PhD THESIS AIDA CIRO

Place-based tourism development in Albania

Candidate: Aida Ciro

POLIS Supervisor: Dr. Rudina Toto

DA Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Luca Emanueli

International Doctorate in Architecture and Urban Planning (IDAUP) International Consortium Agreement between University of Ferrara Department of Architecture (DA) and Polis University of Tirana (Albania) and with Associate members 2014 (teaching agreement) University of Malta / Faculty for the Built Environment; Slovak University of Technology (STU) / Institute of Management and University of Pécs / Pollack Mihály Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In the final stages of what turned out to be a most challenging, yet intellectually gratifying experience, academically and personally, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of numerous colleagues, friends and family. Their support and guidance in the process has been both instrumental and useful in exploring ‘place based sustainable tourism’ a research realm of great national importance, yet modestly researched.

I would like to acknowledge and thank my supervisor Dr. Rudina Toto for her insightful knowledge on the subject and guidance in the research process. Similarly, I would like to thank Prof. Luca Emanueli, my co-supervisor in Ferrara University.

My thanks and gratitude extent to both institutions, both Ferrara University (Italy) and POLIS University (Albania) colleagues particularly Prof. Skënder Luarasi - Dean at the Faculty of Research and Development at Polis University, and Dr. Llazar Kumaraku - Director of the Scientific Research Department at Polis University. They have enriched this process significantly and created the necessary preconditions for this research to take place in a qualitative manner, despite the circumstantial challenges that presented themselves during the course of this research, as was the Covid 19 pandemic outbreak.

I would also like to thank all the people who have kindly taken the time to participate in the surveying process, especially tourists and service providers, who dedicated precious time to the completion of the importance performance analysis questionnaires; the entrepreneurs from the agritourism enterprise sector, experts in the field, and policy makers alike at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.

On a last note, I would like to acknowledge the continuous support and patience of my friends and family. I feel indebted to them, especially my parents, for having at all times been understanding and encouraging in a process that can be trying at times.

I dedicate this work to my partner in life, Ajet Rira. For those that have already embarked and been through this process before, the magnitude and significance of such endeavor is clear and the honor paramount.

Sincerely, Aida Ciro

ABSTRACT

The importance of tourism as a sector is paramount, tangible and undisputed. World wide, national and local governments recognise tourism as a key driver of economic development and a major source of revenue and employment. But tourism can also give rise to a plethora of critical problems, including the emergence of a general sense of ‘placelessness’ i.e. a weaking of distinct experiences and identities of places. The negative impacts of tourism are more acute in developing countries, especially when reliance on this sector is substantial, as in the case of Albania.

Given its growth in scope and impact, the development of sustainable tourism has attracted significant research attention. Reflecting on the relevance and importance that this topic has acquired, this thesis analyses how tourism has led to the phenomenon of placelessness and how sustainable tourism can be pursued by adopting a place based approach.

The research builds on an extensive literature review of theories on geography, place, and sustainability. It is also informed by thorough analysis of data collected from primary sources, including: importance performance analysis of tourists (demand) and service providers (offer); in depth interviews with a community practicing/ using forms of place based sustainable tourism (i.e./e.g. agritourism); and analysis of the legislative and policy framework regulating the development of sustainable tourism in Albania. The majority of these research methods are applied for the first time in Albania in a tourism context.

The results offer important findings, recommendations and guidelines for an improved regulation and governance of place based sustainable tourism development in Albania. The governance of the sector has yet to consolidate towards sustainable development practices. The resonance of such approach on a local level is relatively weak, despite potential to adopt a place based approach being very encouraging.

Keywords: sustainable tourism, place, placelessness, critical problems, importance performance analysis, service providers

ABSTRACT

L'importanza del turismo per l’economia non può essere trascurata, contestata o sottovvalutata. I governi mondiali, nazionali e locali riconoscono il turismo come un motore chiave dello sviluppo economico e una delle principali fonti di reddito e occupazione. Ma il turismo può anche dare origine a una pletora di problemi critici, tra cui l'emergere di un senso generale di "assenza di luogo", ovvero un indebolimento di esperienze e identità distinte di luoghi. Gli impatti negativi del turismo sono più acuti nei paesi in via di sviluppo, soprattutto quando la dipendenza da questo settore è sostanziale, come nel caso dell'Albania.

Data la sua crescita in termini di portata e impatto, lo sviluppo del turismo sostenibile ha attirato una notevole attenzione nella ricerca scientifica. Riflettendo sulla rilevanza e l’importanza acquisite dal tema, codesta tesi analizza il percorso che ha portato il turismo a generare il fenomeno della placelessness e le modalità per perseguire un turismo sostenibile adottando un approccio place based. La ricerca scientifica si basa su un'ampia revisione della letteratura sulle teorie e metodi della geografia (luogo e sostenibilità). Inoltre lo studio é stato arrichito da un'analisi approfondita dei dati raccolti da fonti primarie, tra cui: analisi dell'importanza delle prestazioni dei turisti (domanda) e dei fornitori di beni e servizi, (offerta); interviste approfondite con una comunità che pratica/utilizza forme del turismo sostenibile place based (es.: agriturismo); e controllo del quadro legislativo e politico che regola lo sviluppo del turismo sostenibile in Albania.

La maggior parte di questi metodi di ricerca vengono applicati per la prima volta in Albania nell'attuale contesto turistico. I risultati offrono dati importanti, raccomandazioni e linee guida per una migliore regolamentazione e governance dello sviluppo del turismo sostenibile place based in Albania. La governance del settore in Albania deve ancora consolidarsi verso pratiche di sviluppo sostenibile. La risonanza di tale approccio a livello locale è relativamente debole, nonostante il potenziale per adottare un approccio place based sia molto incoraggiante.

Parole chiave: turismo sostenibile, luogo, assenza di luogo, criticità, ‘importance performance analysis’, fornitori di servizi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1

LIST OF TABLES 6

CHAPTER 1 .......................................................................................................................... 16

INTRODUCTION 16

1.1 The research context 16 1.2 The problem statement: the smoky industry of tourism 23 1.3 Purpose of this study and research questions ............................................................ 25

1.4 Methodological Aspects .............................................................................................. 27

1.4.1 The research design 27 1.4.1.1 The research paradigm .............................................................................................................. 27 1.4.3 Data collection method 29 1.4.4 Problems with gathering empirical material .............................................................................. 31

CHAPTER 2 .......................................................................................................................... 33

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ......................................................................................... 33

2.1 Geography and Tourism ............................................................................................. 33 2.2 Place and Tourism 38 2.1.1 Place 38 2.3 Sustainability and tourism ........................................................................................... 48 2.4 Analytical discussion ................................................................................................... 54

CHAPTER 3 59

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE IN ALBANIA ................................. 59

3.1 Governance of the tourism sector in Albania 59 3.1.2 An abridgment of tourism regulatory framework in Albania between 1992 2019 62 3.1.3 Tourism strategies in Albania between 1992 2019................................................................. 64 3.1.4 A critical assessment of the ‘Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Tourism 2019 2023’ 68 3.1.5 A critical assessment of the Law No. 93/2015 ‘On Tourism’ ................................................... 71 4.1.5 Albania’s tourism sector in figures and its governance challenges ........................................ 74 4.1.5.1 Albania’s tourism ambitions in figures 74 4.1.5.2 Governance challenges in the tourism sector 76

CHAPTER 4 .......................................................................................................................... 80

Data Analysis 80

4.1.1 Importance Performance Analysis on tourists 81 4.1.2 Importance Performance Analysis of service providers operating in the tourism sector 114

4.2 Content analysis of Municipal Development Strategies ............................................ 190

4.2.2 Qark of Lezhë. 193 5.2.3 Qark of Kukës ............................................................................................................................... 194 4.2.4 Qark of Tiranë 196 4.2.5 Qark of Durrës .............................................................................................................................. 198 4.2.6 Qark of Dibër 200

4.2.7 Qark of Korçë 202

4.2.8 Qark of Elbasan 203

4.2.9 Qark of Berat 206

4.2.10 Qark of Fier ................................................................................................................................. 208

5.2.11 Qark of Vlorë 210

5.2.12 Qark of Gjirokastër .................................................................................................................... 213

CHAPTER 5 ........................................................................................................................ 237 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 237

ANNEXES 257

ANNEX 1 258

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 A summary of various definitions of 'place' as collected by the author. ................. 45

Table 2 Overview of tourism strategies between 1993 and 2019. ...................................... 66

Table 3 Locations where IPA respondents were approached. 81

Table 4 IPA respondents segmented by region.

................................................................. 81

Table 5 IPA respondents’ country of origin: Albanian vs. Foreign. ..................................... 81

Table 6 IPA respondents’ gender. 82

Table 7 IPA respondents age group. ................................................................................. 82

Table 8 IPA respondents’ level of education 82

Table 9 Occupation of IPA respondents 83

Table 10 Number of visits for tourism reasons of the IPA respondents. 83

Table 11 Type of accommodation 84

Table 12 Duration of stay 84

Table 13 Destinations planned to visit 84

Table 14 Type of accommodation * Country of origin 85

Table 15 Type of accommodation * Country of origin 86

Table 16 Type of accommodation * Duration of stay 87

Table 17 Type of accommodation * Duration of stay. 87

Table 18 Accommodation*choice of destination Crosstabulation 89

Table 19 Accommodation*mode of travel 90

Table 20 Type of accommodation*mode of travel 91

Table 21 Mode of travel vs. destinations planning to visit. 92

Table 22 Country of origin * Gender crosstabulation 93

Table 23 Country of origin * Age group Crosstabulation 93

Table 24 Country of origin * Level of education Crosstabulation 93

Table 25 Country of origin * Occupation Crosstabulation. 94

Table 26 Country of origin * number of visits for tourism reasons 94

Table 27 - Country of origin * Duration of stay Crosstabulation 94

Table 28 Country of origin * Mode of travel Crosstabulation. 95

Table 29 - Age group * Number of visits for tourism reasons 95

Table 30 - Number of visits for tourism reasons * Duration of stay 96

Table 31 Number of visits for tourism reasons * Mode of travel. 96

Table 32 - Correlation of importance vs. performance of 'Fulfilling of expectations on the destination' 97

Table 33 Correlation of importance vs. performance of 'Presence of greenery on the destination' 97

Table 34 Regress curve between importance and performance of 'Presence of greenery on the destination'

...................................................................................................................... 98

Table 35 - Correlation of importance vs. performance of 'Use of local materials' 98

Table 36 Regress curve for attribute ‘use of local materials’. ............................................ 99

Table 37 Correlation of importance vs. performance of attribute ‘Clear local feel of the place’ 99

Table 38 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute ‘Use of high energy efficiency elements’

............................................................................................................. 100

Table 39 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute ‘Recycling practices or other practices’.

............................................................................................................................ 100

Table 40 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Physical safety offered at the destination'. 100

Table 41 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Cleanliness level offered at destination'

.......................................................................................................................... 100

Table 42 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Landscape maintenance at the destination'

.................................................................................................................... 101

Table 43 Regress curve for correlation of attribute ''Landscape maintenance at the destination' 101

Table 44 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Hospitality' 102

Table 45 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Serenity offered at the destination' 102

Table 46 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination' 102

Table 47 - Regress curve for correlation of attribute ''Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination' 103

Table 48 Correlation of importance vs. performance of attribute 'Orientation signs in case of emergencies' 103

Table 49 Regress curve for correlation of attribute 'Orientation signs in case of emergencies 104

Table 50 - Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Available healthcare at the destination' .......................................................................................................................... 104

Table 51 - Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Culinary and drinks offered at the destination' 105

Table 52 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute ‘Use of local products at the destination’ 105

Table 53 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Service by locally employed staff'. ................................................................................................................... 105

Table 54 - - Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Variety of tourism activities available at destination' ....................................................................................................... 106

Table 55 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Availability of accessible information online on the destination' .................................................................................. 106

Table 56 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Albania is an affordable destination' .......................................................................................................................... 107

Table 57 ECG distances for ‘Hospitality’ .......................................................................... 107

Table 58 ECG distances for ‘Serenity/tranquillity at destination’...................................... 108

Table 59 ECG distances for ‘Artistic and cultural wealth at destination’ .......................... 108

Table 60 ECG distances for ‘Culinary offer and drinks at destination’ 108

Table 61 ECG distances for ‘Use of local ingredients/produce characteristic for the area (food, drinks).

...................................................................................................................... 108

Table 62 ECG distances for 'Service by locally employed staff' 109

Table 63 ECG distances for 'Variety of touristic experience at destination' 109

Table 64 ECG distances for ‘Decent communication and qualitative service by staff’..... 109

Table 65 ECG distances for 'Albania an affordable destination'. 109

Table 66 The Euclidian distances 110

Table 67 Ranking in terms of perceived importance 111

Table 68 Ranking in terms of perceived importance 112

Table 69 Ranking in terms of perceived performance 113

Table 70 Distribution of respondents according to typology 115

Table 71 Distribution of respondents based on gender 115

Table 72 Distribution of respondents based on age groups 115

Table 73 Distribution of respondents based on level of education 115

Table 74 Distribution of respondents based on experience. 116

Table 75 Correlation of typology versus gender 117

Table 76 Correlation between the typology of service providers and age group distribution 117

Table 77 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania' and 'Having a strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in the country'120

Table 78 - Correlation of perceived importance between 'Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania', and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development'. 121

Table 79 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development' and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development' 122

Table 80 Regress curve for correlation perceived importance between 'Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development' and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development’ 122

Table 81 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development ' and ‘Offering unique experiences that differ from other places’ 123

Table 82 Regress curve for correlation perceived importance between ‘The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development ' and ‘Offering unique experiences that differ from other places’ 124

Table 83 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania' and 'Having a strategy for the territorial development at the municipal level' 125

Table 84 Regress curve expressing the Correlation of perceived importance between 'Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania' and 'Having a strategy for the territorial development at the municipal level' 125

Table 85 Correlation of perceived performance between 'Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development' and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development' 126

Table 86 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between 'Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development' and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development'

................................................................................................ 126

Table 87 Correlations of perceived importance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’ ....................................................................... 128

Table 88 Regress curve for Correlations of perceived importance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers ...................................................... 128

Table 89 Correlations of perceived importance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Prioritize local suppliers’ 129

Table 90 Regress curve for correlations of perceived importance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Prioritize local suppliers’ 129

Table 91 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices’ 130

Table 92 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between ' Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices’. 131

Table 93 Correlation of perceived importance between 'familiarity of business' staff with sustainable development practices' and 'continuous training of employees' 131

Table 94 Regress curve for Correlation of perceived importance between 'familiarity of business' staff with sustainable development practices' and 'continuous training of employees' 132

Table 95 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Development of stable relationships between business and local suppliers' and 'Continuous training of employees' 132

Table 96 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Prioritize local suppliers' and 'Promotion of local products' 133

Table 97 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between 'Prioritize local suppliers' and 'Promotion of local products' 133

Table 98 - Correlation of perceived importance between 'Rich history of the city/village where the business is located'' and 'Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area' 134

Table 99 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Rich culture of the city/village where the business is located'' and 'Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area' 134

Table 100 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Rich history of the city/village where the business is located'' and Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest ' 135

Table 101 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Rich culture of the city/village where the business is located'' and Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest 136

Table 102 Correlation of perceived importance between Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area '' and Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest ' 136

Table 103 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area '' and Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest ' ................................ 137

Table 104 - Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Prioritizing local suppliers '' and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product.’ 137

Table 105 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between‘ Prioritizing local suppliers '' and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product.’ 138

Table 106 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Continuous training of employees’ and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’

................................................................. 138

Table 107 - Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between ‘Continuous training of employees’ and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’

............................. 139

Table 108 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connections with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Development of stable relationships between business and local suppliers’.

.......................................................... 139

Table 109 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connections with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Development of stable relationships between business and local suppliers’.

........................................... 140

Table 110 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’ 140

Table 111 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’ 141

Table 112 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’ 141

Table 113 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’. 142

Table 114 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices’. 142

Table 115 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices’. 143

Table 116 Correlation of perceived performance between ' Prioritize local suppliers’ and ‘Promotion of local products’ 143

Table 117 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ 144

Table 118 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ 144

Table 119 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ 145

Table 120 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’. 145

Table 121 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ and ‘Proximity of business to historicalcultural points’ 146

Table 122 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ and ‘Proximity of business to historical cultural points’ 146

Table 123 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Continuous training of employees’ and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’. 147

Table 124 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)’

..................................................................................... 148

Table 125 - Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)’ 149

Table 126 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ ................................................................................................................................. 149

Table 127 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’

...................................................................................... 150

Table 128 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Green business strategies’ ............................................................. 150

Table 129 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Green business strategies’ 151

Table 130 Correlation of perceived importance between ' New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Green business strategies’ 151

Table 131 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Education of consumers and the local community on products and services that respect the environment’ 152

Table 132 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between '‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Education of consumers and the local community on products and services that respect the environment’ 152

Table 133 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment’ 153

Table 134 Regress curve for Correlation of perceived importance between '‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment’ 153

Table 135 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘Cleanliness and hygiene in the environments surrounding the area where the service / product is provided’ and ‘Wastewater treatment’ 154

Table 136 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between '‘Cleanliness and hygiene in the environments surrounding the area where the service / product is provided’ and ‘Wastewater treatment’ 154

Table 137 Correlation of perceived performance between '‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where

the business is located’’ and ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)’ 155

Table 138 Regress curve for Correlation of perceived performance between '‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’’ and ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)’ 155

Table 139 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ 156

Table 140 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ 156

Table 141 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed’ .................................................................................................... 157

Table 142 - Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed’ .............................................................................. 157

Table 143 - Correlation of perceived performance between ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Environmentally friendly tourism practices’

............................................................................................................................................ 158

Table 144 -Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Environmentally friendly tourism practices’ ................................................................................................................ 158

Table 145 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Green business strategies’. ................................................ 159

Table 146 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Green business strategies’. ..................... 159

Table 147 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Green business strategies’. 160

Table 148 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Tourism development in accordance with environmental norms’ and ‘Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity of the destination’. 160

Table 149 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Tourism development in accordance with environmental norms’ and ‘Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity of the destination’. 161

Table 150 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Staff training on sustainable tourism issues’. 162

Table 151 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers’. 163

Table 152 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers’. 163

Table 153 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Membership of networks of tourism service providers’. 164

Table 154 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Use of current business images and products / services for promotion’ and ‘Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.)’. 164

Table 155 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Use of current business images and products / services for promotion’ and ‘Marketing for activities in

protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc. 165

Table 156 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your business’ and ‘Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force’. 165

Table 157 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your business’ and ‘Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force’. 166

Table 158 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Certified and qualified staff in certain disciplines / skills, certificates for practicing the profession, training certificates, etc.’. 166

Table 159 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Certified and qualified staff in certain disciplines / skills, certificates for practicing the profession, training certificates, etc.’. 167

Table 160 - Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers’ 167

Table 161 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers’ 168

Table 162 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’’ and ‘Staff training on sustainable tourism issues’ ................................................. 168

Table 163 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.)’ .................................................. 169

Table 164 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’ and ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’ .................................... 170

Table 165 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’ and ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’170

Table 166 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’

............................................................................................................................................ 170

Table 167 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ and ‘Conservation of endangered species in the area’ 171

Table 168 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ and ‘Conservation of endangered species in the area’ 171

Table 169 The ECG distances for ‘Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania’, ‘A clear development vision for my business’, ‘Offering unique experiences different from other places 172

Table 170 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘A’ manifest a low level of congruence ECG distance 173

Table 171 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘B’ manifest a high level of congruence’ 174

Table 172 Table 171 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘C’ manifest a high level of congruence 175

Table 173 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘B’ manifest a high level of discrepancy’ 175

Table 174 - Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘D’’ manifest a high level of congruence 176

Table 175 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘D’ manifest a high level of discrepancy. 176

Table 176 Examples for the differences in levels of perceived importance and perceived performance for section ‘A’ variables. 177

Table 177 Examples for the differences in levels of perceived importance and perceived performance for section ‘B’ variables. 179

Table 178 Examples for the differences in levels of perceived importance and perceived performance for section 'C’ variables. 180

Table 179 Examples for the differences in levels of perceived importance and perceived performance for section 'D’ variables. 181

Table 180 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'importance' for section ‘A’ 183

Table 181 - A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'performance'' for section A. 183

Table 182 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'importance' for section 'B' 184

Table 183 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'performance' for section 'B' 186

Table 184 - A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'importance' for section 'C'' ........................................................................................................................... 187

Table 185 - A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'performance' for section 'C' 188

Table 186 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'importance' for section 'D' 189

Table 187 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'performance' for section 'D' ............................................................................................................................ 190

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Author’s representation of tourism as a system. 16

Figure 2 Causal loop diagram (CLD) of interdependent tourism system elements. Source: (Adapted and modified from Jere Jakulin & Kljajić, 2006) ............................... 17

Figure 3 Rapid transformation, Durrës coast. 19

Figure 4 - Various forms of negative impact of tourism. ................................................ 20

Figure 5 Problem analysis. 24

Figure 6 Problem analysis expressed in territory. 24 Figure 7 Conceptual Research Framework. .................................................................. 26

Figure 8 Author’s illustration of the connection between Geographical elements. 37 Figure 9 The evolution of geographical study and documentation. ........................... 37

Figure 10 Author’s illustration based on the explanation of ‘place' by Lukermann (1964) ..................................................................................................................................... 40

Figure 11 - Creaco and Querini graphic representation of the sustainable development objectives (2003) 50

Figure 12 Time versus Space as presented in Meadows, 1972 ................................. 51 Figure 13 Plans developed to tackle sustainability 52

Figure 14 Author's illustration of the tourism induced spectrum of negative impacts. ................................................................................................................................................ 54

Figure 15 ‘Placelessness’ as depicted by E. Relph, 2020 (left), and ‘Non places’ (right). (Source: Edward Relph, and Albertacarsigns). ................................................... 57

Figure 16 Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia (Coca, 2019). 57

Figure 17 Maya Beach, Thailand. (Coca, 2019) ........................................................... 58

Figure 18 Boracay Beach, Philippines (Coca, 2019) .................................................... 58

Figure 19 Examples of the Albanian tourism promoting articles published in Italian Press during the 1930s. ...................................................................................................... 60

Figure 20 - International Tourism, Number of Arrivals in Albania, 1993-2019. Source: Institute of Statistics of Albania (INSTAT) and the World Bank (2019) ........................ 61

Figure 21. International tourist arrivals 2002 2018 for five regional destinations ....... 75

Figure 22. Ratio of the Hotel Tax to Municipalities’ own source revenues. Source: www.financatvendore.al (2019) ......................................................................................... 77

Figure 23 Qark of Shkodër protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity. 191

Figure 24 Qark of Lezhë protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity. 193

Figure 25 Qark of Kukës protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity.

................................................................................................................................. 195

Figure 26 Qark of Tirana protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity. ................................................................................................................................. 196

Figure 27 Qark of Durrës protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity. ................................................................................................................................. 199

Figure 28 - Qark of Dibër protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity. 200

Figure 29 Qark of Korçë protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity.

................................................................................................................................. 202

Figure 30 Qark of Elbasan protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity.

............................................................................................................... 204

Figure 31 Qark of Berat protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity.

................................................................................................................................. 206

Figure 32 - Qark of Fier protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity. 208

Figure 33 Qark of Vlorë protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity. 211

Figure 34 Qark of Gjirokastër protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity.

............................................................................................................... 213

Figure 35 Tourism as a strategic development priority locally. 217

Figure 36 Territorial distribution of the agritourism entities in the northern and southern parts of Albania. 231

Figure 37 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to monuments of nature, emerald network, and protected areas. ................................... 232

Figure 38 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to urban areas.

........................................................................................................................ 233

Figure 39 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to infrastructural network. 234

Figure 40 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to hydrographic system. 235

Figure 41 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to water bodies.

...................................................................................................................... 236

Figure 42 Development pressure on the coast of Albania. 242

Figure 43 Typology of developments along the coast of Albania, in order of appearance 243

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter introduces the research, context, problem statement, research objectives, and methodology. It also touches on the conceptual framework of the research, followed by an outline of the thesis.

1.1 The research context

The importance of tourism as a sector cannot be overlooked, disputed or overstated. Tourism is a global industry, a key driver of economic development, a major source of revenue and employment, and ‘one of the principal ways through which our ‘world-views’ are shaped’ (Mowforth and Munt, 2016, p.36). Any fluctuations in global trends and figures within the tourism sector resonate across other sectors and tend to have tangible and largely local impact. For example, if a travel operator in Vienna (Austria) has to cancel several seasonal reservations, flights might be halted or restricted and a local enterprise in Gjirokastër will have to reimburse the foreign travellers who had booked places at its equestrian farm. As a result, a farrier in the same remote southern village of Albania, who is affiliated to this sustainable local tourism business, will also lose out because of fewer horse shoeing orders. Thus, despite being scattered in differing countries, the tourism value chain spectrum is negatively affected throughout. Countless similar examples exist, which highlight the scope and complexity of the tourism system represented by actors, relationships, preconditions, and implications.

Figure 1 - Author’s representation of tourism as a system.

Tourism is a complex system and, as such, the interaction among the components of the system, as well as between the system and its environment cannot be fully understood by simply analysing individual components/the components in isolation (Cilliers, 1999). Systems nest in each other and are affected by the environment. In turn, they also affect the environment, which means that they are dynamic and change over time (Jakulin, 2017, p. 209).

Figure 2 Causal loop diagram (CLD) of interdependent tourism system elements. Source: (Adapted and modified from Jere Jakulin & Kljajić, 2006)

Tourism might be a modern phenomenon developed during and through the growth of the mass industrial society (Zuelow, 2015). However, tourism as a process, experience and intended outcome has existed since the earliest of times, in forms and practices that may be unimaginable to us today. Historian Lionel Casson notes that the magnificent temples and tombs of Ancient Egypt attracted sightseers from as early as 1500 BCE (Zuelow, 2015, p.5). Similarly, Egyptians also sought inspiration elsewhere. For example, Queen Hatshepsut, the first female ruler of Ancient Egypt, launched an ambitious expedition to the land of Punt in 1493 B.C. to explore the unknown, as well as trading possibilities. ‘The large scale festivals and games of Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, pilgrimages, and spa tourism which pre dates Roman times and has long been established in many regions in Europe and North America’ (Towner, 1996: 53 95; van Tubergen and van der Linden, 2002) also constitute forms of tourism. Ancient Rome too supplies examples, such as the ‘ nobilis’ who engaged in ‘otium iltteratum’ (arts, poetry, etc.) and ‘mutatio laboris’ (active leisure) (Korstanje, 2007, p.

