Got an idea to make Kavadarci a better place to
explore? Bring it on!
9-11 December 2026, M6 Educational Centre, Kavadarci, North Macedonia
APPLY HERE!
What if your idea could help visitors discover
hidden gems, bring new opportunities to local communities or make tourism more
sustainable? Join the Kavadarci Ecotourism Hackathon for
three days of creativity, teamwork, and hands-on problem-solving!
Kavadarci has incredible potential - from its
famous wine region and local traditions to mountain landscapes, outdoor
adventures and rural experiences. But how can we make the most of it while
protecting nature and creating opportunities for the people who live here?
That's where you come in!
From 9-11 December, young people with different
skills and backgrounds will come together to tackle real challenges in tourism
and turn fresh ideas into practical solutions.
Whether you want to create new outdoor
adventures, connect rural communities with visitors, develop digital tools or
find creative ways to make tourism greener, this is your chance to make an
impact.
What's going to happen?
Over three action-packed days, you'll:
- Find your team: Bring an idea or join others who
share your interests.
- Explore real challenges: Discover opportunities
in mountain and rural tourism, sustainability, digital innovation and community
development.
- Learn from experts: Work with experienced mentors
who will help you shape your idea, tackle challenges and develop your solution.
- Build a prototype: Turn your concept into
something you can demonstrate - a digital tool, service, tourism experience,
product or business model.
- Pitch your solution: Present your work to a jury,
get feedback and compete for prizes!
The goal isn't to build a perfect product in
three days. It's to create something promising, test your assumptions and
discover what it would take to bring your idea to life.
What challenges will we tackle?
We're looking for fresh ideas in the following
areas:
Year-Round Mountain, Adventure and Youth
Ecotourism
How can we turn Mihajlovo and Kožuf Mountain into
exciting destinations all year round? Think hiking and cycling adventures,
outdoor education, youth camps, sustainable accommodation and even cross-border
experiences connecting North Macedonia and Greece.
Smart Rural Tourism and Digital Connectivity
of Local Communities
How can we help visitors discover authentic rural
experiences while creating new opportunities for local communities? Explore
digital guides, interactive maps, booking platforms, local food and cultural
experiences, or new tourism businesses led by young people and women.
Sustainable Wine, Gastronomy and Ecotourism
through Circular Innovation
How can we bring together the best of Tikveš
wine, local gastronomy and nature while reducing tourism's environmental
impact? Imagine new visitor experiences, creative uses for winery by-products,
less food and packaging waste, and smarter ways to save water and energy.
These are just starting points! You can explore
one of these areas, bring your own idea or team up with others to create
something new.
Who should join?
We're looking for curious, motivated young people
(17+ years old) who want to learn, collaborate and contribute to Kavadarci's
future.
Students, aspiring entrepreneurs, designers,
developers, marketers, tourism enthusiasts, environmental advocates, creative
thinkers and people with great local knowledge - there's room for different
perspectives and skills.
No team? No problem! No
idea yet? That's fine too! You can meet potential teammates, explore the
challenges and find a project that excites you.
Why participate?
This is your opportunity to gain hands-on
experience, learn from mentors, meet like-minded people and build something
meaningful for the place you care for.
You'll develop practical skills in
problem-solving, teamwork, innovation and pitching, while exploring how your
ideas could benefit tourists, local businesses and communities.
The top three teams will share a total prize pool
of USD 2,000, and selected solutions will have the opportunity to explore
further testing and development with local stakeholders.
Most importantly, you'll have a chance to
contribute to the future of ecotourism in Kavadarci.
Ready to take the challenge?
Explore the three challenge areas for
inspiration, or bring a fresh idea of your own. Apply now and help shape
Kavadarci's future!
- When: 9-11
December 2026
- Where: M6 Educational Centre, Kavadarci, North
Macedonia
- Working language:
Macedonian and English
- Application deadline:
November 25
- Registration: APPLY HERE
The City Experiment Fund (CEF) project, is a
regional initiative implemented by UNDP with financial support from the
Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic and co-financed by the Municipality
of Kavadarci.
