Skopje City Walk: a self-guided tour around Skopje

The printed version of the Skopje City Walk is available for purchase in the city center of Skopje. The price is 200 denari (£2.70 / €3.20 / $4.25). There is also a digital version available for $2,99 (provided by the Dutch fans of City of Skopje, Sanne and Linda). Scroll down for more information on the e-book.

Points of sale print version in Skopje

- National Museum, Ulica Drvarska in the old historical center (Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00)

- Souvenir kiosks on several locations in the city center (Daily 10:00-22:00)
- Porta Makedonija, Ulica 11 Oktomvri next to the main square (Daily 09:00-21:00)
- Bookshop Kultura, Ulica Makedonija 51 (directly at the central square) (Daily 09:00-18:00)

Digital version

The digital version of the Skopje City Walk is available on the website of Smashwords, as epub, pdf, kindle, rtf, lrf and pdb.

On the website of Smashwords, you can view the first part of Skopje City Walk for free. If it made you enthusiastic, you can purchase the e-book for only $2.99.

E-book Skopje City Walk
(Also available in Dutch: E-book Stadswandeling Skopje)

More information at: http://www.skopjecitywalk.com/

Dutch tour operators in three day visit to Macedonia

Macedonia is a country with as much as 300 sunny days, its nature is breathtaking, however those how have already visited the country are in love with the people.

Their hospitality is especially evident with Dutch tourists who are considered friends by many Macedonians. I hope that in the coming three days you will feel these emotions. Macedonia is easy to love, and it is very difficult to leave the country, Dutch ambassador Marriet Schuurman told nearly a hundred representatives of travel organisations and tour operators from the Netherlands upon arriving in Ohrid on Friday.

Schuurman encouraged the Dutch tourism officials, led by CEO of TUI tour operator Steven van der Heijden, to establish as many contacts as possible during their stay in Macedonia in order to invest and seek ways for cooperation with the local business community.

Van der Heijden in his brief speech said that the first impressions from the warm welcome have been more than promising.

"Most of us are here in Macedonia for the first time, but taking into consideration the fact how this visit is being planned by our associated in Macedonia and the local self-government, I think that it is very promising," he stressed.

The sale of arrangements for vacationing in Ohrid has been recording an upward trend in the Netherlands by 40%, it has been said.

According to data by the two largest tour operators that promote Macedonia as a tourist destination, more than 25 thousand arrangements are expected to be sold in Benelux countries this year and the number of charter flights carrying Dutch tourists to Macedonia to be increased. At the moment, four planes by TUI and three by Corendon land every week in Ohrid.

For three seasons in a row, tourists from Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) are the most frequent foreign visitors in Ohrid and Macedonia.

VanHool hiring 35 people for its Skopje location

The Belgian company Van Hool published Saturday job advertisement for 35 vacant positions in its production facility in Technological and Investment Development Zone - TIDZ Skopje 2 in Bunardzik.

The company which plans to produce buses in its new facility seeks workers in different positions as team leaders, carpenters, electricians, mechanics, controllers, coordinators, assistants…

Van Hool’s investment in production facility in TIDZ Skopje 2 is worth 20 million EUR and is expected to create 400 to 500 new job positions.

The facility is built on a parcel of 11.76 hectares and the production is expected to start in 2013. The planed annual production is 400 buses. The products will be exported to the U.S. and other markets.

Van Hool of Belgium manufactures approximately 1,400 busses and coaches and more than 4,000 units of semi-trailers, tank containers and other commercial vehicles annually. With a workforce of approximately 4,000 and annual turnover of over 450 million EUR, Van Hool is the largest integral bus manufacturing company in Western Europe. Van Hool holds major positions in different export markets. 80% of company’s production is exported to Europe, America, Africa, and Asia.

Kuratica welcomed the Dutch tourist with national dished and rakija

Second year in a row, the Kuratica local have welcomed the Dutch tourists, who stay in Ohrid - with national dishes and home made brandy - rakija.
During their one-day visit to the Kuratica village (Ohrid municipality), the Dutch tourists had the opportunity to see the local beauties, to enjoy the visit to the Mazatar mountain, with a donkey safari.

Source: http://ohridnews.com/index.php?mod=1&kat=4&id=42216

Dutch Tourists Arriving in Ohrid

The first group of 120 tourists from the Netherlands using arrangements of tour-operator "Arke Travel -TUI", arrived in Ohrid on Friday.

A formal event was held at Ohrid-based airport "St. Paul the Apostle", with Economy Minister Valon Saraqini and Netherlands Ambassador to Macedonia Marriet Schuurman greeting the Dutch tourists.

Minister Saraqini wished the guests a warm welcome, saying they should acquaint with Macedonia as much as possible during their stay and convey their impressions to friends at home.

Saraqini told reporters efforts would be implemented this year towards increasing the number of foreign tourists in Macedonia.

"Besides lowering the VAT for tourism services, we have adopted a new rulebook on categorization of capacities, which would significantly improve services offered by hotels. Another measure for attraction of tourists is the subsidizing of low-cost airlines with EUR 4,9 million allocated for the next three years", said the Economy Minister.

According to expectations, nine flights carrying foreign tourists are to land at the Ohrid airport every week.

"Taking into account information we have from tour-operators, we expect about 700 tourists per day from the Benelux countries only. Over 14,000 tourists are expected from the Netherlands this year", emphasized Saraqini while thanking the Dutch Embassy for successful promotion of Macedonia as an attractive tourism destination.