100). These activities resulted in majestic structures inherited today, like the Colosseum and the Roman spas, which marked the start of the shift of the ‘centers of pleasure’ away from the urban areas, towards periphery

Equally interesting is the role of war in triggering some basic forms of hospitality and tourism. Beveridge and O’Gorman (2013) analyse ‘the Crusades’, the Knights Templar and Hospitaller an early modern Catholic military order, from the perspective of tourism enabler. The crusaders, although not on a tourist intent, ‘represent one of the best, and undoubtedly most controversial examples of the complex relationship between war and tourism’ (Beveridge & O'Gorman, 2013, p. 40). The tradition of offering hospitality to travellers in the region was clearly regulated in religious texts. It included the establishment of dedicated structures known as ‘caravanserai’ for the lodging of travellers and trade, followed by the establishment of the military order during the crusades, as was the ‘Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller’.

Few centuries into the crusades, during 14th century, another type of expedition, that of the Italian humanist Cyriacus of Ancona marked an important step. He undertook a long expedition to the Mediterranean and Asia, leaving behind an invaluable wealth of inscriptions and notes. The renascimento (15th 17th centuries) introduced the concept of the ‘humanist trip’ for the noble and the bourgeoisie. This was conceived as a source of knowledge, such as the ‘grand tour’, with an itinerary spanning through England, France, Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries (Korstanje, 2007, p. 100).

During the 16th, 17th, and even 18th centuries, European explorers such as Bartolomeu Dias (c.1451 1500), Pedro Alvares Cabral (1467 1520), Christopher Columbus (1451 1506), Walter Raleigh (c.1552 1618), and James Cook (1728 79) travelled the world in pursuit of undiscovered/new/uncharted lands, sea routes, and potential regions to exploit for trade. (Zuelow, 2015, p. 5) These notable explorers sought wealth, personal and national prestige, as well as adventure.

Up until recently, in early 2020, tourism constituted one of the world’s most popular ‘activities’. People’s desire to explore different, faraway places and cultures for new sensory and emotional experiences, together with ‘improved revenue conditions and more leisure time’ (Pellegrini, 2012, p.1), gave rise to a rapid, boundless and comprehensive growth in tourism. The trajectory is exponential: from 25 million tourist arrivals where? in 1950, to 1.4 billion international arrivals per year in 2018. (UNWTO Barometer). This represents an overwhelming 58-fold increase over a period of only 68 years Tourism has also become an-allencompassing phenomenon, engaging individuals and communities on different levels: one can be on the demand side as a tourist/traveller; on the supply side as service provider; or in a witnessing role often affected by tourism, such as local communities not directly engaged in tourism related activities, but not participating in it.

Furthermore, tourism is a most profitable industry globally. Prior to the COVID 19 pandemic that erupted in 2019, Travel & Tourism accounted for 1 in 4 of all new jobs created across the world, 10.3% of all jobs (333 million), and 10.3% of global GDP (US$9.6 trillion). Meanwhile, international visitor spending amounted to US$1.8 trillion in 2019 (6.8% of total exports). (Travel & tourism economic impact | world travel & tourism council (WTTC), n.d.) 2018 was reported as one of the best years for the tourism industry, marking a 6% growth and contributing a record $8.8 trillion to the world economy, or the equivalent of 10.4% of the global GDP. (WTTC, 2019) In some cases, like Montenegro and Croatia, but also famous destinations like Maldives, Seychelles or Saint Lucia, this sector alone represents over 20% of a country’s GDP. ‘Overall, it is the third largest export sector of the global economy.’ (UNWTO Policy Brief, 2020)

1.1.1 Tourism state of play in Albania

The importance of tourism has also grown in Albania in recent years. From a secluded country for several decades, Albania has now become a destination with the highest tourism growth

in the region. A reported 5.9 million foreign citizens visited Albania in 2018 alone (INSTAT, 2019), marking an increase of 15.8% compared to the previous year. This data show that the importance of tourism in Albania is mounting and with it also the numbers of destinations and operators in the sector. Both state and non state actors have also been quick in recognising the potential that tourism holds for the country’s economic development, making it increasingly part of the government priority rhetoric, and investing primarily in infrastructure.

The future of tourism in Albania looks promising. However, its growth comes with challenges, particularly considering the overarching nature of the sector, the current state of the policy governance framework, and contextual factors. Increasing numbers of local and international tourists have contributed to mounting pressure on the territory. In particular, they have led to the construction of various types of accommodation structures (like hotels, guesthouses, hostels, and bed & breakfasts) but also bars and restaurants in the proximity of highly attractive sites, (e.g. coastlines, national parks, and cultural and historical monuments).

Segments such as Durrës Golem, Shëngjin Velipojë, Vlorë Sarandë constitute examples of territories that have been highly affected and vastly transformed by tourism. Especially the accommodation structures stacked alongside the coast are primarily medium rise and at times high rise concrete buildings that display few characteristic elements of the local identity of these places. Although rural areas have been less affected in this regard, signs of rapid transformation are also becoming visible in the countryside that is perceived as touristy, including northern Theth and Valbonë, southeastern Lin, Tushemisht, Boboshticë, and Dardhë, and coastal Rradhimë, Dhërmi, Vuno, Borsh, and Golem. These regions, at the centre of the tourism induced territorial development often are also home to natural, historical, and cultural monuments. As such, they face serious, inter sectoral conflicts such as between preservation versus territorial development or tourism development versus energy production projects (i.e. Hydropower Plants).

Figure 3 Rapid transformation, Durrës coast.

In spite of these difficulties, Albanian tourism has been predominantly motivated by ardour for more than three decades. First, the eagerness of tourists from outside the country who want to see a former communist nation and its breath-taking scenery. The eagerness of residents, who can now at last appreciate their own nation as free citizens. Thirdly, the zeal of emerging businessmen and developers who are willing to invest.

But this model of development (or lack thereof) has given rise to a plethora of critical problems. Inter alia, it has negatively transformed the territory/landscape through the construction of buildings and infrastructure, an increased production of garbage, solid waste and wastewater, the creation of migratory flows to areas of tourist concentration, the deterioration of ‘touristic’ resources, and a general sense of ‘placelessness’ i.e. a weaking of distinct experiences and identities of places. More recently, the emphasis and the rhetoric of the tourism sector has shifted to sustainability.

This new approach has translated into ‘The Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Tourism 2019 2023’, a number of new laws on tourism and fiscal incentives, financial support for Investments in the agritourism, and the implementation of several government programmes focused exclusively on urban and rural tourism.

1.1.2 … and its growth trajectory

The growth of the sector is sustained by several parallel developments. These include the expansion of the scope of tourism services to offer more sophisticated options to tourists pregnant with curiosity and yearning unconventional experiences, like atrocity heritage tourism, space tourism, thanatourism (dark tourism), tourism at the borders of conflict and (de)militarised zones, and pro poor tourism1

Today, ‘much tourism revolves around novelty seeking; and modern technology has made it talismanic for the tourist to seek out the white virginity of the polar regions, to fly into space, and to discover the exoticism of the ‘other’’ (Singh, 2004, p. xiii). People desire to move into an almost antipodal experience of a slow paced natural setting, away from their present condition of frantic, deadline driven days, overwhelmed by social pressure and afflicted by pollution of highly urbanized places,' according to the tourist identity and experience. Numerous actors help to sustain this trend, each assuming various roles in value chains anchored in different, new, exotic places across the globe.

What happens when millions of people surrender to the urge for intimate, unique experiences and head to places that are defined by specific characteristics? Mass tourism occurs and puts in jeopardy the individuality/distinctiveness of the place in question.

The magnitude of the transformation is so large that researchers such as Condevaux, Djament Tran and Gravari Barbas (2016) even speak of ‘before and after tourism(s) ’ They

1 In their ‘JFK and dark tourism: A fascination with assassination’, Lennon and Foley (1995, p. 3) define dark tourism as a ‘tourist interest in recent death, disaster and atrocity’ borne out of a ‘fundamental shift in the way in which death, disaster and atrocity are being handled by those who offer associated tourism products.’ . Pro poor tourism, as explained by Roe (2002, p. 1), refers to a type of tourism that ‘increases the scope for wide participation, including the participation of the informal sector.’

Figure 4 - Various forms of negative impact of tourism.

also refer to the ‘dilution’ of tourism practices to the extent that differentiating between touristic and ordinary (every day) territory has become an almost impossible task given the scale of tourism induced transformation underway, and the blurring of boundaries ‘between the here and the elsewhere, and between the exotic and the every day.’ Take, for example, some popular destinations, like Dubrovnik, Athens, and Rome, which have to cater to a high touristic demand, while also providing for their respective local communities.

On an even more daring note, Feifer (1985) coined the concept of ‘post-tourism to highlight a new and symbolically playful mode of travelling; one in which the traveller (typically a middle class Western consumer) was reflexively aware of the staged nature of mass tourism and deliberately performed tourism according to media imageries rather than searching for authentic places’ (Jansson, 2018, p. 101). Similarly daring is the concept of the ‘end’ of tourism, as asserted by Lash and Urry (1994) a rhetoric which also sheds light on the problems of the phenomenon. They proclaim ‘that the notion of tourism [is] getting fuzzy due to people’s everyday involvement in virtual travel through media and visual consumption’ (ibid.).

The Brundtland Report (1987), commissioned by the World Commission on Environment and Development, offers and unprecedented acknowledgement of the dark side of tourism and introduces the concept of sustainable development. As Saarinen (2013, p.6) explains, ‘the political conceptualisation of sustainable development presented in the Brundtland Commission‘s report further fueled the policy aims and needs to limit the impact of tourism.’ What could be viewed as a paradigmatic shift came at a time of growing public awareness about the environment, rising concerns about global inequalities, and the spread of environmental movements. (Saarinen, 2013).

For several decades, ‘tourism service providers and policymakers have become increasingly aware of the problems that come with tourism’ (Petriconi, 2016, p.1), particularly mass tourism. Following the Brundtland Report, the concept of sustainability became part of the tourism development discourse, ‘with an evolving number of conceptualisations and a search for indicators’ (Saarinen, 2013, p. 6). At the same time, production and consumption in Western societies were also reshaped to accommodate emerging new forms of tourism, like alternative tourism, ecotourism, green tourism, responsible tourism, community based tourism, and other forms of environmental conscious articulations of tourism development principles.

Numerous studies have been published about the degree of social, environmental and economic effects of tourism Such effects are more pronounced in domestic or international destinations that experience mass tourism and are often labelled in : ‘Tourism as a corrupter of innocence in the South Pacific’ (Turner and Ash, 1975: 165, 175 in Harrison and Sharpley, 2017,) to the myth of the ‘white hunter’ and reinforced ‘colonial values’ (ibid. ). In fact, Turner and Ash are very critical of mass tourism, asserting that ‘Today’s mass tourists are ‘the barbarians of our Age of Leisure’. The Golden Horde’ (Mathews, 1976, p. 144)

In his pioneering study on tourism as a unique contemporary phenomenon, ‘the American anthropologist Dean MacCannell (1999) refers to tourists as an ‘expeditionary force without guns’ (quoted in Harrison and Sharpley, 2017, p.4). Similarly, Krippendorf (1987), an economist and environmentalist, claimed that modern tourists vainly tried to escape alienation from industrial and differentiated society. He added that while their ‘carefree and ignorant’ behaviour (1987: 43) brought them little benefit, it did great damage to their destinations, creating ‘a new and devious form of colonialism’ (ibid, p. 56).

MacNaught and Harrison (1982) explain how mass tourism ends up having negative consequences: (i) commoditization undercuts tradition and leads to inauthenticity; (ii) jobs in tourism are unskilled and demeaning; (iii) income is frequently reduced by damaging ‘leakages’t; and (iv) the search for tourist dollars unbalances family structures and local economies . Such strong criticism of mass tourism can be countered (e.g. MacNaught, 1982; Harrison, 1992b: 18 31). However, the focus on underdevelopment and advocacy for sustainable tourism in developing societies remains.

Budeanu (2005, p. 89) argues that tourism ‘is currently responsible for the largest, annual human migration in history. This great movement of people has significant positive and negative consequences on nature, societies, cultures, and economies.’. Furthermore, as As noted by Welford and Ytterhus (1998, p. 194), such behavior "reduces the degree of diversity and creates a mono culture, which is frequently strikingly similar to that of the tourist's home. There are also considerable concerns about the environmental impact of tourism and its contribution to climate change (Harrison and Sharpley, 2017, p. 4)

‘Too often, tourism academics, non government agencies and, in particular, aid agencies have ignored the ‘elephant in the room’ and focused on small scale, ‘sustainable’ projects ’ (Harrison and Sharpley, 2017, p.6). Despite its undisputed importance from an economic perspective, tourism is not ‘the smokeless industry it claims to be’ (Gonsalves in Budeanu, 2005, p.91).

Butcher (2017, p. 28) claims that all modern tourism is in fact mass tourism, ‘from a cheap package deal to the most leftfield spiritual retreat, depends upon the advances in technology, wealth and freedoms of industrial society.’ From this standpoint, the prospect of developing alternative models of sustainable tourism is questionable.

As societal perceptions and sensibilities have changed through time, opinions on the probability of sustainable mass tourism have changed as well, although they still differ. In the 1950s, rising wealth was linked to the rising revenue from mass tourism. Some people, including government officials, academics, and members of civil society, have begun to consider mass tourism as "this basically unchecked boom" as a result of the emergence of an environmentally conscious culture (Harrison and Sharpley, 2017, p.6).

