Applications open for solar panels to improve tourist offer of katuns

Rural households in Bosnia and Herzegovina that accomodate tourists in katuns will be able to enrich their offer by installing solar panels for electricity production.

Owners of the characteristic rural houses located in the Prokoško lake, Vrtača, Golica, Gvožđanske staje and Otigošćanske staje can apply until September 15 for photovoltaic panels within the project called Katun Roads of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is funded by the European Union under the IPA cross-border cooperation program between BiH and Montenegro, which launched a similar project a few years ago.

Thirty PV systems will be distributed

The solar katuns project, worth EUR 466,530, aims to improve the quality of the tourist offer based on the natural and cultural heritage of the cross-border area of ​​BiH and Montenegro, the public call reads.

A total of 30 rural households will receive PV systems to improve living conditions, agricultural production and the provision of tourist services in the katuns. Two types of solar systems are available:

• Solar systems with lower installed capacity (for charging cell phones, light bulbs, radio, TV) – 15 units
• Solar systems with higher installed capacity (for charging cell phones, light bulbs, radio, TV and refrigerator) – 15 units.

The intention is to primarily support members of family farms, who stay in katuns during the summer and provide services for visitors.

Solar systems are intended for those who stay in katuns during the summer and provide tourist services

The aim is to create an opportunity for owners to offer tourists to spend the night in katuns, to prepare and serve traditional meals, but also to provide other services such as horseback riding, guiding guests to nearby tourist attractions, participation in traditional rural activities such as collecting mushrooms, medicinal herbs and forest fruits, making juices and jams…

The project is implemented by the Sarajevo Economic Region Development Agency – SERDA, the Municipality of Fojnica and the Faculty of Agriculture and Food, University of Sarajevo, in partnership with the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro and the Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletije.