The Development Potential of Tourism and Agriculture
A Study of Newly-established Serb-majority Municipalities in Southern Kosovo
Working TowaTowardsrds a Stable Multi-Ethnic Kosovo
Executive Director: Adrian Zeqiri
Contributors Authors: Marija Krstid and Nicola Brassil Editor: Carlo Giovannone Contributor: Gazmen Salijevid Proofreading: Jessica Templeman
Acknowledgements ECMI Kosovo would like to thank the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for its financial support for the development of this publication, in the framework of the project ‘Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo’.
ECMI Kosovo www.ecmikosovo.org ECMI Kosovo is the principal non-governmental organisation engaged with minority issues in Kosovo, with the overarching aim to develop inclusive, representative, community-sensitive institutions that support a stable multi-ethnic Kosovo.
ECMI Kosovo contributes to the developing, strengthening and implementation of relevant legislation, supports the institutionalisation of communities-related governmental bodies, and enhances the capacity of civil society actors and the government to engage with one another in a constructive and sustainable way.
Str. Nëna Terezë Nr. 41, Apt. 29, Str. Cika Jovina Nr. 3, 1stFl, 10000 Prishtinë/Priština, Kosovo, 38220 Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, Kosovo, Tel. +381 (0) 38 224 473 Tel. +381 (0) 64 00 55 488
Copyright © European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) Kosovo, December 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo-copying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the ECMI Kosovo.
Str. NënaTerezë Nr. 41, Apt. 29,Prishtinë/Priština, Kosovo, Tel. +381 (0) 38 224 473 www.ecmikosovo.org, [email protected]
Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ...... 6
2 METHODOLOGY ...... 8 2.1 Participants ...... 8 2.2 Questionnaires ...... 8 2.3 Analysis ...... 8
3 AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN RANILUG/RANILLUG AND PARTEŠ/PARTESH ...... 9 3.1 Number of Farms ...... 9 3.2 Number of Farmers ...... 10 3.3 Number of Livestock ...... 11 3.4 Number of Crops ...... 11 3.5 Quality of Available Land ...... 11 3.7 The Cooperation System of Farmers ...... 12 3.8. Benefits of Agricultural Hubs ...... 13 3.9 Municipality Support for the Development of Agriculture ...... 14 3.10 Open Market ...... 14 3.11 The Selling of the Agricultural Products...... 15 3.12 Competition from Other Municipalities...... 15 3.13 Overall Agricultural Production ...... 15 3.14 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 16
4 DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN GRAČANICA/GRAÇANICË, NOVO BRDO/NOVOBËRDË, KLOKOT/KLLOKOT AND ŠTRPCE/SHTËRPCË ...... 17 4.1 Number of Visitors ...... 17 4.2 Tourist Attractions ...... 18 4.3 Tourist Organisations and Tourist Information Centres ...... 19 4.4 Tourism Web Pages ...... 20 4.5 The Capacity and Quality of Accommodation ...... 21 4.6 Availability of Traditional Cuisine ...... 22 4.7 Quality of Local Transportation ...... 22 4.8 Connection Roads ...... 23 4.9 Ecological Conditions ...... 24 4.10 Affability of the Locals ...... 24
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4.11 Cultural and Other Events ...... 25 4.12 The Existence of Souvenir Shops ...... 26 4.13 Desired Change ...... 26 4.14 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 27
ANNEX A ...... 28
ANNEX B ...... 30
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LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ECMI European Centre for Minority Issues TSIGAN Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo
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1 INTRODUCTION
This study was conducted as part of the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) Kosovo’s project ‘Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo’ (TSIGAN). The project, which runs from February 2014 to January 2017, aims to promote strong and effective local governments for sustainable growth by increasing the capacities of local governments to fully and effectively implement their roles under the Ahtisaari plan, the Constitution of Kosovo and the Law on Local Self-Government. The objective is to benefit local communities by establishing growth-oriented policies at the municipal level. Furthermore, TSIGAN endeavors to empower local communities and vulnerable groups for inclusive growth. Active participation and engagement of all local communities, and vulnerable and marginalised groups, in the decision-making process, in social life, and in local economic development is desired.1
Prior to the TSIGAN project, ECMI brought about positive changes in a number of Serb- majority Municipalities as part of the ‘Decentralisation Project’. These included the establishment of the ‘Association of Serbian Entrepreneurs’ (Asocijacija Srpskih Privrednika, ASP) in Gračanica/Graçanicë in December 2012, the registration of the ‘Businessmen Association of Novo Brdo/Novobërdë’ in June 2013, and the establishment of the ‘Tourist and Spa Office of Klokot/Kllokot’ (Turisticka Organizacija Spa Klokot, TOSK) in June 2013.2 In 2014, ECMI Kosovo began working to strengthen economic attractiveness and to promote local tourism and agriculture in the Serb-majority Municipalities of Gračanica/Graçanicë, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, Klokot/Kllokot, Štrpce/Shtërpcë, Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš/Partesh. In order to realise these goals, ECMI Kosovo has both been working to support and promote existing structures in the Municipalities where they exist, and creating the conditions necessary for the establishment in Municipalities where they are missing.3
In light of these improvements, TSIGAN continues to promote local tourism and agriculture in the Serb majority Municipalities. This study consists of a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the current potential for the development of agriculture and tourism in newly established Serb-majority Municipalities in Southern Kosovo. Following talks with local government representatives to assess the economic potential of the various Municipalities, Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš/Partesh were examined for agricultural development possibilities, and Gračanica/Graçanicë, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, Klokot/Kllokot and Štrpce/Shtërpcë were assessed for tourist development potential. In addition to prospective development, these Municipalities were also assessed in terms of their limitations for
1ECMI Kosovo. (2014). Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo. Accessed online October 24th 2014 from http://www.ecmikosovo.org/?p=4617 2ECMI Kosovo. (2014). Information Bulletin: Reinforcing the Economic Attractiveness of Serb-Majority Municipalities through the Establishment of Tourist Offices and Agricultural Association. 3ECMI Kosovo. (2014). Information Bulletin.