The concept of ‘alternative tourism’ was then/thus coined as a more appropriate option for destinations with ‘good’ characteristics, like community control, authentic attractions and small scale of operation. Such features stood in contrast to the ‘bad’ mass tourism’s corporate control, generic attractions, and large scale of operation. (Weaver in Harrison and Sharpley, 2017, p.64) As a result, mass tourism and alternative tourism came to be seen as two opposite ends of the tourism development spectrum. By early 1990s, for example, there was already growing support for the idea that mass tourism could be sustainable and alternative tourism unsustainable (Butler, 1990). In the same context Weaver (2000) proposed ‘sustainable mass tourism’ as one of four destination development ideal types (Weaver in Harrison and Sharpley, 2017)

Sustainable tourism has been defined in many ways and linked to ideas such as planning, the environment, man made heritage, ecology, social equity and participation, economic and social sustainability and the future/longer term perspective. Aall (2014) reviewed the concept of sustainable tourism and distinguished between environment-sensitive tourism (i.e. which reduces environmental impact) and environment dependent tourism (i.e. which utilizes the environment as a resource for tourism). But, the more general notion of UN World Tourism Organization Network for sustainable tourism is preferable here, according to which ‘tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities (Sustainable tourism | Department of Economic and Social Affairs, n.d.); it takes full account of the current and future economic, social and environmental impact that tourism has, addressing the needs of visitors, industry, environment and host communities. (cf. Beyer, 2014; European Union, 2006 UNWTO, 2013; Nientied et al., 2018).

A lack of precise definition and sustainability standards does not have to hamper the development of responsible (sustainable) tourism practices. Indeed, various authors in a recent volume edited by Singh (2017; cf. McKercher and Prideaux, 2014) confirm that academic work on sustainable tourism has been highly theoretical, inward looking and telling the tourism world what is wrong and what it should do, rather than working on effecting change on the ground.

1.2 The problem statement: the smoky industry of tourism

Tourism has become a modern, manufactured experience that responds to an ever-increasing demand for tourism services, varying from complex to ultimate sophistication. The tourism development processes and their inter related effects on the offer/supply side have negative consequences. Among others, they foster a sense of ‘placelessness’, i.e. ‘the casual eradication of distinctive places and the making of standardised landscapes that results from an insensitivity to the significance of place’ (Relph, 1976, p. 2). Put differently, mass tourism disregards resources and the value of the individual experience or destination, while focusing on supply. In doing so, mass tourism contributes to ecosystem disasters (such as climate change effects.) that not only create a tourism crisis but also eliminate an important dimension of tourism the place.

In Kunstler’s words (1993, p. 173), ‘in every corner of the nation, we have built places unworthy of love and move on from them without regret. But move on to what? Where is the ultimate destination if every place is Noplace?’ Urgo (2008) also observes how ‘places are losing the truly unique assets initially drawing curiosity and eventually encouraging the onset of tourism.’ In fact, the irony of this development is that ‘the more a particular place ‘drifts’ into becoming a ‘popular tourist destination’, the more it strays into placelessness.’ (Kunstler, 1993) As such, its authentic culture is ‘watered down by commercialization’; ‘its local knowledge, such as vernacular building techniques, is being replaced with elements which have little or nothing to do with the place in which they were built’ (ibid.)

Christaller (1964) highlights the cyclic lifetime of a ‘touristic place’ and illustrates how tourism demand ‘pushes’ it through a number of phases that ultimately divest it from all the characteristics that initially made it ‘a tourist attraction’:

Painters search out untouched and unusual places to paint. Step by step the place develops as a so called artist colony. Soon a cluster of poets follows, kindred to the painters: then cinema people, gourmets, and the jeunesse dorée. The place becomes fashionable and the entrepreneur takes note. The sherman’s cottage, the shelter-huts become converted into boarding houses and hotels come on the scene. Meanwhile the painters have ‘ed and sought out another periphery/ periphery as related to space, and metaphorically, as ‘forgotten’ places and landscapes. Only the painters with a commercial inclination who like to do well in business remain; they capitalize on the good name of this former painter’s corner and on the gullibility of tourists. More and more townsmen choose this place, now en vogue and advertised in the newspapers. Subsequently the gourmets, and all those who seek real recreation, stay away. At last the tourist agencies come with their package rate travelling parties; now, the indulged public avoids such places. At the same time, in other places the same cycle occurs again; more and more places come into fashion, change their type, turn into everybody’s tourist haunt.’ (Christaller, 1963, 103)

In a similar vein, Richard W. Butlers (1980) distinguishes 6 phases in a destination’s lifetime:(1) exploration, (2) involvement, (3) development, (4) consolidation, (5) stagnation, and (6) decline or rejuvenation. He also notes that each phase affects the traits/characteristics of the place and strips ‘places’ of their ‘placeness’ in different ways.

Consequently, the massive tourism growth worldwide has lead to the proliferation of generic places, void of authenticity and identity; places tasked to deliver services expected by the average tourist profile.

Figure 5 Problem analysis

This captures the essence of the problem that makes the focus of this research:

1. Current tourism development practices have stripped places of the traits that constitute the foundation of their distinctiveness, individuality and richness.

2. Insensitivity to the significance of 'place' has resulted in standardised places.

3. The implications of this rapport are social, environmental and economic.

Figure 6 Problem analysis expressed in territory.

1.3 Purpose of this study and research questions

The key research question of this thesis can be summed as follows: In the face of an increasing need for sustainability practices in tourism, how does a place based approach help advance sustainable tourism development? The hypothesis of this research study is that a place-based approach adopted in the process of tourism planning and tourism development helps advance sustainability principles (social, economic, and environmental).

The overall objective of this study is to contribute to the body of theory and knowhow of sustainable tourism development and its application in Albania. In more specific terms, this thesis will:

1. Analyse the concept of place based tourism development and argue that it is essential to the development of sustainable tourism practices.

2. Develop guidelines for a sustainable tourist destination development reflecting the place based experience.

To achieve these specific objectives, the research will rely on critical theoretical analysis and discussion of key concepts and gaps concerning the objectives. It will also draw on empirical evidence and analyses of the tourism sector in Albania, including applications of place based tourism development cases and studies of tourism placeness in Albania.

The sub questions of research include focus on exploration of important aspects such as: ‘what sustainable development is in tourism?’. The exploration and understanding of this concept is fundamental to the thesis, for it helps comprehend the relationship between tourism and ‘sustainability’

One of the key sub questions focuses on the concept of ‘place’: ‘What is place based tourism development; and what is the relation between place based tourism development, tourism placeness and sustainable tourism development? The exploration of the concept contributes to the understanding of place related elements, and delineation of the ways place and tourism interact and affect one another especially in relation to territory. By asking ‘How place based development relates to sustainability’ the research aims to identify aspects that can be harnessed in a ‘place’ from a sustainability perspective through the development of tourism and how it can be rendered a (sustainable tourism) development model.

A number of research sub questions focus on the customer experience, and what role that can play in driving/promoting place based tourism; and unique elements related to the broad concept of ‘place’ can contribute to destination competitiveness.

In addition, the research also explores key features and comprising actors in a successful place based tourism development model.

Through this research, the author aims to achieve the following results:

First, through this research it is aimed to produce a framework for defining/identifying specificities of place based sustainable tourism development. Second, through elaborate analysis on a territorial level, it is expected that typologies of tourism development practices in Albania are identified as input for territorial planning or/and tourism related policies/strategies. Third, it is expected that based on the stock of research and analyses performed, recommendations are produced for sustainable place based tourism development initiatives in Albania.

1.4 Methodological Aspects

Tourism constitutes a relatively new economic sector and research field in Albania. Consequently, the body of quantitative research, data and time series, as well as qualitative analyses on tourism available on the country is limited. This applies also to the theme of this research. The topic of place based tourism development, which makes the focus of this thesis, is no exception in this regard. Therefore, a number of primary data collection methods have been employed to generate primary data on:

Tourism development potential among the 12 qarks/ 61 municipalities in Albania; (Sustainable) Tourism development vision/ambitions among the 61 municipalities in Albania;

Application of sustainable tourism practices in Albania. including place based tourism development initiatives;

Perceived importance of sustainable tourism practices on the demand and offer side; Perceived performance of sustainable tourism practices on the demand (tourists) and offer side (service providers);

Data was also collected on:

Policy and legal framework on tourism planning, development and governance in Albania over the past 30 years;

The findings emerging from such data have been used in concert to initiate and engage in a research analysis and discussion on sustainable tourism development practices in Albania. The research question explored here is: In the face of an increasing need for sustainability practices in tourism, how does a place based approach help advance sustainable tourism development? The hypothesis of this research study is that a place based approach adopted in the process of tourism planning and tourism development helps advance sustainability principles (social, economic, and environmental).

The thesis is structured in 6 chapters, organised as follows: (1) An introduction to the state of the art, research problem, objective, research question and methodological approach; (2) Theoretical review building on extensive literature review of key concepts; (3) A detailed account of the state of the art of the tourism sector in Albania; (4) Analysis of the data gathered through the various research methods applied; (5) Analytical Discussion and Critical Reflections; (6) Conclusions and recommendations.

1.4.1 The research design

Tourism is a multifaceted concept. In a sense, it is a scientific concept in that it is rooted in numerous sciences, including geography, environment and territory. At the same time, it is only partially a rational experience. Pellegrini (2012, p.2) points out that the approach to faraway places and cultures is essentially sensory and emotional. That said, this thesis draws on qualitative and quantitative research methods to collect and analyse the necessary data. In this section, key research design choices are explained, including: the research paradigm, research type, research strategy, and data collection method.

1.4.1.1 The research paradigm

In a research context, ‘paradigm’ refers to a researcher’s lenses. Lincoln and Guba (1994), who are leaders in the social science research field, define a paradigm as a basic set of beliefs or a worldview that guides research action or an investigation’ (Kivunja & Kuyini, 2017, p. 27). The research paradigm is the resultant of research methodology and research philosophy. The latter refers to a system of beliefs and assumptions about the development of knowledge and worldviews. Traditionally, a paradigm comprises four elements: epistemology, ontology, methodology, and axiology.

‘In research, epistemology is used to describe how we come to know something; how we know the truth or reality ’ (Kivunja & Kuyini, 2017, p. 27). It is concerned with the very basis of knowledge its nature, form, how it can be acquired, and how it can be communicated to others. Epistemology draws knowledge from four different types of sources: intuitive, authoritative, logical, and empirical. In line with this definition, the epistemology of this research is grounded in authoritative and empirical knowledge. Authoritative, for it does anchor its arguments on significant literature review of previous research, as well as existing secondary sources, and empirical for it

The data used as part of this research is gathered from an extensive literature review of both local and international scholarship on core concepts and theories focusing on geography, place(lessness) and sustainable development. It is also collected by means of in depth interviews and perception-based surveys that employ the importance performance analysis instrument - a tool that analyses quality attributes on two dimensions: performance and importance.

Based on the theoretical understanding of research paradigms, it can be concluded that this research is an interpretivist epistemology. Interpretivism, as Saunders (2007, p. 106) explains, is an epistemology that advocates that it is necessary for the researcher to understand differences between humans in their role as social actors.

What is the nature of the ‘knowable’/reality?: Whilst epistemology is about the science of knowledge, ontology is about the worldview of the researcher. Ontology is a branch of philosophy concerned with the assumptions people make to believe that something makes sense or is real. Alternatively, it is the very nature or essence of the social phenomenon investigated (Scotland, 2012), the study of the nature of existence or reality, of being or becoming, as well as of the basic categories of things that exist and their relations. There are two aspects to ontology: subjectivism and objectivism. The latter ‘portrays the position that social entities exist in reality external to social actors concerned with their existence; whereas the former holds that social phenomena are created from the perceptions and consequent actions of those social actors concerned with their existence’ (Saunders, 2007, p. 106)

‘Schwandt (1998) has noted that the terms interpretive, interpretivism, constructivist and constructivism are commonly encountered in the lexicon of social science methodologists and philosophers, and that their particular meanings depend on the user ’s intentions’ (Tribe, 2009, p. 70). He then explains the commonalities between these two sets of terms, one of which is that these approaches share the goal of understanding the complex world of the lived experience from the vantage point of those who inhabit that world.

The main point is that the reality experienced by individuals and the specific meanings ascribed to a situation that in turn forms the object of social inquiry depicts the socially constructed view of reality by those individuals (Hetherington, 2003). The other shared feature of these terms is the belief that the only way of comprehending meanings inherent in the world is through interpretation.

To this end, while describing the interpretive paradigm, Denzin and Lincoln (1998, p. 26) note that’ ‘all research is interpretive, guided by a set of beliefs and feelings about the world and how it should be understood and studied.’

The constructivist epistemology is usually described as being transactional and subjectivist (Lincoln & Guba, 1998, 2000) in that the inquirer and the inquired into are viewed as closely interacting with each other (Lincoln & Guba, 1998). The findings of inquiry are regarded as having been created in the process of investigation (Lincoln & Guba, 1998).

An example of a constructivist undertaking in tourism knowledge production can be traced to Ning Wang (1999), who provided a conceptual clarification of the meaning of authenticity in tourism experience. Wang explored the concept of authenticity as perceived through the lenses of objectivism, constructivism, and post modernism, demonstrating the way these

various perspectives argue about whether and how toured objects are experienced as real, prior to suggesting existential authenticity as an alternative approach.

1.4.2 The research approach

1.4.2.1

Research Methods

This research relies on a mixed model that ‘combines quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques and analysis procedures’ (Saunders, 2007, p. 146). The perception based data generated through qualitative surveys by applying the importance performance analysis instrument (IPA), in depth interviews, and a qualitative assessment of tourism development in Albania depends on the needs of the research, qualitised and quantitised. Put differently, the quantifiable data acquired through quantitative techniques are qualitised, i.e.’converted into narrative that can be analysed qualitatively’ (ibid.). This is the case of the findings from the IPA application.

