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A Map of Tourism Attractions in SEE

Jordan 1999; Jordan & Schappelwein 1999;

https://www.ifl‐leipzig.de/de/publikationen/zeitschriften‐und‐ reihen/europa‐regional/publications/2.html

Tourism and Transition in the Western Balkans.

Albania as a Laboratory for Tourism Development

International Conference on Tourism and Transition
(Annual Conference of the German Tourism Research
Group
Munich, 17-18 May 2018)

Prof. Dr. Daniel Göler

Geographical Research on Migration and Transition, University of Bamberg

Prof. Dr. Dhimitër Doka

Department of Geography, University of Tirana

International Tourism Attractions in SEE

Agenda:

1 Introduction – Albania as Laboratory? 2 Albania and the international tourism market 3 Do offer and demand fit together? 4 Organization 5 AMSWOT-Analysis

Discussion

  • 1 Introduction – Albania as Laboratory?
  • Arrivals of foreigners 1956-1999

International isolation until 1991 (Lichtenberger 1976: „Der

isolierte Staat …“)

In the late socialist period 12,000 international visits per year Highly selective and low standard internal tourism

1990s: High potentials, no experiences i.e. marginal tourism destination, but an emerging market

[Pjero 2008, 234]

  • Albanian tourism at a glance
  • 2 International tourism in Albania:

foreign visitors 2011-2016

> 5 mn international visits per year, 300 hotels with 3 up to 5 stars (1990: 30), 1.5 bln € turnover,

5.000.000 4.500.000 4.000.000 3.500.000 3.000.000 2.500.000 2.000.000 1.500.000 1.000.000
500.000

more than 6% of national GDP, 100,000 are direct employed in tourism, Albania as a latecomer of transition and tourism.

0

  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • 2014
  • 2015
  • 2016

Data: Instat 2017, UNWTO 2017

  • Regions of origin (2016)
  • European countries of origin (2017)

rank 12345678country Kosovo Macedonia Greece Montenegro Italy

  • visitors
  • in %

103.839; 2%

1.745.973 33.6
671.570 12.9 489.172 9.4 380.988 7.3 363.344 7.0 127.333 2.45 121.604 2.3 114.582 2.2
97.786 1.9 79.639 1.5 63.785 1.2 54.051 1.0 52.428 1.0 40.488 0.78 24.443 0.47

„diasporic“ and business (‚albatross tourism‘; Hall 2017, 324)

103.273; 2%
35.894; 1%

America

UK

East Asia and Pacific

Germany Poland BiH Turkey Serbia Switzerland France Bulgaria Croatia

Europe

910 11 12 13 14 15

International tourism (in a narrow sense)

Europe:
4.485.405;
95%

Other countries not specified

Data: Instat 2017
Data: Albanian State Police, dept. for border control and migration

Employment
Spending and receipts

International Tourism Receipts 1995‐2016

current US$

2.500.000.000 2.000.000.000 1.500.000.000 1.000.000.000
500.000.000
0

(direct)

Data: Worldbank 2017

US$ in bn (nominal)

2,5
2

(direct, indirect, induced)

1,5
1

Leisure Tourism Spending

Business Tourism Spending

0,5
0

Data: WTTC 2017

[WTTC 2017, 4]

  • Direct Contribution to GDP
  • Total Contribution to GDP

  • [WTTC 2017, 3]
  • [WTTC 2017, 3]

  • Investment
  • A Regional Comparison

0,9 0,8 0,7 0,6 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1
0

governmental

25 20 15 10
5

private

0

  • [WTTC 2017, 7]
  • [data: WTTC 2017]

Characteristics and effects of international tourism in AL:
3 Touristic offer and demand

Increasing number of visitors, revenues, returns “diasporic” visitors
Cultural tourism, round trips (April-June); international demand
Sun-and-beach tourism (July, August); regional demand
Two periods: dynamic 2000-decade vs. recent stagnation

Travel and tourism as a relevant factor for future economic

  • development
  • Niche tourism: Hiking, trekking, rafting (Balkans Peace Park;