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development, with the overall aim of providing ECMI Kosovo with an informed view of which project actions might best be suited to aid development in these sectors.
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2 METHODOLOGY
2.1 Participants
The participants of the study were drawn from each respective municipality. ECMI’s local correspondents distributed around 50 questionnaires per municipality to individuals from three sectors: representatives of the local public institutions, representatives of the private sector, and representatives from civil society. The representatives from the private sector were those most directly involved in either agriculture (farmers), or the tourist industry (for instance, taxi drivers, hotel and restaurant owners), in the relevant Municipalities.
2.2 Questionnaires
The surveys employed closed- and open-ended questions on a range of issues relating to agriculture and tourism, separately. The agriculture questionnaire can be found in Annex A, and the tourism questionnaire in Annex B. A number of the questions examined socio- demographic variables such as participants’ gender, age, and employment status and the current standing of infrastructure in the Municipalities, followed by more targeted questions related to, for example, Municipalities’ development of tourism and agriculture.
The closed-ended questions employed Likert-type scales to assess participants’ satisfaction or dissatisfaction regarding the topic of a given question. For example, one of the scales employed was as follows:
1= very dissatisfied; 2 = dissatisfied; 3 = neutral; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied
The open-ended questions allowed participants to express their view in paragraph form.
2.3 Analysis
The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data from the open-ended questions were coded for common themes, and the prominent themes that emerged are described in this study to compliment the quantitative data.
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3 AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN RANILUG/RANILLUG AND PARTEŠ/PARTESH
Agriculture provides 25% of Kosovo’s GDP. In rural areas, where approximately 60% of Kosovo’s population lives, it is the main source of income.4 A household survey conducted in 2007 found that, of a population of 2.1 million people in Kosovo, 1.3 million engage in agricultural production.5 According to Latruffe, Davidova and Desjoux (2008), only 13.5% of agricultural output from Kosovar farms is sold, the remaining being used by the farming family itself.6 Thus, it is apparent that farming is an important sector in Kosovo, especially considering the high rate of unemployment (35.1% overall, or 60.2% when unemployment is examined between the 15 and 24 years old age bracket)7 and import dependency (approximately 80-90%).8 The development of the agricultural sector will benefit both the citizens of Kosovo, and Kosovo’s economy overall. However, according to the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Rural Development (MAFRD), Kosovo’s agricultural sector is negatively affected by outdated technologies, poor living standards and the need to improve food and environmental safety, to name but a few.9 Therefore, much work remains to be done in the sector.
Presented here are the findings and recommendations based on the study of the potential for agricultural development in the Municipalities of Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš/Partesh. The goal is to discover how agriculture can be improved in these areas, based on the experiences and perspectives of the citizens. The findings are divided based on the various themes examined by the questionnaires. Fifty-six (56) respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug and fifty-three (53) respondents from Parteš/Partesh contributed to the data set.
3.1 Number of Farms
Results showed that 42.9% of respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug expressed that there are no farms, and 57.1% of respondents stated that there are not enough farms in their Municipality. 30.2% of respondents from Parteš/Partesh expressed that their Municipality
4Autocrass. (2006). Kosovo Report: Study on the State of Agriculture in Five Applicant Countries. Accessed online 25 November 2014 from http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/analysis/external/applicant/kosovo_en.pdf, p.5. 5Statistical Office of Kosovo (2007), as cited in Kosovo Report: Study on the State of Agriculture in Five Applicant Countries. 6Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research. (2011). Norwegian Support to Agriculture and Agri- Business in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. Accessed online 24 November 2014 from http://www.nibr.no/filer/2011-6.pdf 7UNDP. About Kosovo. Accessed online 15 November 2014 from http://www.ks.undp.org/content/kosovo/en/home/countryinfo/ 8European Agency for Reconstruction, as cited in Kosovo Report: Study on the State of Agriculture in Five Applicant Countries, p.11. 9 2009, as cited in Kosovo Report: Study on the State of Agriculture in Five Applicant Countries.