The evolution of the tourism sector has seen a rise in the application of quantitative techniques to study it. ‘[T]he most prominent [explanation for this development] is perhaps the fact that, as the reliance of destinations on tourism has grown and the industry expanded globally, more resources have been devoted to the collection of quantitative data and the maintenance of tourism data sets’ (Dwyer et al., 2012, p. 1) Quantitative techniques command more attention from stakeholders in the sector including policymakers, who benefit from them in devising evidence informed policy decisions.

1.4.3 Data collection method

Some of the most commonly used quantitative research methods in this thesis include:

1.4.3.1

Surveying (Importance Performance Analysis)

Ever since 1970s when it was pioneered by Martilla and James (1977), the Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) index has become a simple, popular surveying technique applied to different areas in the services industries (Lai and Hitchcock, 2014, p. 242). IPA is a tool that analyses quality attributes on two dimensions: performance and importance. Given the various validity concerns about IPA raised by numerous researchers, such as Azzopardi & Nash (2013), this instrument will not be used exclusively but as one of several other research methods (e.g. in depth interviews, case studies, and desk research). The findings generated via IPA will also be viewed together and against the findings produced by using the other methods.

An administered survey based on IPA provides:

o Perceptions / opinions of tourism operators in various segments (accommodation, services, education, destination management, policymaking, marketing, etc.)

o Perceptions of other identified groups on the same domestic and international tourists

o A basis for comparing these perceptions with existing policies and destination management practices

o A basis for an analysis of the difference between perceptions and what is considered important for future tourism development in EU countries (e.g.: contrast between the IPA factors and EU guidelines for sustainable tourism development)

o Information that can contribute to territorial planning and sector governance.

The Importance Performance Analysis will serve to measure perception of both service providers and tourists in the sustainable tourism model, yielding data on the following questions:

Is place based/sustainable tourism development a possible alternative to what for Albania?

What do service providers and tourists (including domestic and international) think of Albania as a sustainable tourism destination?

What are the critical factors that need to be addressed to improve Albania’s sustainable tourism destination governance?

To what extent do these ideas and opinions match with the (a) territory, (b) resources, (c) demand trends, and (d) tourism offer typology?

The application of IPA in Albania collected information from different service and territorial typologies. The survey was conducted in 5 different locations (municipalities) in Albania, based on the following criteria:

Surface Population

Connectivity

Natural resource ‘portfolio’

Income from hotel tax (revenue, collected locally)

Geographic representation

Different territorial typologies

The respondents were selected through a stratified random sampling and interviewed using the face-to-face contact method. IPA questions were asked through rating of statements "twice on a Likert scale of 1 5, where 1 is least and 5 is most: first about #how important’ and second about #how good’ the performance of a particular service/or application of an element was. The IPA survey was conducted with two different groups, representing the demand and offer in a tourism system, namely: tourists and service providers, respectively. The survey was carried out between July and September 2021, which corresponds to the busiest season in Albania’s tourism calendar.

The survey for tourists consisted of 43 questions organised into 3 sections:

1. General data/overview captured in 10 multiple-choice questions aimed at profiling the respondent in terms of country of origin, age group, gender, education, occupation, choice of accommodation when travelling, duration of stay, destination typology and choice of travel companionship;

2. Likert scale questions with a focus on tourists’ perceived importance and performance on 24 aspects related to sustainable tourism and place based tourism development elements. Some of the aspects include: fulfilment of expectations at destination; green space in the surrounding areas at destination; use of local materials (like stone or wood); an obvious vernacular character of the place; use of high energy efficiency materials; use of recycling or similar practices; safety at destination; hospitality; hygiene; artistic wealth and cultural heritage at destination; available infrastructure at destination (meaning what more specifically); access for people with disabilities; display of orienting signs; use of local ingredients in food; local employees; variety of touristic experiences at destination; availability of online information about the destination; affordability, etc.;

3. A set of 9 open ended questions seeking to map: other visited countries in the Western Balkan region; how destinations compare; average expenditure per person/per holiday; willingness to pay more for services that respect nature and involve local community; purchasing of locally produced goods; preferred alternatives between mass tourism and more sustainable alternatives.

The survey for the service providers consisted of 81 questions organised into 3 sections.

1. General data/overview via 7 multiple choice questions aimed at profiling the respondent in terms of type of service provision, gender, age group, education, occupation, experience in the tourism sector; typology of tourists targeted by their business; origin of tourists served; typology of tourists served; preferred typology of tourism;

2. Likert scale with a focus on the service providers’ perceived importance and performance on 4 different dimensions, namely: (A) sustainable tourism development; (B) social and local aspects; (C) environmental aspects; (D) organisational aspects. The questions under these four categories explored crucial constituent aspects related to sustainability, namely: societal, environmental, and economic. An additional aspect, that of ‘organisational’ was introduced, in order to collect information on the way ‘tourism offer’ as shaped and delivered by service providers, operates today, and to evaluate to what extent it is possible to shift towards sustainable forms of tourism.

3. 8 open ended questions to assess: perceptions of competition in the region; Albania’s competitive advantage; how foreign tourists compare to local tourists in terms of requests/expectations; pricing policy; partnerships with foreign actors; appropriateness of public policies in the tourism sector; sustainable tourism costs; and any feedback that does not fall under previous questions.

In total, 53 surveys were conducted, which were processed with SPSS Statistics, through the following techniques: Statistical testing techniques, regression analysis, and paired sample test. Correlation analysis will also be applied, to the strength of association between two variables by calculating a correlation coefficient (Dwyer et al., 2012, p. 20)

1.4.3.2

Structured interviews

One of the primary data collection method employed by this research is the ‘structured interview’, in the highly 31 organized and structured sense, ‘using organized questions for each respondent’ (Saunders, 2007). The structured interviews targeted officially certified agritourism entities, as defined by Law no. 93/2015 ‘On Tourism’:

‘Agritourism is the host activity of a farm or other agricultural plant, with the aim of attracting visitors, often by engaging them in their agricultural activities or other support activities they have in that agricultural environment. Agritourism supports the sustainable tourism of rural areas environmental protection equipment, product storage and promotion of typical products of the areas.’ (DCM, 2019)

In addition, the term is further detailed in the Decision of Council of Ministers no. 22, dated 12.1.2018 ‘For the approval of certification criteria of the agritourism activity’. A total of 22 interviews were conducted with agritourism entities over a period of one year (from June to October 2021). The questionnaire comprised 64 questions organized into 8 sections covering (1) general overview/ profiling questions; (2) serving capacity; (3) Clientele profiling; (4) Territory; (5) Connection with local communities and institutions; (6) innovation and sustainability in tourism; (7) online business promotion; (8) Covid 19 induced situation. The data collected was used to build cases based on qualitative analysis for each of the entities, with particular emphasis on territorial aspects such as: accessibility, connectivity, and proximity to natural resources. Part of the responses were subjected to a quantitative analysis to produce an overall view of the agrotourism sector in Albania.

1.4.4 Problems with gathering empirical material

Two major events occurred during the period of this research (2019 2022) and both had important consequences for the sector:

• A major earthquake devastating key tourist destinations in Albania in November 2019;

• The worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 and the travel restrictions imposed by authorities from March 2020 until late 2021.

These two events resulted in shrinking numbers of tourists, the closing of numerous tourism related businesses, and medium long terms negative impact on the sector. Given this difficult context for tourism in general, gathering empirical material also proved challenging in that:

• The process had to be postponed in line with applicable restrictions at the time of writing;

• The sample of respondents to choose from became smaller as fewer tourists came to Albania;

• The risk of Covid 19 contamination made approaching people less straightforward.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Tourism has a clear and indisputable connection to ‘territory’. The factors that drive interest in tourism almost always involve travelling to an ‘intended territory’. The value chain that supports the entire tourism activity often involves numerous territories, as does the destination. In addition, the overtime impact of continuous tourism is also manifested in the territory, through the various effects that increasing pressure and consumption generate. Territory stands at the core of the interdependent relationship between spatial planning and tourism. In their explanation of how tourism relates to spatial planning, Chettiparamb & Thomas (2012, p. 215) write of ‘the significance of the spatiality of tourism and particularly its relationship to places and their meanings for people’. In fact, the responsibility of spatial planning in shaping places has gained increasing attention. As Healey (2010) puts is, ‘planning is central to making the kinds of places (their feel as well as their functionality) that people want’. Chettiparamb & Thomas (2012) also touch on the limitations of planning, asserting that:

1. It can be narrow rather than expansive, meaning that ‘it may retreat into just a concern with physical changes or aesthetics of the built environment, ignoring their socio economic significance; or be focused on bureaucratic procedures rather than facilitating inclusive deliberation’ (quoted in Forsyth, 1999);

2. It may simply be one more agency among others pushing its ‘line’ rather than a coordinating mechanism. As such, it may add to conflict and/or confusion;

3. It may embrace entrepreneurialism in the broadest sense, focusing on getting things done and forgetting about the long term and/or the distribution of costs and benefits (quoted in Brownill, 1990).

Such limitations may generate tensions between the two disciplines (tourism and spatial planning), including ‘managing for equity and efficiency; managing planning and impacts across different time horizons; planning and managing unpredictability in a changing globalised world of multiple influences and multiple actors’ (Chettiparamb & Thomas, 2012, p. 217). For the purposes of this research, the analysis will rely on both tourism and spatial planning. The chapter is organised in the following sections: o geography and tourism, o place and tourism, and o sustainability and tourism.

2.1 Geography and Tourism

Tourism and geography are intricately connected. Both disciplines focus on exploring and acquiring knowledge of the world. In doing so, they rely on and contribute to several other disciplines. This two-way relation means that both disciplines are also affected by disciplinespecific dynamics. Geography is foundational to tourism: it can shape, change, expand tourism activities, while also sharing with it a wide range of knowledge and interpretations about environments that tourism values. In its own turn, tourism can affect geography, with specific reference to both territories and populations/local communities (Pellegrini, 2012, p.5). This has been shown in a number of affected ‘territories’, such as Durrës (Albania) transformed by rapid urban development in support of tourism demand to the detriment of cultural heritage and coastal landscape; Dubrovnik old city (Croatia) part of the UNESCO world heritage site damaged by the overrun of tourists, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon (Iceland) which is now closed to tourists because of the negative effects increased flow of tourists had on its biodiversity and vegetation; Hanoi (Vietnam), and Kyoto (Japan) which have similarly been impacted by the effects of mass tourism. Reliance on tourism-induced income has resulted in increasing territorial marketing (Pellegrini, 2012, p. 2). Chabot (1964) defines the

link between tourism and geography as predestined: ‘every geographer has to necessarily be doubled by the qualities of a tourist and also reciprocally, we can say that in every tourist there is a hidden geographer, because the intelligent tourist is actually a geographer that has not discovered himself.’

Although the genealogy of tourism geography can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century (Mitchell and Murphy, 1991, p. 58), the geographical nature of tourism is innate, deeply rooted in the definitions of geography, tourism and several comprising elements, such as place and space. The definitions of geography are numerous and differ in terms of how they view the relationship between man and the physical, if at all. Early, noteworthy attempts to define geography go as far back as Strabo of Amasia (64 BC 23 AD), who wrote ‘the first geographical treatise which encompasses the whole known world of that time’ (Koszek, 2015, p. 50), ‘providing a remarkable account of the state of Greek geographical science, as well as of the history of the countries it surveys.’ (Britannica2) Claudius Ptolemy, a mathematician, astronomer and geographer, refers to geography in his Geographike Uphegesis (approx. 150 AD) as ‘the representation, by a map, of the portion of the earth known to us, together with its general features, […] tasked to present the known world as one and continuous, to describe its nature and position, and to include only those things that would be contained in more comprehensive and general description’ (quoted in Lukermann, 1961, p. 194).

Some of the earliest references to geography as a distinct discipline (science) are attributed to philosopher turned geographer Immanuel Kant and can be ‘found in the introductory lecture of an elementary course in geography he gave at Konigsberg during most of the second half of the eighteenth century’ (Hartshorne, 1958, p. 99). There, Kant differentiated between three core concepts: geography, chorography and topography. Then there is Alexander von Humboldt (1769 1859), one of the most influential thinkers and scientists of his time, particularly in the field of geography, ‘who played an important role in the transition between the classical era of geography and what geography would become in the modern era’. (Nelson, 2013, p. 10) In his first major publication in 1793, Humboldt referred to geography as ‘erdkunde’, explaining that ‘Erdkunde studies animate and in animate nature . . . both organic and inorganic bodies. It is divided into three parts: solid rock geography, which Werner has industriously studied; zoological geography, whose foundations have been laid by Zimmerman; and the geography of plants, which our colleagues have left untouched’ (quoted in Hartshorne, 1958, p. 100) During this time, the scientific work carried out by Humboldt and Kant ‘expanded discipline research area beyond the mere description of regional, environmental, and human elements, in order to achieve a better comprehension of whole reality’ (Pellegrini, 2012, p. 2)

Jean Jacques Elissee Reclus (1830 1905), the French geographer and anarchist believed that ‘man and place viewed in the dimension of space constitute geography.’ (Anthony, 1959, p. 78) Another distinct geographer from the 19th century, Friedrich Ratzel (1844-1904), spoke of anthropo geographie, which builds around the relationship between man and his environment (ibid.), aiming to establish a relationship between the social sciences and geography.