Peak of the Balkans); international and regional demand during summer season
Forecast 2027 of approx. plus 3% p.a. in employment

Cultural Tourism
Sun-and-beach tourism

[Butrint 2008]
[St. Nikolaos, Mesopotam;
2015]

[Durres-plazh, Google Earth 2017]

  • Sun-and-beach tourism
  • Hiking, trekking, rafting …

[Valbona; dg 2016]
[Durres; dg 2017]

Do offer and demand fit to each other?
Mind the Gaps between …
4 Organization, strategy, management

… consumer’s side:

. Image of the country . Realistic information of visitors . Level of expenditures of international (Albanian) visitors

… destination’s side:

. Missing hotel capacities (lack of investments in general), especially outside Tirana-Durres
. Lack of cultural activities, amusement

  • Tourism strategy of Albania 2014-2020
  • Organigram of the Ministry of Tourism

Directorate for Marketing and Promotion

Strategic Positioning of Albania Tourism Sector:

“Albania is a safe, high‐value tourism destination featuring an unparalleled variety of world‐class natural and cultural attractions in a small geographic area, managed in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, easily accessible to European tourism markets”(p.41).

[OECD 2012, 325]

Albania on the Western European Market

Advertisement in a travel agency in Belgrade/Serbia (2016, foto dg)
Screenshot from www.lidl-reisen.de (last visit on May 2, 2018)

AMSWOT
5 Conclusio: AMSWOT-Analysis

Achievements

  • Achievements
  • Mistakes

ex post

Mistakes

Stability in political, economic and social terms
Chaotic path of transition

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

up-to-date ex ante

  • Dynamic tourism development
  • Underutilised potentials

Lonely Planet top-10-destination 2011

  • AMSWOT
  • AMSWOT

  • Strength
  • Weaknesses

  • Opportunities
  • Threats

  • Hospitality
  • Image, branding

Potentials: nature, cultural heritage,

nature culture

Infrastructure & accomodation (capacities & standards)

  • New destination („Discover AL“)
  • Dependencies

Connectivity to international (western) markets
Position: 300-km-coastline between HRV/MNE and GR
„Gold-rush-mentality“ hinders sustainability
Flexibility, spontaneity, informality, risk-acceptance
Reliability (in organisational and administrative terms)

Beach-focused seasonality
Wage level

An Outlook for EE/SEE:

Potentials for tourism from western countries

Conclusion: Problems of the Laboratory …

“Tourism today in Albania is in miserable conditions. There are no resorts which meet the standards of the neighboring countries such as Greece and Turkey. Hotel prices are high and they offer very few services. Many people don’t see why they must pay more to receive less. A young man from Skopje says something meaningful: “I have spent holidays in Greece and Turkey. To spend a week in a luxurious resort, I have spent no more than 350 Euros, and this included accommodation, food, beverages, outings and other services. This concept doesn’t exist in Albania. If one wants to spend holidays in the Albanian beautiful coast, one must seriously take into account the fact that a room in the south, in Saranda or Dhermi is no less than 80 Euros a night or 600 Euros a week, and this only includes a modest breakfast. One must pay up to 50 Euros to stay on the sand and then there’s food, beverages, outings, etc. The way tourism functions in Albania, doesn’t make me want to come back again”. /ibna/

sun-and-beach rural winter nature health cultural study/themes

  • potential
  • current situation

Comment by IBNA Independent Balkan News Agency. http://www.balkaneu.com/strategy‐development‐tourism‐2014‐2020‐model‐albania/

[Jordan 1999, 11]

Tourism and Transition in the Western Balkans.

Albania as a Laboratory for Tourism Development

International Conference on Tourism and Transition
(Annual Conference of the German Tourism Research
Group
Munich, 17-18 May 2018)

Prof. Dr. Daniel Göler

Geographical Research on Migration and Transition, University of Bamberg

Prof. Dr. Dhimitër Doka

Department of Geography, University of Tirana

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