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has no farms, and 69.8% stated that there are not enough farms. Figure 1 illustrates these findings.
This result is particularly noteworthy considering that agriculture is the main source of employment in these Municipalities. From open-ended questions and subsequent meetings with Municipality members it was deduced that, for the Municipality members, the concept of a farm equates with a large plot of arable land, cattle pens, and a collective farming culture, as was common in the areas when ‘agricultural hubs’ were in operation.
An agricultural hub, or agricultural cooperative, allows farmers to pool together, combining their resources, information and skills.10 The concept of a hub is not new to Kosovo, or to the Balkans, with similar practices having been carried out as far back as the 1800s.11 Today however, the majority of farmers work individually on smaller plots of land and thus do not feel that there are any/enough farms in the area. Cooperatives could benefit local farmers as they facilitate rural employment, poverty reduction, greater self-sufficiency and the increase of social capacity in rural areas.12
How do you rate the number of farms in your municipality? 80
60
40
20
0 None Not enough A lot Too many Missing
Ranilug/Ranillug Parteš/Partesh
Figure 1. Number of Farms
3.2 Number of Farmers
37.5% of farmers from Ranilug/Ranillug expressed that there are no farmers in the municipality, while 60.7% stated that there are not enough farmers. In Parteš/Partesh, 24.7% declared that there are no farmers, and 66% felt that there were too few farmers. This reflects similar sentiments to those expressed in the previous section, in relation to the concept of farming, and thus what it means to be a farmer.
10 World Food Organisation. Agricultural Cooperatives. Accessed online 25 November 2014 from http://www.wfo-oma.com/documents/agricultural-cooperatives.html 11 Kosovo Report: Study on the State of Agriculture in Five Applicant Countries, p.28. 12 Kosovo Report: Study on the State of Agriculture in Five Applicant Countries, p.27.
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3.3 Number of Livestock
The majority of respondents expressed that that there is few (47.2% from Parteš/Partesh and 39.3% from Ranilug/Ranillug) or enough (49.1% from Parteš/Partesh and 58.9% from Ranilug/Ranillug) livestock in their Municipalities.
3.4 Number of Crops
Respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug seemed to be generally satisfied with the number of crops. 58.9% of respondents answered that there are enough crops, 26.8% expressed that there are a lot, while only 14.3% replied that there are a few crops. In Parteš/Partesh, 37.7% stated that there are enough crops, 35.8% felt there are a few crops and 22.6% said that there are a lot of crops. These figures are illustrated in Figure 2.
How would you rate the number of crops in your municipality? 80
60
40
20
0 None A few Enough A lot Too many Missing
Ranilug Partes
Figure 2. Number of Crops
3.5 Quality of Available Land
The majority of respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug expressed that the quality of land was medium (71.4%) or good (21.4%). Similarly, the majority of respondents from Parteš/Partesh stated that the land was of good (43.4%) and medium quality (41.5%).
3.6 Subsidies from the Municipality
The majority (53.6%) of respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug said that the Municipality does not provide any subsidies for the farmers. Only 14.3% of Ranilug/Ranillug respondents stated that their Municipality does provide subsidies, and 32.1% do not know whether their Municipality provide subsidies or not.
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Almost a half of the respondents from Parteš/Partesh (49.1%) expressed that they do not know whether municipal subsidies exist. 26.4% stated that no subsidies exist, and 20.8% expressed that subsidies do exist.
When asked about how the subsidy system functions, respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug answered that it functions poorly, and only through direct payments from the Ministry. Respondents from Parteš/Partesh expressed that their Municipality, in agreement with the Ministry, was distributing cultivators and other equipment exclusively to the members of Independent Liberal Party (Samostalna Liberalna Stranka) that used to be in power in Parteš/Partesh.
It appears that information from the Municipalities regarding subsidies is fragmented, as some individuals do have such information, while a substantial number of others do not or are unsure.
According to you, do the farmers obtain subsidies from municipality? 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Yes No I don't know Missing
Ranilug/Ranillug Parteš/Partesh
Figure 3. Subsidies from the Municipality
3.7 The Cooperation System of Farmers
Half of the respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug said that they were unsure as to whether any kind of cooperation system between farmers exists or not. 30.4% stated some form of cooperation system between farmers does exist in their Municipality, while 14.3% replied the contrary. Those who expressed that farmer cooperation systems exist said that they usually consist of the exchange of experience, general assistance and the sharing of information regarding the acquirement of subsidies.