By the end of the 19th century, geography was attracting increasing attention from across disciplines, which proved helpful in crafting definitions and treatises on geography in an interdisciplinary perspective. Professor James Bryce (1892), a renowned lawyer, historian and political scientist developed a keen interest in geography and discussed ‘in significant fashion the relationship between geography and the social sciences in a remarkable article in the Contemporary Review in 1896; and throughout his life he was intensely interested in the undertakings and the achievements of geography (Merriam, 1922, p.87). Bryce (quoted in Ripley, 1894, p.322) maintained that: 2

https://www.britannica.com/topic/humanities Accessed on 08.01.2022.

‘Geography is the point of contact between the sciences of nature taken all together and the branches of inquiry which deal with man and his institutions. Geography gathers up the results which the geologist, the botanist [and] the zoologist have obtained, and presents them to the student of history, economics, and politics as an important part of the data from which he must start and of the materials to which he will have to refer at many points in the progress of his research.’

The French geographer Jean Brunhes (1869-1930) offered in his book ‘Human Geography: an attempt at a positive classification; principles and examples’ what the American Geographical Society (1922) defined as ‘a profound and original contribution to scientific literature; a large, imposing, clearly printed tome, full of diagrammatic maps and tasteful sketches in black and white and in colour’ (p.430). In his work, Brunhes (quoted in Anthony, 1959, p.79) emphasised the human aspect of geography, advocating that ‘human geography recognizes that human energy should be classed among the most potent factors that tend to change the crust of the planet.’

The relation to human nature and attempts to analyse it from different viewpoints was explored/promoted by research into the 20th century. The Chinese geographer Yi fu Tuan (1975) adopted a phenomenological approach to the definition of the discipline, which he took ‘to mean a philosophical perspective, one which suspends, in so far as this is possible, the presuppositions and method of official science in order to describe the world as the world of intentionality and meaning’ (quoted in Tuan, 1971, 181). According to Tuan, phenomenology is concerned with the study of ‘essence’ the essence of man, space or of a particular experience. As such, phenomenology views geography as ‘a mirror for man reflecting and revealing human nature and seeking order and meaning in the experiences that we have of the world.’ (Tuan, 1975, p. 151)

Tuan (1971) considers five different perspectives to the ‘geography mirrors man’ concept: (1) the individual’s geographical concerns reflect fundamental human concerns and thought patterns; (2) the different types of mental space affect how the individual perceives space; (3) asymmetry of the body and of egocentric space has implications for the organisation of geographic space; (4) the binary and dialectical human response to the world; and (5) authenticity.’

Tuan’s conceptualisation is also relevant here to the study of sustainable place based tourism development. His analysis of geography, phenomenology, and human nature reveals a connection between geography and environment, which Tuan names ‘environmentalism’; and geography and existentialism. He classifies the two as typologies of geographic concerns and observes that: ‘Environmentalism operates in a world of objects, whereas existentialism in a world of purposeful beings’ (Tuan, 1971, p.182). Though his work, Tuan added to the community of geographers who helped introduce and consolidate the environmentalist perspective.

Conversely, Lukermann (1964, p. 167) defined geography as ‘the space of earth and rock, water and air, the built space of towns and villages, or landscapes expressing entire complexes of human intentions.’ He also introduced the idea that geography is ‘a profound and immediate experience of the world that is filled with meaning, and as such is the very basis of human existence, a knowledge of the world as it exists in places.’ (ibid.)

Similarly, James (1954, p. 4) focused on the association of geography with things that give character to particular places, while Hartshorne (1959, p. 15) distinguished ‘the integrations which geography is concerned to analyse as those which vary from place to place.’ Dardel (1952) then argued that before any scientific geography, a profound relationship exists between man and the world in which he lives: ‘une geographicite de l’homme comme mode de son existence et de son destin’ (a geographicity of man as a mode of his existence and his destiny).

Dryer (2008, p.348) also referred to ‘a sense of space relations’ to argue that ‘geography primarily involves in the mind a sense of space relations with other objects, a consciousness of surroundings, a knowledge of some portion of the face of the earth and its contained features.’ Unlike Dryer, but in line with most geographers in the first half of the 20th century, Anthony (1959, p. 79) defined ‘geography as a relationship between the physical and biological factors of a region and how man combines these factors to make the region and economic entity.’

Most researchers agree when it comes to the vast spectrum of facts that feed geography as a discipline. Alfred Hettner, the German geographer and long standing editor of the journal ‘Geographische Zeitschrif’ ’also also hailed as ‘the master of the methodology of geography’ (Hartshorne, 1958, p. 97) observed that ‘the materials of study in geography included a vast diversity of facts, to the extent many had doubted whether they could be united in a single science’ (Hartshorne, 1958, p. 97) He further argued that, in the case of geography, the unity is ensured by the method of study of the geographic facts coming from numerous sciences. From this perspective, he would agree with Anthony (1959, p. 79) that geography is like ‘a hunter’s stew…a bit of this and a dash of that.’

Hettner’s understanding of geography was considerate of both spatial and human aspects. He saw geography ‘from the point of view of diversity in space and aimed at a scientific explanation of the nature of regions, inclusive of their inhabitants’ (quoted in Dryer, 2008, p. 352). The interpretation of aspects related to human behaviour and diversity was considered so important for the discipline that ‘geographer Emanuele Kant even became a philosopher in order to interpret human behaviour, which he had studied in Germany. He also focused his studies on the world diversity, which he knew from the tales of the travellers he used to invite to his house’ (Pellegrini, 2012, p. 2)

Few years into Hettner’s elaborate study of the science of geography, the Third International Geographical Congress was held in Venice in 1881 and decided on the following definition of geography: ‘the study of the surface forms of the earth and the reciprocal relations of the different branches of the organic world, and is distinguished from other sciences by indicating the distribution of beings, organic and inorganic, upon the earth’ (Dryer, 2008, p. 352).

Carl Ritter, yet another German doyen of geography, also focused on the relations between humans and geography. And so did Professor Friedrich Ratzel, whose work on Athropo geography (or ‘Applied Geography’) ‘may be regarded as a more systematic attempt to show the general relations between man and his geographical environment.’ (Milne, 1899, p. 171) In fact, the latter is distinctively remembered for referring to earth as a ‘vast workshop’’, where all creatures were created, and all natural conditions were ensured, so men could occupy their position on earth. (Dryer, 2008)

There are countless definitions of geography, most linked to the work of German geographers of the late 18th and 19th centuries, which marks the end of the classical era. Such copiousness in definitions was not by divine providence but rather the result of geography being ‘formalised as a separate discipline, with chairs of geography established in Germany and Switzerland’ (Mitchell and Murphy, 1991, p. 58), for political and economic reasons. As the map of chairs of geography established in European countries expanded to include the United Kingdom, France, and part of Scandinavia, so did the inter disciplinary approach to the study and understanding of tourism, with various geographic journal articles being published as early as the 1930s in the US, France, Great Britain, and Japan.

As with most other disciplines/concepts, formulating a definition that is widely accepted can be a challenge. Hence, some approaches have proposed constituent themes. This is the case of the Joint Committee on Geographics Education of the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) and the Association of American Geographers (AAG), which advanced five key themes under the overarching discipline of geography, namely: (1) location, (2) place, (3) human environment interactions, (4) movement, and (5) regions. (Nelson, 2013, p. 10) These

themes clearly show the meeting points between geography and tourism, and the mutual connection between the two.

The significant connection between geography and tourism is illustrated below in Figure 7:

Figure 8 Author’s illustration of the connection between Geographical elements. Place, location, the relationship between humans and the environment, movement, and regions are also key concepts within a (sustainable) place based tourism development discourse. As such, the contribution of geography to the understanding and studying of tourism is important. The advancement of technology, including ‘the beginnings of computer induced transformations in cartography, the application of remote sensing techniques to both physical and cultural problems, and the creation of computer driven geographic information systems’ (Mitchell and Murphy, 1959, p.58) elevated geography to an entirely different performance standing. It enabled geograph disciplinary processes, fundamental to understanding, planning and management, as is the case with tourism, and its environmental, spatial, and behavioral aspects.

The pressure exerted by the rapid growth of (mass) tourism renders the geographical perspective indispensable; geography has helped to construct models (e.g. land use models, tourism environmental models), develop conceptual frameworks, and coin important concepts particularly within the sustainable tourism discourse, such as carrying capacity, participatory planning and resident response With the development of the geographic information systems, it has become possible to collect, store, analyse, and contextualise significant amounts of data on tourism, and to produce cartographic representation of these data particularly important for spatial planning.

Figure

2.2 Place and Tourism

2.1.1 Place

‘One of the oldest tenets of geography is the concept of place.’ (Concept of Place | National Geographic Society, n.d.) Integral to the urge to travel ‘away’ from the current reality where people conduct/’consume’ their lives and ‘towards’ a touristic experience lies an indivisible relationship with a place. This refers to the place where people live and which they loath to momentarily leave, the place(s) people transit through, and the place they aim to temporarily ‘experience’ as visitors, excursionists, or tourists the crucial difference among which relates to the duration of stay: less or more than 24hours. Moreover, as Marc Auge (1995) argues, somewhere in between transitions, a new typology of (non)places possibly lies: places people dream to visit someday, like places towards which people feel they have formed a connection through advertisements, brochures, and all the persuasive and enticing pressure exerted by technology to introduce, promote and market places virtually as well as physically

There has been an abundance of literature defining the concept of place and people’s inseparable connection with it. Rooted in the concept of the genus loci, as described by Alexander Pope (1995), place familiarizes people with unique locations. (Thwaites, 2001) The Merriam Webster Online Dictionary (2008) defines place as ‘1a) physical environment: space; 1b) a way for admission or transit; 1c): physical surroundings: atmosphere.’ Defining place for landscape architects within a place based tourism framework, it is crucial to understand the dynamic characteristic of a place, i.e. what it means to be local, its relationship and connection with sustainability, and how it can revitalize an at-risk community. Landscape architecture reflects society’s views of nature and our place within it manifested as physical alteration to the land. (Corner, 1990, p. 144) Place is therefore a construct of the human connection with the landscape surrounding it.

In ‘Lure of the Local’, Lucy Lippard (1997) wrote that ‘[p]lace is latitudinal and longitudinal within the map in a person’s life. It is temporal and spatial, personal and political. A layered location replete with human histories and memories, place has width as well as depth. It is about connections, what surrounds it, what formed it, what happened there, what will happen there.’ (ibid., p. 7) David Canter, known as the pioneer of place theory and author of ‘The Psychology of Place’ explained that places have three components: 1) the physical (meaning the land itself); 2) the experiential (referring to events occurring there) and 3) the conceptual (meaning, ideas, and emotional attachment) (quoted in Thwaites, 2000, 2001).

Man and place are bound in an all time relationship, affecting, shaping and defining one another, attesting to one another’s existence. Some views define the state of being human as living in a world filled with significant places; a man parched with thirst for meaning, for understanding its own life’s sense, and for connecting with other realities: its places and its people. The philosopher Martin Heidegger (1958, p. 19) declared that ‘place places man in such a way that it reveals the external bonds of his existence and at the same time the depths of his freedom and reality’ Malpas (2012), a keen researcher of Heidegger’s work, pointed out that the idea of place or topos constitutes a recurrent theme in his work.

Heideger’s treatise of place, although philosophical shares similarities across disciplines. Scholars such as McCullers (1940) go as far as to relate the concept of place to knowledge of oneself: ‘[t]o know who you are, you have to have a place to come from.’ As a concept, place is central to any discussion on territory and relates to various other concepts, including identity, ground, limit, unity, position, organism, space, time, and world. (Malpas, 2012, p. 6) The author of ‘Wisdom sits in place’, Keith Basso (1996, p. 11), refers to this as a ‘mutually constitutive’ relationship, with ‘one looping back in to reinforce, shape, or disrupt the other.’

Canadian geographer Edward Relph (1976, p.4), celebrated for his book ‘Place and Placelessness’, looked at place ‘not just as a formal concept awaiting definition, but also as a naive and variable expression of geographical experience.’ In addition to what is understandably a geography tinted definition, Relph viewed place as ‘a centre of action and intention: the essence of place lies in the largely unselfconscious intentionality that defines

places as profound centres of existence’ (ibid.) This definition positions ‘place’ as object to man’s intentions and other human driven behaviour. Equally importantly, it is particularly relevant to the place based sustainable tourism development discourse. Similarly to Heidegger, Relph (1979, p. 4) also related places to people’s experience of the world. He regarded places as fusions of human and natural order, defining them as the significant centres of people’s immediate experiences of the world. The connection between humans and places is meaningfully captured in the way certain cultures within the African continent adorn the identity of a place onto a human the moment s/he is born outside his/her family’s village, ‘identifying’ the human through a feature of the landscape where s/he was born. In this sense, Augé (1995, p. 53) explained that ‘the actual place of birth is a constituent of individual identity.’

As Relph (1975, p. 6) pointed out, ‘[w]e live, act and orient ourselves in a world that is richly and profoundly differentiated into places, yet at the same time we seem to have a meagre understanding of the constitution of places and the ways in which we experience them.’ Relph’s concern with the limited understanding of this concept is shared by other scholars. Smith (2015, p. 220), for example, observed that despite the growing emphasis on place based scholarship and activity in many domains, ‘place’ receives surprisingly little attention in tourism even if the concept is fundamental to tourism. He further argued that this inattention also stands at odds with the fact that most widely accepted definitions of tourism and other inter related aspects within the tourism development discourse are entirely and unequivocally based on the concept of ‘place’. ‘In examining place in depth, Relph focuses on people’s identity of and with place. By the identity of a place, he refers to its ‘persistent sameness and unity which allows that [place] to be differentiated from others’ (Relph 1976, p. 45). Relph describes this persistent identity in terms of three components: (1) the place’s physical setting; (2) its activities, situations, and events; and (3) the individual and group meanings created through people’s experiences and intentions in regard to that place’ (Seamon & Sowers, 2008, p. 4).