Agenda
Day 1:
Wednesday, 9 December 2026
12:00
Welcome coffee & networking
13:00
Opening & Idea pitches
14:00
Team formation
14:30
Teamwork begins (until 17.00)
Day 2:
Thursday, 10 December 2026
09:30
Welcome coffee
10:00
Checkpoint 1
11:00
Teamwork and mentors rounds
13:00
Lunch
13:45
Teamwork and mentors rounds
16:00
Pitch training
17:00
Checkpoint 2 (until 18.00)
Day 3:
Friday, 11 December 2026
09:30
Welcome coffee
10:00
Checkpoint 3
11:00
Teamwork and mentors rounds
12:00
Pitch Lab 1
13:00
Lunch
13:45
Pitch Lab 2 (with demo)
15:15 Coffee break
15:30 Finals
17:00 Awards ceremony
Challenges
What could the future of ecotourism in Kavadarci look like?
From the vineyards of Tikveš and traditional villages to the mountains of Kožuf, Kavadarci has plenty to offer. But how can we turn this potential into exciting tourism experiences, new opportunities for local communities and ideas that make tourism more sustainable?
Explore the three challenges below, get inspired, bring your own idea or join a team to build something new!
1. Year-round mountain, adventure and youth ecotourism
How might we turn Mihajlovo and Kožuf Mountain into exciting destinations for outdoor adventures, learning and tourism all year round?
Why should mountain tourism stop when the season changes? The Mihajlovo and Kožuf Mountain area offers opportunities for hiking, cycling, outdoor learning, family holidays and adventure tourism.
The challenge is to find creative ways to attract visitors throughout the year, connect existing and future attractions, and create opportunities for young people and local communities - while protecting the natural environment.
Ideas to explore:
Hiking, cycling and mountain adventures designed for different seasons, ages and experience levels.
Outdoor education, adventure camps and youth-led activities combining nature, learning and fun.
New visitor experiences and services connected to the planned eco-village, modular accommodation and existing recreational facilities.
Family-friendly getaways, sustainable accommodation and tourism packages that encourage visitors to stay longer.
Cross-border routes, experiences and partnerships connecting the Kožuf area with tourism destinations and operators in Greece.
2. Smart rural tourism and digital connectivity of local communities
How might we help visitors discover Kavadarci's rural treasures while making it easier for local communities to benefit from tourism?
Imagine discovering a family-run guesthouse, learning a traditional recipe from a local host or spending a day exploring village life. These experiences can make a trip unforgettable, but visitors don't always know where to find them. Meanwhile, small tourism providers and local producers may struggle to reach new customers.
How can digital tools, creative tourism experiences and new business ideas bring visitors and rural communities closer together?
Ideas to explore:
Simple platforms that help visitors discover and book rural accommodation, local activities and tourism services.
Interactive maps, multilingual guides and personalized itineraries connecting villages, attractions and local businesses.
Authentic experiences built around traditional food, farming, crafts, culture and everyday village life.
Digital marketplaces connecting travellers with local producers, hosts and tourism entrepreneurs.
Community-based tourism services and business opportunities led by young people and women, including those living in rural areas.
3. Sustainable wine, gastronomy and ecotourism through circular innovation
How might we create unforgettable wine, food and nature experiences while making tourism greener and less wasteful?
Kavadarci is famous for its wine, but the Tikveš Region has much more to discover - from traditional cuisine and local producers to vineyards, rural landscapes and outdoor adventures. At the same time, wineries, restaurants and tourism businesses have opportunities to reduce waste, save resources and find new uses for materials that might otherwise be thrown away.
What if we could bring these opportunities together and turn sustainability challenges into new products, experiences and business ideas?
Ideas to explore:
Wine, food and nature tourism routes connecting wineries, restaurants, rural hosts and outdoor attractions.
Visitor experiences combining winery visits, traditional cuisine, cultural activities and nature exploration.
Creative uses for grape pomace, winery by-products and agricultural leftovers, turning waste into something valuable.
Reusable packaging, refill systems and practical ways to reduce food waste in tourism and hospitality.
Affordable solutions that help tourism businesses save water, use energy more efficiently and make environmentally responsible choices.
4. Open Category
These challenges are starting points, not limits on your creativity!
You don't need a finished business plan or technical skills to get started. Come with a problem you want to solve, find teammates and turn your idea into a prototype.
Your solution doesn't have to be an app. It could be a new service, an interactive experience, a digital tool, a physical concept or a business model. What matters is showing how your solution works, who it benefits and how it could be tested in practice.
Start with a real problem – build something that matters. Help shape Kavadarci's future!