In Parteš/Partesh, 47.2% of respondents expressed that there is no system of cooperation between farmers in their Municipality, and the same percentage expressed that they did not know if such cooperation existed. Only 1.9% claimed that there is a cooperation system amongst farmers. When asked to outline how farmer cooperation systems do function in
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their Municipality, the respondents did not respond, in accordance with the results previously outlined.
According to you, does a farmers cooperation system exist in your municipality? 60
40
20
0 Yes No I don't know Missing
Ranilug/Ranillug Parteš/Partesh
Figure 4. Cooperation System amongst Farmers
3.8. Benefits of Agricultural Hubs
In the Municipality of Ranilug/Ranillug, 66.1% of respondents stated that an agricultural hub would be useful to their Municipality. 69.8% of respondents from Parteš/Partesh were of the same opinion.
A small number expressed that an agricultural hub would not be useful (1.8% from Ranilug/Ranillug and 5.7 % from Parteš/Partesh). However, a notable number did not have any opinion on the usefulness of an agricultural hub (26.8% from Ranilug/Ranillug and 20.8% from Parteš/Partesh).
The respondents were further asked to expand on how the establishment of an agricultural hub would aid the development of local agriculture. Respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug expressed that such a hub would positively affect market expansion, the quality and selling of produce, the number of people actively farming and the number of those employed in related agricultural work. Thus, overall competition would be strengthened. The respondents from Parteš/Partesh complimented these answers, by proposing that subsidies might be more easily obtained and that goods might be exported to larger markets. Furthermore, these developments would benefit farmers in realising their rights as minorities, in having access to state subsidies and to be informed promptly in their own language about funding opportunities.
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According to you, would an agricultural center be of any use to farmers in your municipality? 80 60 40 20 0 Yes No I don't know Missing
Ranilug/Ranillug Parteš/Partesh
Figure 5. The Benefits of an Agricultural Hub
3.9 Municipality Support for the Development of Agriculture
Figure 6 shows mixed results regarding Municipality support for the development of agriculture. More than half of the respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug rate the support as either satisfying (25%), good (14.3%) or very good (21.4%). Only a small percentage (3.6%) rates the support as very bad, with the remaining 33.9% stating that the support is ‘not bad’.
Respondents from Parteš/Partesh rate their support more poorly; 45.3% feel that the support is ‘very bad’. 20.8% find the support satisfying.
How would you rate municipality support for the development of agriculture? 60
40
20
0 Very bad Not bad Satisfying Good Very good Missing
Ranilug/Ranillug Parteš/Partesh
Figure 6. Municipality Support for the Development of Agriculture
3.10 Open Market
The majority of respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug (85.7%) stated that there is an open market in their Municipality where local farmers can sell their products. Conversely, the
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majority of respondents from Parteš/Partesh (62.3%) expressed that no such market exists in their Municipality.
3.11 The Selling of the Agricultural Products
This question aimed to determine whether the majority of agricultural products from local farmers had been sold within their Municipalities, or if they had been sold elsewhere. 44.6% of respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug were unsure where the produce had been sold, but 35.7% were of the opinion that they were sold within the Municipality. Similarly, more respondents from Parteš/Partesh expressed that produce was sold within their Municipality (47.2%) that outside their Municipality (26.4%).
3.12 Competition from Other Municipalities
The majority of respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš/Partesh either rated the competition from other Municipalities, affecting their own Municipalities’ local markets, as ‘not bad’ (44.6% and 32.1% respectively) or ‘satisfying’ (32.1% and 34% respectively) in their Municipalities.
How would you rate the competition in your municipality? 50 40 30 20 10 0 Very bad Not bad Satisfying Good Very good Missing
Ranilug/Ranillug Parteš/Partesh
Figure 7. Competition
3.13 Overall Agricultural Production
More than half of the respondents from Ranilug/Ranillug (55.4%) and from Parteš/Partesh (60.4%) thought that agricultural production was not bad, but could be improved upon. 26.8% from Ranilug/Ranillug and 26.4% from Parteš/Partesh expressed that agricultural production is good.
Finally, when asked what the most necessary changes needed to improve agricultural production, respondents from the Municipalities listed (presented here without repetition):
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Ranilug/Ranillug Parteš/Partesh
- The equal distribution of subsidies - Soil analysis
- Reduction in the eligibility requirements for - The protection of local production the subsidy that allows direct payment - The construction of an irrigation system - The provision of agricultural machines to aid in cultivating the land - The planting of viable plant cultures suitable for the climate in Kosovo - Training in agricultural production - The regulation of river the bed so to prevent - The establishment of agricultural hubs flooding of the crops
- The restoration of agricultural machinery
- The simplification of the process for applying for agricultural loans with minimal interest
- Increasing organic farming methods
- Provision of corn and wheat seeds and fertiliser to farmers
Figure 8. Desired Changes for Improved Agricultural Development
3.14 Conclusions and Recommendations
As shown above, the municipality members who took part in this questionnaire expressed the need for agricultural development, in particular the creation of agricultural hubs and improved cooperation and resources. Thus, motivated by the aforementioned findings, ECMI Kosovo’s project TSIGAN will focus on the development of agricultural hubs in these Municipalities so as to improve the cooperation and coordination among the farmers. The aim will be to enhance Municipality members’ access to information on subsidies and other sources of funding for developing their production methods. This will be achieved by both improving the information links between farmers and the Municipalities and Ministries, and between the farmers themselves. The sharing of knowledge would be highly beneficial for the local producers. Furthermore, cooperation through the sharing of skills and agricultural equipment would accelerate the development and prosperity in the Municipalities.