So what is place? And how is it positioned in a tourism development context? Although place is an essential element in the geographical discourse, it is more than a set of geographical coordinates for tourist activities or for operators to stir interest and drive tourist flows.

For Martin Heidegger (1958, p. 19), place is a profound and complex aspect of man’s experience of the world. As such, Heidegger highlights the intrinsic connection between man and place, and the decisive role the latter assumes in shaping, influencing, altering, and/or enriching a man’s perception of the world. Moreover, Heidegger’s definition supplies an additional relevant element for this research, that is the implicit ‘time’ aspect nested in the ‘existence’ term.

Geographer Fred Lukermann (1964) defined places as complex integrations of nature and culture that have developed and are developing in particular locations, and which are linked by flows of people and goods to other places. It is unclear in Lukermann’s definition whether man is an extrinsic element that serves to connect what is already ‘a place’, whether man is an influencing subject on the development process of a place, or both. He identified several characteristics that apply to ‘place’, including the location, the integration of elements of nature and culture, interconnectedness through a system of spatial interactions and transfers, belonging to a system of localisation, meaning, and being in a state of ‘emerging’ or ‘becoming’.

Figure 10 Author’s illustration based on the explanation of ‘place' by Lukermann (1964)

By location, Lukermann (1964, p.169) means ‘the internal characteristics (site) and external connectivity to other locations’, more specifically concerned with how a place relates to other things and other places. According to Malpas (2012, p. 12), to be located is to be within, to be somehow enclosed but in a way that at the same time opens up, creating possibilities.

Lukermann (ibid.) understood ‘place’ as a unique entity, each with its ‘own order, its special ensemble’, distinguishable from the next place yet part of a larger system of spatial interactions, or a framework of circulation. The ability to establish relations ‘of inside and outside that are directly tied to the essential connection between place and boundary or limit’ is what Malpas (2012, p. 2) also recognised as a feature of place. According to Lukermann, places are localised, part of larger areas, whose (changing) historical and cultural tessiture affects places, i.e. they are always emerging or becoming. Lukermann (1964, p. 169) also remarked that ‘places have meaning’, as man vests his beliefs onto them: ‘‘Geographers wish to understand not only why place is a factual event in human consciousness, but what beliefs people hold about place….it is this alone that underlies man’s acts which are in turn what give character to a place’. On a critical note, Lukermann did not distinguish clearly between the concepts of place, region, area, or location, but used them interchangeably.

Yi fu Tuan (1975), arguably one of the most influential figures in human geography, defined place as a ‘centre of meaning constructed by experience, which is not known only through senses and the mind, but also through means of both passive and direct modes of experience resist objectification’. Most geographers approach the study of place either as a location or as a unique artifact. The facts of geography are place facts: their association gives rise to the concept of landscape. (Sauer, 1963, p. 321) But for Tuan (1975, p. 152), ‘[p]lace, at all scales, from the armchair to the nation, is a construct of experience; it is sustained not only by timber, concrete, and highways, but also by the quality of human awareness.’

The French anthropologist Marc Augé (1995, p. 42) defined place as: ‘The one occupied by the indigenous inhabitants who live in it, cultivate it, defend it, mark its strong points and keep its frontiers under surveillance, but who also detect in it the traces of chthonian or celestial powers, ancestors or spirits which populate and animate its private geography; as if the small

fragment of humanity making them offerings and sacrifices in this place were also the quintessence of humanity, as if there were no humanity worthy of the name except in the very place of the cult devoted to them.’

Places, as Doreen Massey (1995, p.188) argued, ‘are part of the subject-matter of geography.’ She suggested setting placeness in the wider context of the forces and relations which lay not only within but also beyond them, and which play an important role in determining their fate. When discussing about place, Massey’s definition relies on the historical layers and relations established between sets of circumstances over time and space.

Similarly to Tuan, Massey (1995, p. 188) also transcended the traditional definitions of place focused primarily on the physical aspects and made time an important factor shaping the ‘whatness’ of a place: ‘Places as depicted on maps are places caught in a moment: they are slices through time.’ Her definition incorporates aspects of identity, which as she explains, ‘is established through presenting a particular reading of that history.’ (ibid.)

In writing about ‘place’, Massey (1995, p.119) was critical about how one of its core dimensions is viewed as ‘the local’ . To call something a local struggle or a local concern was in this lexicon to designate it with a whole range of characteristics a kind of particularism, an exclusivity, often an essentialism, and a selfishness which refused to consider the supposedly greater good of some (implicitly or explicitly) and supposed universal. (ibid.) Moreover (and quite apart from all the methodological confusions in which the term became entangled), the negative designation of things as (merely) local slipped out of its geographical meaning to be used in relation to a whole variety of issues and struggles.

As a result, the concept of place has numerous definitions, from the simple i.e. ‘a space or location with meaning’ to the more complex i.e. ‘an area having unique physical and human characteristics interconnected with other places.’ (Concept of place | national geographic society, n.d) There are three key components of place: location, locale, and a sense of place. Location is the position of a particular point on the surface of the Earth. Locale is the physical setting for relationships between people, such as the South of France or the Smoky Mountains. Finally, a sense of place is the emotions someone attaches to an area based on their experiences. Place can be applied at any scale and does not necessarily have to be fixed in either time or space. Additionally, due to globalization, place can change over time as its physical setting and cultures are influenced by new ideas or technologies. (Society and Society, 2022)

Michel de Certeau (1984, p. 173) perceived the place, of whatever sort, as containing the order ‘in whose terms elements are distributed in relations of coexistence’. Although he ruled out the possibility of two things occupying the same ‘spot’ and admitted that every element of the place adjoins others in a specific ‘location’, he defined place as an ‘instantaneous configuration of positions.’ In other words, the elements coexisting in the same place may be distinct and singular, but one can think about their interrelations or about the shared identity conferred on them by their common occupancy of the place. (Augé, 1995, p. 54).

To help In the table below, numerous definitions of ‘place’ have been included, from various disciplines.

Definition Discipline Core concepts

Place is one of the trickiest words in English. It carries resonances of homestead, location, and position in social hierarchy (Hayden, 1995, p.15).

Planning Location, position, social hierarchy

Place has a surfeit of meanings words such as location, locale, neighbourhood, region, territory refer to ‘the generic qualities of place,’ while words such as city, village, town and state which designate particular kinds of places, while others such as community have strong connotations of place. ‘Place has to be one of the most multi layered and multipurpose keywords in our language’ (Harvey, 1996, pp. 208 209).

‘Place makes a poor abstraction. Separated from its materializations, it has little meaning’ (Geertz in Feld and Basso, 1996, p. 259)

‘No one quite knows what they are talking about when they are talking about place…It is wrapped in common sense’ (Cresswell, 2004, p.1)

Place is ‘a way of seeing, knowing and understanding the world’ that allows us to grasp attachments and connections (Cresswell, 2004, p.1)

Place is not just a formal concept awaiting definition but also a naive and variable expression of geographical experience (Relph, 1976, p. 4)

‘A place is a centre of action and intention…The essence of place lies in the largely unselfconscious intentionality that defines places as profound centres of human existence’ (Relph, 1976, p. 4)

‘Places are fusions of human and natural order and are the significant centres of our immediate experiences of the world’ (Relph, 1976, p. 4)

‘Place is a type of object. Places and objects define space;’ they are centers of value. A neighborhood is at first a confusion of images to a new resident, it is ‘blurred space’ before it becomes a place’ (Tuan,1977, p.17).

‘Place can be defined in a variety of ways. Among them is this: place is whatever stable object catches our attention.’ This applies to mountains, buildings, statues, town squares (Tuan,1977, p.161).

The situations in which people live and work, converse with other, are alone, rest, learn, are active or still, but he also notes that the scale can range from a bed in a room to a region of Britain (Canter, 1977, p.1)

Geography Location, community, qualities of place

Anthropology Materialisation, abstraction

Geographer Knowing of the world, attachment, connection

(Humanistic) Geographer Geographical experience, centres of human experience, immediate experience of the world

(Humanistic) Geographer Centres of value, objects that catch our attention (including natural and man made)

Psychology Situations, daily life

A complex unity, a gathering in which we find ourselves together with other persons and things, somewhere that is simultaneously bounded and distinctive yet in which we are opened to the world and the world is opened to us (a paraphrasing of Relph as expressed in Malpas 1999; see also Heidegger’s Topology, 2006, p. 221).

The word ‘place’ focuses on the environmental settings to which people are emotionally and culturally attached. Place refers to a space that has been given meaning through personal, group or cultural processes (Altmand and Low, 1992, p.5)

A place is ‘a focus where we experience the meaningful events of our existence’ (Norberg Schulz, 1971, p.19).

‘The spaces where life occurs are places…A place is a space which has a distinct character’ (Norberg Schulz,1980, p.5)

‘What, then, do we mean by the word ‘place’?…We mean a totality made up of concrete things having material substance, shape, texture and colour. Together these things determine an ‘environmental character’ which is the essence of place’ (Norberg Schulz,1980, p.6)

Place is ‘the immediate ambiance of my lived body and its history, including the whole sedimented history of cultural and social influences and personal interests that compose my life history’ (Cassey, 2002 p. 404).

Casey cites, and uses as the foundation for his books about place, Aristotle’s remark that: ‘everything is somewhere and in place’ and Archytas’ suggestion that place is prior to all things. Casey comments: ’Place, by virtue of its unecompassability by anything other than itself, is at once the limit and the condition of all that exists.’ (Casey, 1993, p.14 15)

Place is best conceptualized by the idea of ‘locale’ which refers to the physical settings of social activity as situated geographically (Giddens, 1990, p.18)

Philosophy Unity, gathering

Psychology Environmental settings, space, meaning

Architecture Meaningful events, spaces

Philosophy Immediate ambiance

Philosophy Place, prior to all things

Sociology Locale, physical settings, social activities

If place is the site of Being, then the views of modernity that stress Becoming entail ‘a spatial politics that renders place subservient to transformations of space.’ (Harvey, 1989, p. 257)

‘It is impossible to proceed far with a discussion of space and time without invoking the term ‘place’. Like time and space it has a wide range of metaphorical meanings, such as the place of men in society, our place in the cosmos (Harvey, 1996, p.208 209)

Massey challenges concepts of place that see it as sites of nostalgia, opt out from progress and are bounded, authentic, and timeless. Instead, he proposes that places are particular moments in intersecting social relations (Massey, 1994, p. 4 5, 120)

Places ‘are not so much bounded areas as open and porous networks of social relations;’ place identities are constructed through their interactions with other places and have multiple and contested identities because different groups have different social relations (Massey, 1994, p. 121).

‘Place as a constellation of trajectories’ is open, not bounded, ever changing (Massey, 2007, p. 4).

‘What is special about place is not some romance of a pre given collective identity or the eternity of the hills. Rather, what is special about place is precisely that thrown togetherness, the unavoidable challenge of negotiating a here and now…and a negotiation which must take place within and between both human and nonhuman’ (Massey, 2005)

If human being is defined by place, then it follows that place is precisely what exists in common. Place, in the context of polis, becomes the locus of commonality’ (Benjamin, 2010, p.5)

‘If a place can be defined as relational, historical and concerned with identity, then a space which cannot be defined as relational, or historical or concerned with identity, will be a non place (Auge, 1995, p.77 78).

‘We reserve ‘place’ to represent all of those idiosyncratic ecological features including spatial location and time period that define the ecological context of a field study’ (Billick and Price, 2010, p. 4)

Geography (Political, Economy)

Being

Geographer (political, economic)

Nostalgia, authentic, timeless

Classicist Locus of commonality

Anthropology Identity, history, relations

Ecology Spatial location, time period

‘Place, as much as we see its theorists claiming to the contrary, is fundamentally a negation of history.’ It substitutes a historical view for a geographical and environmental one (Dainotto, 2000, p.2).

Literature

Table 1 A summary of various definitions of 'place' as collected by the author. The definitions above are taken from very different disciplines i.e. geography, ecology, architecture, anthropology, etc. Yet numerous common associations transpire, including terms such as identity, human, environment, history, and space. At least in part, this can be explained by the fact that interest in the notion of place is universal, as Tuan (1975, p.151) noted. Moreover, the various definitions of place offered above suggest that the way ‘place’ is conceptualised depends on one’s own experience of it. According to Tuan (1975, p.152), place is known not only with the eyes and mind, but also through the more passive and direct modes of experience, which resist objectification. In this research, the emphasis on ‘place’ as a core concept helps to better understand the character of various tourism destinations, the relations built between places and people (be them inhabitants, visitors or tourists), how they think about these destinations, and how they choose to interact with them.

For reasons that go beyond the scope of this study, others/scholars have adopted an anthropocentric approach to ‘places’. In doing so, they moved rapidly away from what Augé (1995, p. 44) defined as indigenous fantasy of a place. ‘ that of a closed world founded once and for all long ago; one which, strictly speaking, does not have to be understood. Everything there is to know about it is already known: land, forest, springs, notable features, religious places, medicinal plants, not forgetting the temporal dimensions of an inventory of these places whose legitimacy is postulated, and whose stability is supposed to be assured, by narratives about origins and by the ritual calendar’ That said, Augé is also careful about clarifying that ethnologists are just as aware as of the vicissitudes of history and mobility that shape the way people interact with places.