Ambassador Schuurman recalled that such charter flights brought 22,000 Dutch guests to Macedonia last year.

"We are convinced that more tourists will come from the Netherlands this year. I know that Dutch tourists like Macedonia very much, which has been confirmed by the fact that many who came last year are planning to spend their holidays here again this summer", underlined Schuurman.

Warm welcome for ArkeFly and tourists from The Netherlands

The first group of tourists from The Netherlands arrived at Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport, marking the beginning of the tourist season. The guests were welcomed by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, HE Marriet Schuurman, the Minister of Economy, Mr. Valon Saraqini and the General Manager of TAV Macedonia, Mr. Zoran Krstevski. The welcoming ceremony was organised by TAV Macedonia and the local TUI operator. According to the Macedonian tradition, the guests were offered bread and salt, but also cake and champagne.

14.000 Dutch tourists to visit Macedonia this year

The first group of Dutch tourists will arrive to Ohrid on April 27, Economy Minister Valon Saraqini told reporters on Tuesday.

About 14.000 tourists only from the Netherlands are expected to visit Macedonia this year. Contacts have been also established with tour operators from Israel, Finland and countries form the region, he said.

"We wish for Macedonia to become an attractive tourist destination and have been working hard to that effect. A month ago we have promoted the new national strategy on rural tourism development," Saraqini said after opening the Skopje Travel Market 2012 fair.

The tourism, as fast-growing sector that creates new jobs, will also contribute substantially to the budget foreign currency inflow, he said.

Macedonian - Dutch Chamber of Commerce Formed

Nearly 50 Macedonian and about 30 Dutch firms founded Wednesday a common chamber of commerce to work on establishing new and strengthening existing business ties and on boosting investments. The new Dutch-Macedonian chamber of commerce announces promotion of Macedonia's economy in the Netherlands and instruments of the Dutch government to develop the private sector in Macedonia in cooperation with the embassies.
"We'll work together to promote Macedonian products better on the Dutch market, to promote Macedonia's economy in the Netherlands and to provide more investments," the chamber's executive director Bob Smith stated.The Dutch way of running a business, he added, is different than in Macedonia. Being Dutch, we complain of seals, signatures, but this may change in the future. But if you get used to these administrative procedures, working in Macedonia is wonderful. Most of the Dutch citizens that come to Macedonia will stay here to start a business," Smith said.
Dutch Ambassador Marriët Schuurman said that despite the economic crisis there was enormous interest in joint projects and businesses between Macedonian and Dutch companies and in investing in Macedonia. The number of companies interested in cooperation through the common chamber in her opinion confirm the firm relations between countries' economies. "We are convinced that the chamber of commerce will assist Macedonian and Dutch companies to examine the vast potential for cooperation between the two countries in an attempt to heighten ties in trade, investments and economy," Ambassador Schuurman noted.
16.5% of the total investments in Macedonia in 2010 were Dutch and they increased by 40% in the first three quarters of 2011 standing at 110 million euros.
"Investments have been significantly increased. Hopefully, this trend will continue taking into consideration the bilateral favourable political and economic relations. I am convinced that many companies from Macedonia export in the Netherlands and I encourage them despite the crisis to be more innovative and to conquer the Dutch market," Economy Minister Valon Saracini said.
He called Dutch companies to consider Macedonia a friendly country and to invest here having in mind all of the benefits offered by the Macedonian government to foreign investments.
Saracini voiced expectation that both countries would resume their cooperation in tourism. 10,000 Dutch tourists visited Macedonia in 2011.
The new chamber of commerce will also focus on organising business trips and conferences on companies from Macedonia and the Netherlands and on providing information about investment opportunities.

Macedonia becomes part of dutch tourism offer

Ohrid hotel owners and representatives of tour-operator TUI Netherlands signed over the weekend an agreement for lease of holidays at the Ohrid Lake for the coming three seasons.

TUI Netherlands is planning to sell over 7,000 holidays for the next season, along with increase of charter flights to Ohrid.

Vice Premier for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski and TUI officials held Monday a meeting focused on the operator's plans in Macedonia for the coming period.

"We referred to possibilities for improvement of Macedonia's tourism offer. It is of enormous significance for us to improve Macedonia's competitiveness on the global market. Therefore, we aim towards increasing the quality and diversity of our tourism sector", stated Pesevski.

TUI is a leader in the Dutch tourism industry, producing 1,3 million holidays at the country's market in 2010, with a turnover of EUR 1,4 billion. TUI Netherlands is part of the TUI Travel Group, a leading tour-operator in Europe, working in 180 countries and servicing over 30 million tourists in global terms. TUI owns 150 airplanes and employs approximately 49,000 people at six continents.

Dutch Ambassador: Macedonia in NATO this year

Dutch ambassador Simone Filipini said that Macedonia would not have to wait long to enter NATO and that this would probably happen already this year. "Everybody in NATO hopes that Macedonia will become a full member already this year," said the ambassador at the lecture Contribution of the Republic of Macedonia to Global Safety and Stability, which was held at Military Academy in Skopje.
Filipini added that NATO was not only a military, but also a civil and political organisation and that the public must be made aware of this fact. She expressed hope that Macedonia would soon solve the name dispute with Greece and that bilateral relations between the two countries would become more stable.