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4 DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN GRAČANICA/GRAÇANICË, NOVO BRDO/NOVOBËRDË, KLOKOT/KLLOKOT AND ŠTRPCE/SHTËRPCË
Kosovo’s potential for tourism is predominantly derived from its mountainous terrain providing for winter sports such as skiing.13 Furthermore, situated in the heart of the Balkans, it is close to many other points of interest. Lakes, rivers, spa springs, historical sites and places of religious significance pose further attractions. Kosovo is also becoming known for its cultural events and festivals.14 Thus, the potential for tourism development is great.15 However, data on the tourism sector is lacking, and can be unreliable. Limited government funds are allocated to tourism, and as such, much development potential remains.16 In 2007, accommodation and food service sectors amounted to 2.29% of the GDP (34 million Euro).17 By 2020, the Ministry of Trade and Industry aims that tourism will provide for 10- 12% of the GDP.18
The following section contains the findings and recommendations based on the study of the potential for the development of the tourist industry in the municipalities of Gračanica/Graçanicë, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, Klokot/Kllokot and Štrpce/Shtërpcë. The findings are divided based on the themes examined by the questionnaires.
Thirty-eight (38) respondents from the Municipality of Gračanica/Graçanicë, fifty-one (51) from the Municipality of Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, forty-nine (49) from the Municipality of Klokot/Kllokot and fifty-two (52) from the Municipality of Štrpce/Shtërpcë contributed to the data set.
4.1 Number of Visitors
The majority of respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë (44.7%), Novo Brdo/Novobërdë (33.3%) and Klokot/Kllokot (34.7%) expressed neutral satisfaction at the number of visitors to their municipalities. An equal number from Štrpce/Shtërpcë (32.7%) were either satisfied or dissatisfied.
13Republic of Kosovo, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kosovo’s Economy. Accessed online 25 November 2014 from http://www.mfa-ks.net/?page=2,119 14Republic of Kosovo, Ministry of Trade and Industry. (2014). Sector Profile of Tourism. Accessed online 25 November 2014 from http://www.mti-ks.org/repository/docs/Sector_profile_Tourism_130623.pdf, p.27 15New Kosova Report. (2008). Tourism in Kosovo. Accessed online 25 November 2014 from http://newkosovareport.com/200808151133/Business-and-Economy/report-tourism-in-kosovo.html 16 Sector Profile of Tourism, p.32. 17 Sector Profile of Tourism, p.14. 18 Sector Profile of Tourism, p.16.
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How satisfied are you with the number of visitors in your municipality? 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Missing dissatisfied satisfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 1. Number of Visitors
4.2 Tourist Attractions
The majority of respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë (76.3%) stated that they are aware of two tourist attractions. The most commonly mentioned were the Gračanica/Graçanicë Monastery and the archeological site of Ulpiana. Other tourist attractions included: a water mill, a lake, and churches.
Most of the respondents from Novo Brdo/Novobërdë (49%) were aware of only one tourist attraction in their area, Kaljaja Novo Brdo, the old military fortress. This fortress is under UNESCO’s protection. Other tourist attractions mentioned included the Draganac Monastery, the archeological remains of churches, and a hiking trail.
The majority of Klokot/Kllokot respondents (57.1%) said that there is only one tourist attraction in their municipality, the spa springs. Other possible attractions include a fortress, the Church of St. Nicholas, a water mill, forests, and restaurants serving local cuisine.
The majority of respondents from Štrpce/Shtërpcë (71.2%) mentioned one tourist attraction in their municipality, the Brezovica Ski Resort. Other possible tourist attractions included lakes and rivers in the region of the Sharr Mountains (Šarplanina/Malet e Sharrit), the Sharr National Park, and various religious sites.
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How many tourist attractions are you aware of in your municipality? 100
50
0 None One Two Three More than Missing three
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 1. Tourist Attractions
4.3 Tourist Organisations and Tourist Information Centres
When asked whether they are aware of any tourist organisations or tourist information centres in their municipality, the majority of respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë (73.7%), Novo Brdo/Novobërdë (56.9%), and Štrpce/Shtërpcë (53.8) stated that they are aware of such entities.
