Case Study: North Macedonia
Natalija Ristevska climbing the Krali Marko highball boulder in Prilep. Photo by Goran Kuzmanovski.
North Macedonia, a country nested in the Balkans, is an emerging climbing destination. The country’s rich history of mountaineering acts as a foundation for the growth of sport climbing and bouldering in the modern era. The country is home to a small but dedicated group of climbers and it welcomes a respectable number of European climbing tourists to its most popular boulders and crags each year. While the popularity of climbing has excellent potential to grow in North Macedonia, a lack of public awareness and understanding of the sport holds it back. This case study sheds light on this lesser-known climbing destination and provides recommendations to help it flourish.