Considering the minimal use of Razgrad’s tourism potential, Razgrad’s municipal manage­ment decided that one of the projects under the Technical Twinning Program should be aimed at developing tourism. The municipalities of Veliko Turnovo and Shoumen were also invited to join the project in order to maximize the effect. The project’s purpose was to use the joint potential of the three areas to create different forms of tourism and achieve a greater variety and quality of products. At a later stage, the municipality of Isperikh, where the famous Sveshtari Mounds are located, requested to be included in the project as well.

During  Phase II of the Bulgarian Technical Twinning Program the Razgrad Center for Economic Development (CED) was established as a result of a partnership between Razgrad and the City of Brunswick, Ohio. CED’s continued institutional development and growth was to a great extent tied to the joint efforts of the two cities.

To play a key role in local economic development and to expand the range of its services, CED needed specific training tools.  Train-the-Trainer was identified as a critical technique in providing the necessary training tools.  As a result, we decided to develop modules that the experts cooperating with CED could use for training purposes. Eight modules were proposed initially; another one was added later.  Brunswick, as well as Bulgarian experts devoted significant time and effort to devel­oping detailed manuals for trainers.