However, the greater part of the respondents from Klokot/Kllokot (87.8%) expressed that they are not aware of any tourist organisations or tourist information centres in their municipality.
Novo Brdo/Novobërdë has had a tourist office since 2008. Moreover, the re-establishment of the Tourist Office of Gračanica/Graçanicë (Turisticka Organizacija Gračanica, TOG), which had not been operating for numerous years, occurred in early 2014.
On the contrary, Štrpce/Shtërpcë and Klokot/Kllokot do not have a tourist office in operation at present at the municipal level, despite a tourist office having been established years ago in Štrpce/Shtërpcë with international support. Thus, the responses from all respondents match reality on the ground, except for that of Štrpce/Shtërpcë where the majority of participants expressed the existence of a tourist centre.
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Are you aware of any tourist organisation or tourist information centre in your Municipality? 100 80 60 40 20 0 Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Yes No Missing
Figure 2. Tourist Organisation and Tourist Information Centre
4.4 Tourism Web Pages
Almost half of the respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë (47.4%) were aware of the web page that promotes tourism in their municipality. However, upon searching for this website it became apparent to ECMI Kosovo that it is no longer in operation.
The majority of respondents from Novo Brdo/Novobërdë (41.2%) said that they are not aware of a web page, and yet a considerable percentage of respondents (29.4%) were aware of it.19
The majority of respondents from Klokot/Kllokot (67.3%) said that they are not aware of the existence of web page promoting tourism in their municipality, in comparison with 10.2% who were aware of such a web page. The majority was correct, as there is currently none in operation.
In Štrpce/Shtërpcë, the majority of respondents (46.2%) said that they are not aware whether there is such web page or not in their municipality. However, more respondents claimed that there is no website (30.8%) in comparison to those who claimed the opposite (23.1%). In fact, the Tourism of Association of Štrpce/Shtërpcë does have a website, but the site only focuses on Brezovica and not the entirety of the Municipality.20
19The website can be found at http://tourism-novobrdo.com/ 20 The web page is available at http://visitbrezovica.org/
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Are you aware of any web page which promotes tourism in your municipality? 80 60 40 20 0 Yes No I don't know Missing
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 3. Tourism Web Pages
4.5 The Capacity and Quality of Accommodation
As can be seen from Figure 5, the most dissatisfied with accommodation capacity and quality are the citizens of Novo Brdo/Novobërdë. The majority of respondents (33.3%) said that they are very dissatisfied while 31.4% said that they are dissatisfied.
The majority of respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë (42.1%) and Klokot/Kllokot (36.7%) expressed a neutral level of satisfaction in this regard. However, more respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë were dissatisfied (23.7%) than satisfied (15.8%). In contrast, more respondents from Klokot/Kllokot were either satisfied (22.4%) or very satisfied (24.5%).
The respondents from Štrpce/Shtërpcë overall are relatively satisfied given that 38.5% said that they are satisfied and 5.8% said that they are very satisfied.
How satisfied are you with accommodation capacity and its quality in your municipality? 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Missing Dissatisfied Satisfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 4. Accommodation Capacity and Quality
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4.6 Availability of Traditional Cuisine
Respondents from all four municipalities expressed their satisfaction with the availability of traditional cuisine in their municipalities.
In Gračanica/Graçanicë, 42.1% of respondents said that they are satisfied, and even 34.2% said that they are very satisfied.
In Klokot/Kllokot, 26.5% of respondents said that they are satisfied, and 34.7% said that they are very satisfied.
Similarly, in Štrpce/Shtërpcë, even 48.1% of respondents said that they are satisfied and 19.2% that they are very satisfied.
However, in Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, although the majority of respondents (25.5%) expressed their satisfaction with national cuisine, and 15.7% said that they are very satisfied, there are a considerable percentage of those who are dissatisfied (23.5%) and those who are neutral on the topic (23.5%).
How satisfied are you with the quality of traditional cuisine offers in your municipality? 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Missing dissatisfied satisfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 5. National Cuisine Offers
4.7 Quality of Local Transportation
As can be seen in Figure 7, citizens from all four municipalities are generally dissatisfied with the quality of local transportation. In all four cases, more than half of the respondents in total rated themselves as dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.
47.4% of respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë expressed that they were dissatisfied with the quality of local transportation, and 13.2% were very dissatisfied.
47.1% of participants from Novo Brdo/Novobërdë stated that they are very dissatisfied, and 25.5% said that they are dissatisfied.
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51% of respondents from Klokot/Kllokot expressed that they are very dissatisfied, while 18.4% said that they are dissatisfied.
Finally, 25% of participants from Štrpce/Shtërpcë said that they are very dissatisfied, and 34.6% said that they are dissatisfied.
