites Increased Evening Activity in City Center both residents and tourists 10

11 Investments Community Development Supporting group formation, organization, and participatory planning & decision making for heritage conservation and promotion Building local planning skills for tangible and intangible heritage conservation Providing opportunities for community cohesion & reconciliation around cultural/tourism assets Supporting CSOs in communicating with local government Supporting group formation and participatory decision making to build capacity Uzbekistan 11

12 Building local planning skills for tangible and intangible heritage conservation and promotion Macedonia Bitushe, Macedonia Providing opportunities for community cohesion and reconciliation around cultural assets Georgia (before) Georgia (after) 12

13 Supporting civil society and building local government capacity to respond to community needs Azerbaijan Tatev Monastery, Armenia - Trans-Caucasus Tourism Initiative: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia Outcomes - Community Development Civil Society Empowerment Improved CSO skills through participatory planning & small grants programs Increased cooperation between local government and CSOs Raised national government awareness of importance of CSO energy & commitment Government Accountability (Trans-Caucasus, Macedonia) Stronger Ownership of Heritage through participatory approaches connecting government and local stakeholders Social Cohesion & Conflict Resolution (Mostar, Georgia CH, Trans- Caucasus) 13

14 Institutional Capacity Building Investments & Outcomes Improved skills for CH conservation institutions Upgraded inventories & equipment to facilitate management Raised conservation standards d through h cooperation with int l orgs & improved business practices Contributed to legal reforms supporting heritage conservation Established permanent agencies for mgt. of historic areas Improved skills in stakeholder consult. & cooperation with CSOs Encouraged integrated planning through multi-agency steering committees Improved capacity of federal cultural institutions to generate income Enhanced quality & impacts through partnerships among central/local governments and donors Lessons What Works Projects jointly addressing conservation & CB tourism likely to create synergies stimulating economic revitalization Cultural heritage & tourism projects provide opportunity for multiplier effects in both urban and rural areas Bank has comparative advantage in coordinating multidisciplinary teams, & supporting projects set in development & poverty reduction context CH/community-based tourism projects provide opportunity to engage in difficult political environments where more traditional projects may fail Participatory approach builds ownership of cultural assets among local stakeholders & among decision makers Demand driven & competitive grants empower community groups & generated new sources of income 14

15 Lessons What Works Designing and implementing CH & CB tourism projects require specialized expertise: Social development expertise needed to address inclusion, cohesion, and accountability Sector expertise (conservation, tourism, & handicrafts development) to ensure technical and cultural integrity and maximize economic impacts Local knowledge and cooperation to facilitate sustainable project design, buy-in, coordination, and supervision International collaboration to add broader experience and mitigate reputational risks Conservation activities with visible results are important for raising awareness/appreciation of cultural assets - even small-scale activities have tangible eco benefits to local communities Directions for Future Operations Need for alternative instruments for responding to different client needs & business contexts (PPP, fee-for-service, guidance notes) Integrate CH in larger operations for sustainable results (infra, urban, disaster reduction, env, climate change, rural) Incorporate CH activities as part of support for post conflict, youth development, and community empowerment initiatives Expand Bank s role in CH in recent EU member countries, & assist accession countries align their conservation policies & standards with EU Increase partnerships with other donors (EU, TF, UNESCO, COE) Emphasize CH as tool to foster LED, urban regeneration, & regional development with focus on capacity building (Russia) 15