How satissfied are you with the quality of local transportation? 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satissfied Very Missing dissatisfied Satissfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 6. Quality of Local Transportation
4.8 Connection Roads
The majority of respondents from three of the municipalities, Gračanica/Graçanicë, Klokot/Kllokot and Štrpce/Shtërpcë, expressed some degree of satisfaction with the connection roads between their municipalities and urban centers such as Prishtinë/Priština or Belgrade. In Klokot/Kllokot, 30.6% of respondents said that they are very satisfied with connection roads. However, some respondents were dissatisfied, such as 23.7% from Gračanica/Graçanicë. In Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, more than a half of the respondents expressed their dissatisfaction with road connections. A total of 78.4% of these respondents were either dissatisfied (49%) or very dissatisfied (29.4%).
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How satisfied are you with the connection roads between your municipality and urban centers such as Pristina/Belgrade? 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied Missing dissatisfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 7. Connection Roads
4.9 Ecological Conditions
The majority of respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë (34.2%), Klokot/Kllokot (40.8%) and Štrpce/Shtërpcë (42.3%) expressed a neutral level of satisfaction with ecological conditions. However, in all three cases, a higher percentage of respondents expressed negative perceptions of the ecological conditions than positive perceptions. As for the Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Municipality, the majority of respondents said that they are satisfied with ecological conditions (41.2%). More respondents from this municipality were overall more satisfied than dissatisfied.
How satisfied are you with ecological conditions in your municipality? 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Missing dissatisfied satisfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 8. Ecological Conditions
4.10 Affability of the Locals
Respondents from all four municipalities expressed their satisfaction with affability of the locals. Those who were satisfied constituted 39.5% from Gračanica/Graçanicë, 35.3% from
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Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, 28.6% from Klokot/Kllokot and 40.4% from Štrpce/Shtërpcë. Other considerable numbers described themselves as very satisfied.
How satisfied are you with affability of the locals towards tourists? 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Missing dissatisfied satisfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 9. Affability of the Locals
4.11 Cultural and Other Events
Although 57.9% of respondents from Gračanica/Graçanicë expressed a neutral level of satisfaction regarding cultural and other events in their municipality, the respondents from the other three municipalities were rather dissatisfied. The majority of Novo Brdo/Novobërdë respondents (31.4%) said that they are very dissatisfied. An equal amount of respondents (24.5%) from Klokot/Kllokot expressed that they were dissatisfied and very dissatisfied. The majority of respondents in Štrpce/Shtërpcë (34.6%) answered that they are dissatisfied.
How satisfied are you with cultural and other events in your municipality?
80 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Missing Dissatisfied Satisfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 10. Cultural and Other Events
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4.12 The Existence of Souvenir Shops
Respondents from all four municipalities are quite dissatisfied with the provision of souvenir shops in their municipalities. In all four cases, more than half of the respondents expressed their dissatisfaction. 39.5% from Gračanica/Graçanicë stated that they are dissatisfied. In Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, 49% said that they are very dissatisfied. More than a half of Klokot/Kllokot respondents (53.1%) said that they are very dissatisfied. Finally, a considerably high percentage (69.2%) of Štrpce/Shtërpcë respondents are very dissatisfied with the offer of souvenir shops.
Gračanica/Graçanicë has since opened a souvenir shop,21 while the other Municipalities have not done so yet.
How satisfied are you with the offer of souvenir shops in your municipality? 80 60 40 20 0 Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Missing dissatisfied satisfied
Gračanica/Graçanicë Novo Brdo/Novobërdë Klokot/Kllokot Štrpce/Shtërpcë
Figure 11. Offer of Souvenir Shops
4.13 Desired Change
Respondents from all four municipalities were asked to give their opinions on what the most needed changes are regarding tourism in their areas. The following provides a list of suggested improvements, sorted by municipality:
Gračanica/ Novo Brdo/ Klokot/ Štrpce/ Graçanicë Novobërdë Kllokot Shtërpcë
- Establishment of - Improved marketing - Development of - Privatisation of hotels of tourist attractions ethno-tourism theBrezovica ski centre and Hotel - Organisation of - Education for locals - Marketing of local Inex cultural events on the potential for products and and importance of traditional - Enhancement of - Improved ecological tourism in their handicrafts accommodation conditions, e.g.street municipality capacities
21 See https://www.facebook.com/prodavnicasuvenira?fref=nf
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and dump cleaning - Increased - Organising cultural - Construction of sport accommodation events courts and - Provision of parking capacities swimming pools spaces and - Obtaining the pedestrian - Road improvements support of local - Marketing of tourism promenades government for the potential through - Municipality tourism development of the Internet and - Investment in action plan tourism other media traditional crafts - Development of - Education for the - Organisation of day - Improved marketing ethno-tourism locals on the trips of tourist attractions potential for tourism - Construction of bike - Improvement of - Improved paths and sport - More restaurants regional and local engagement of the courts transportation Tourist Organisation - Enhanced in accommodation - Opening of quality Gračanica/Graçanicë capacities restaurants
- Improved - Marketing of spa - Opening of tourist transportation tourism agencies and system employment of - Founding a cultural tourist guides - Development of centre ethno-tourism - Founding a tourist - Opening a theatre organisation
- The creation of a promotional tourism web page
Figure 13. Desired Changes for Improved Tourism Development
4.14 Conclusions and Recommendations
Based on the aforementioned findings, it is evident that Municipality members desire great change in terms of tourism potential in their communities. ECMI Kosovo’s work in this area, under the TSIGAN project, will focus on the development of tourist offices in these Municipalities in order to initiate further development. Workshops and training on tourism will be implemented in order to increase the skills and knowledge of all people involved in this developing sector in each Municipality. Furthermore, ECMI Kosovo will support local groups in finding and applying for funding for their tourism projects.
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ANNEX A
Agriculture Questionnaire
ECMI Kosovo is conducting a data collection exercise on agriculture in your municipality within the framework of its Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland-funded project ‘Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo’. This questionnaire will help us to gather the data and information needed in order to start various activities aiming to reinforce the economic attractiveness of your territory and promote local agriculture.
Personal information:
Municipality: Male/female Age: Job: Position:
Generic data:
Number of farms: How do you evaluate the number of farms in your municipality? Zero-a few-not enough-a lot-too much Number of farmers: How do you evaluate the number of farmers working in your municipality compared to the other working categories? Zero-a few-not enough-a lot-too much How do you evaluate the number of cattle raised in your municipality? Zero-a few-not enough-a lot-too much How do you evaluate the number of crops cultivated in your municipality? Zero-a few-not enough-a lot-too much How do you evaluate the quality of available land in your municipality? Very poor quality- poor quality-decent quality-good quality-very good quality
Production and cooperation:
How do you evaluate the overall agriculture production in your municipality? Very bad-not good-decent-good-very good Has already been put in place a system of tool/machinery sharing within the municipality? Yes-no-I don’t know. If yes, please explain below how does it work Has already been put in place any system of cooperation between local farmers within the municipality? Yes-no-I don’t know. If yes, please explain below Do you think that putting in place an agricultural hub would be beneficial in order to promote local agriculture? Yes-no-I don’t know. If yes, please explain below
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Attitude
How do you evaluate the municipality support to farms and agriculture needs? Very bad-not good-decent-good-very good
Selling:
Is there any municipal market or public space within the municipality where farmers can sell their products? Yes-no-I don’t know Is most of the local farms production sold within the municipality or outside of it?Yes-no-I don’t know How do evaluate the other municipalities’ production and competition affecting your local market? Zero-a few-not enough-a lot-too much
Final
What do you think would be most needed or should be improved in order to help the agricultural production? Open question Do you have any further comments or suggestions? Open question
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ANNEX B
Tourism Questionnaire
ECMI Kosovo is conducting a data collection exercise on tourism in your municipality within the framework of its Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland-funded project ‘Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo’. This questionnaire will help us to gather the data and information needed in order to start various activities aiming to reinforce the economic attractiveness of your territory and promote local tourism.
Personal information:
Municipality: Male/female Age: Job: Position:
Please rate as following:
1 = very dissatisfied; 2 = dissatisfied; 3 = neutral; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied
Generic data:
Number of visitors: How do you evaluate the number of visitors in your municipality? 1-2-3-4-5 How many tourist attractions are you aware exist in your municipality? If any, please appoint them Are you aware of the existence of any tourist point/office in your municipality? Yes-maybe- no Are you aware of the existence of a dedicate website for attracting tourists in your municipality? Yes-maybe-no
Accommodation and Food Offered:
How do you value the quality of accommodations (hotel, motel, apartments) in your municipality? 1-2-3-4-5 How do you value the quality of local cuisine offer (restaurants, fast foods) in your municipality? 1-2-3-4-5
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Transportation:
How do evaluate the organisation of the local transportation service (bus, taxi...)? 1-2-3-4-5 How do evaluate the main road connections between your municipality and Prishtina/Belgrade? 1-2-3-4-5
Services:
How do you evaluate the ecological conditions in your municipality (street cleaning, waste)? 1-2-3-4-5 How do you evaluate the friendliness of local people with tourists? 1-2-3-4-5
Amenities/Facilities:
How do you evaluate the offer of cultural and other events offer in your municipality? 1-2-3-4-5 How do you evaluate the possibilities of shopping or buying souvenirs in your municipality? 1-2-3-4-5
Final:
What do you think would be most needed or should be improved to make your municipality more attractive for tourists? Open question Do you have any further comments or suggestions? Open question
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ECMI Kosovo Str. NënaTerezë Nr. 41, Apt. 29 Str. CikaJovina Nr. 3, 1stFl 10000 Prishtinë/Priština, Kosovo 38220 Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, Kosovo Tel. +381 (0) 38 224 473 Tel. +381 (0) 64 00 55 488
Email: [email protected] Web: www.ecmikosovo.org