How are places experienced? To understand this, Relph (1976) explored four different dimensions, including: (1) the relationship between space and place, aimed at showcasing the array of place experiences and concepts; (2) the psychological links between people and the places they live in and experience; (3) the nature of the identity of places and the identity of people with a place; and (4) the sense of place and attachment to it as manifest in the making of places and landscapes. The essence of Relph’s argument (is that ‘distinctive and diverse places are manifestations of a deeply felt involvement with those places by the people who in live in them, and that for many such a profound attachment to place is as necessary and as significant as a close relationship with other people’ (Relph, 1976, p. 4)

The ways in which a place can be experienced, Relph distinguishes, can be authentically or inauthentically. ‘An authentic sense of place is ‘a direct and genuine experience of the entire complex of the identity of places not mediated and distorted through a series of quite arbitrary social and intellectual fashions about how that experience should be, nor following stereotyped conventions’ (Relph 1976, p. 64).

‘The experience of place, and the significance of a sense of place has never seemed simply a matter of sentiment or feeling, but something much deeper and more profound so that it should be unsurprising to find it clearly and powerfully evident in so many different forms of human expression and experience and to be indicative of exactly the sort of philosophical or ontological primacy of place that emerges from philosophical reflection.’ (Malpas, 2012, p. 4)

According to Tuan (1977), this experience can range from direct and intimate, to indirect and conceptual, and can be mediated by symbols. To make his point, he compared the intimate nature of someone’s experience with what is considered home and with one’s own country; the latter sits on a larger and more abstract scale. The experience of a local resident is different to that of a taxi driver, and even more so to that of a geographer, whose knowing is very conceptual.

To illustrate what gives a place its identity, Tuan (1977, p. 4) drew on the experience of the physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg when visiting Kronberg Castle in Denmark, as captured in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’:

‘Isn't it strange how this castle changes as soon as one imagines that Hamlet lived here? As scientists we believe that a castle consists only of stones, and admire the way the architect put them together. The stones, the green roof with its patina, the wood carvings in the church, constitute the whole castle. None of this should be changed by the fact that Hamlet lived here, and yet it is changed completely. Suddenly the walls and the ramparts speak a quite different language. The courtyard becomes an entire world, a dark corner reminds us of the darkness in the human soul, we hear Hamlet's ‘To be or not to be.’ Yet all we really know about Hamlet is that his name appears in a thirteenth-century chronicle. No one can prove that he really lived, let alone that he lived here. But everyone knows the questions Shakespeare had him ask, the human depth he was made to reveal, and so he, too, had to be found a place on earth, here in Kronberg. And once we know that, Kronberg becomes quite a different castle for us’ .

But ‘[w]hat do people make of places? The question is as old as people and places themselves, as old as human attachments to portions of the earth.’ (Basso, 1996, p. xiii) Whether people experience a place as a lived, transited or temporary environment, they interact with it. Relph (1978) explores this interaction, through the concepts of ‘insideness’ and ‘outsideness’. By insideness he refers to ‘the core lived structure of place as it has meaning in human life’ (Seamon & Sowers, 2008, p. 4), which is assessed by means of how connected, safe, enclosed and comfortable a person feels in a place. ‘Relph suggests that the more profoundly inside a place a person feels, the stronger will be his or her identity with that place’ (ibid.) ‘Outsideness’, Relph explains, ‘refers to the feeling of separate or alienation from a place’ (ibid.).

In cities, space is increasingly re organised to become urban. According to the Degree or Urbanisation classification, ‘the world is already much more urbanised than previously thought. While in 2015 the UN reported that 54% of the global population lived in urban areas, this new definition leads to an estimate of 76.5% in 2015 some 5.6 billion people. This share increased from 69% (2.8 billion people) in 1975, to 73% (3.9) in 1990 and 75% (4.6) in 2000.’ ‘Eurostat, 2022).

In Kunstler’s (1993, p.173) poignant words, ‘in every corner of the nation, we have built places unworthy of love and move on from them without regret. But move on to what? Where is the ultimate destination if every place is Nonplace?’ Augé (1995, p.56) took this observation further, speaking of technicists who create new towns which cannot be ‘lived’ because they bypass the ‘slow history; the individual itineraries that intersect and mingle, where a few words are exchanged and solitudes momentarily forgotten, on the church steps, in front of the town hall, at the café counter or in the biker's doorway: the rather lazy rhythm and talkative mood that still characterize Sunday mornings in contemporary provincial France’

Instead, technicists mass fabricate experiences and landscapes that are certain to attract the attention of what Augé (ibid.) refers to as ‘the passer by the tourist’. For Augé (1995, p.78), this is a by product of super modernity. Hence, the hypothesis that super modernity produces ‘non places’, i.e. ‘spaces which are not themselves anthropological places and which unlike Baudelairean modernity, do not integrate the earlier places: instead these are listed, classified, promoted to the status of places of memory’ (ibid.), and assigned to a circumscribed and specific position.

Augé (1995, p. 79) also identified non places within a tourism context, as ‘all the air, rail and motorway routes, the mobile cabins called 'means of transport' (aircraft, trains and road vehicles), the airports and railway stations, hotel chains, leisure parks, large retail outlets, and finally the complex skein of cable and wireless networks that mobilize extra terrestrial space

for the purposes of a communication so peculiar that it often puts the individual in contact only with another image of himself.’

Thus, Augé (1995, p.96) is critical of the non places created by super modernity, which often are defined and evoked by their function, expressed through names and labels, i.e. ‘their 'instructions for use', which may be prescriptive (‘Take right-hand lane'), prohibitive (‘No smoking') or informative ('You are now entering the Beaujolais region).’ He also emphasised how ‘certain places exist only through the words that evoke them, and in this sense they are non places, or rather. imaginary places: banal utopias, cliches. They are the opposite of Michel de Certeau's non place’ (Augé, 1995, p. 95).

The ‘clash for identity’ emerges clearly from Augé’s analysis: the places have been stripped of their original identities and have been attributed new, generic characteristics, primarily related to what that place is supposed to offer to a consumer. This development fosters a crisis of identity; it affects the question of the ‘local’, ‘the sense of place’, and sustainability. When speaking about defining identity, Massey (1995, p. 182) insisted that it would be much easier to recognise its absence: ‘A Kentucky Fried Chicken in Paris, for example, surely does not qualify as part of the French national identity. A McDonald's outlet in Kyoto hardly expresses the Japanese ethos ’ The (inadvertent) message is that of dislocation between the past and the present of a place.

Unlike Augé’s man serving, ‘invented’ traits of a place, Doreen Massey’s (1995, p. 182) characteristics of a place speak to the senses: ‘Arriving in Paris, say, on the first day of a much needed holiday we finally reach the kind of café we are looking for the smell of Gauloises, the taste of good coffee and croissants 'ah', we sigh with satisfaction, 'this is the real France.’ This ‘real France’, which tourists can ‘breathe in’ at the café, is in itself a multi layered construction of a place: different influencing factors in a particular moment in time (history) ‘settled into each other, moulded each other, produced something new. . .but which we now think of as old, as established. .. the essential France’ (Massey, 1995, p. 183)

Massey (ibid.) analysed ‘places’ as social constructs by distinguishing between the place, the articulations of social relations, and the geographical beyond. This is particularly insightful and useful to the concept of place based sustainable tourism development because it demarcates between the various elements related to the ‘place’ and the relations between them. ‘[The articulations of social relations such as trading connections, the unequal links of colonialism, thoughts of home are not only internal to that ‘locale’ but link them to elsewhere’.The 'local uniqueness is always already a product of wider contacts; the local is always already a production part of 'global' forces, where global in this context refers not necessarily to the planetary scale, but to the geographical beyond, the world beyond the place itself What Massey implies is that identities are constructed through ‘the specificity of their interaction with other places rather than by counterposition to them.’ People tend to think of ‘places’ as flat constructions, whose authenticity/ sense of place has travelled through time and has been preserved, unaffected by what Massey defines as ‘interconnected with else.’

Massey (1995) asserted that there are numerous ways how the past and present of a place can be ‘read’, and that the latter is conditioned by the former. This observation could aid the discussion on sustainability a very ‘time’ sensitive subject but also on the relationship between past, present and future of ‘places’. How do tourists interpret the past, and make it part of the present?

Millions of people will cross continents just to give their world meaning Augé (1995, p. 2) argued that ‘people seem to feel an explicit and intense daily need to give it meaning: to give meaning to the world, not just some village or lineage. This need to give a meaning to the present, if not the past, is the price we pay of the overabundance of events corresponding to a situation we could call ‘super modern’ to express its essential quality: excess.’

Moreover, customers/tourists increasingly demand more unique and memorable experiences and tourism service providers must be able to deliver them. They are valued on the basis of

their ability to supply such experiences. As a result, tourism creates ‘new patterns for production and trade’ (Durbarry, 2004 in Petriconi, 2016, p. 1)

The uniqueness of the touristic experiences is inevitably related to the concept of place. And the tourism service providers must rely on the traits that make places distinctive and unforgettable if they are to deliver unique and memorable experiences to their customers,

In the tourism development discourse, ‘excess’ is a super-modern quality that has many implications for place(ness) , including social, environmental, economic, and territorial.

2.3 Sustainability and tourism

‘I do not wish to seem overdramatic, but I can only conclude from the Information that is available to me as Secretary General, that the Members of the United Nations have perhaps ten years left in which to subordinate their ancient quarrels and launch a global partnership to curb the arms race, to improve the human environment, to defuse the population explosion, and to supply the required momentum to development efforts. If such a global partnership is not forged within the next decade, then I very much fear that the problems I have mentioned will have reached such staggering proportions that they will be beyond our capacity to control’ (U THANT, 1969 in Meadows, 1972)

Most literature relates the emergence of the concept of sustainability to the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development Report. However, as a concern, sustainability has attracted the attention of scientists, educators, and the like already centuries ago. For example, in ‘the earliest days of Chinese civilization, the Taoists and Confucians showed a deep respect for nature by advocating an approach to life that was understood to be in accord with an ordered and balanced world.’ (Bańon, Gomis et al., 2011, p. 3) Similarly, the Hebrew Scriptures focused extensively on the relationship between humans and nature, stipulating that human righteousness, in addition to the divine aspects, was very much about the careful stewardship of the earth. Native Americans too believed and exercised principles of ‘harmony with nature as a sacred duty of human life.’ (ibid.).

Even Aristotle (322 B.C.) remarked that ‘Most persons think that a state in order to be happy ought to be large; but even if they are right, they have no idea of what is a large and what a small state. To the size of states there is a limit, as there is to other things, plants, animals, implements; for none of these retain their natural power when they are too large or too small, but they either wholly lose their nature, or are spoiled’. Centuries later, scholars would echo Aristotle’s observation.

Although our descendants enjoyed plentiful resources, they were careful about the efficient use of resources, with minimum waste. They used materials indigenous to their location to keep their habitats cool or warm depending on their climatic zone, and even constructed elaborate water supply and sewerage systems without the use of PVC pipes.’ (Shah, 2022)

Following the two world wars and the need for quick economic recovery in their aftermath, Rostow and Myrdal’s proposed models for industrial and population growth ‘were accepted as norms.’ (Bramwell & Lane, 1993, p.1) These ideas began to be questioned from mid 1960s onwards, when the damaging and irreversible impact of growth on the natural environment started to manifest itself.

In 1968, Garrett Hardin, an American ecologist, coined the term the ‘tragedy of the commons’ (Stoddart, 2011) to capture the lack of responsibility for the management of public goods and common resources shared and consumed by people for various interests and at an increasingly alarming pace.

The same year, a multinational gathering of thirty intellectuals in the ‘Academia dei Lincei’ in Rome, known as the ‘Club of Rome’, spoke of mankind’s inability to comprehend the

‘

problematique’, ‘the origins, significance, and interrelationships of its many components and thus is unable to devise effective responses’ (Meadows, 1972, p.11)

The multi disciplinary composition of the ‘Club of Rome’ was reflected in the observation that man’s failure to understand and provide solutions was primarily the result of a fragmented approach, ‘without understanding that the whole is more than the sum of its parts, that change in one element means change in the others’ (Meadows, 1972, p. 11) In 1972, the ‘Club of Rome’ published the ‘Limits to Growth’ report, which analysed the relation between nature and exponential growth, and proposed a global equilibrium for our finite system. A similar movement also emerged in Great Britain; initially heralded in 1972, in The Ecologist as a ‘Movement for Survival’. Its members, all researchers and scientists, expressed concern with the ‘industrial way of life’ that was ‘disrupting ecosystems and depleting resources, expanding population and consumption are endangering human survival.’ (Goldsmith et al., 1972, p. 1). Their hope was in ‘the dawn of a new age in which Man will learn to live with the rest of Nature rather than against it’ (ibid.), causing least ecological disruption, striving for increased conservation and keeping in check the population all in view of creating a sustainable society.

Environmental issues also began to receive attention in the press: ‘in Britain, an analysis of the space devoted to environmental issues in The Times newspaper shows that from 1953 to 1965, coverage was both minimal and steady, which by 1973 had increased by as much as 300%.’ (Brookes et al., 1980 in Bramwell & Lane, 1993, p. 1) Such developments encouraged the emergence of environmental groups and movements, like Friends of the Earth and Green Peace., ‘who looked for technical progress and change to help forge a new relationship between man's wish for economic growth and the need to conserve the environment.’ (ibid.) Bramwell and Lane (1993) relate the origins of the concept of sustainable development to the 1973 publication of Raymond Dasmann, John Milton and Peter Freeman, ‘Ecological Principles of Economic Development’ One of the first definitions of sustainable development related sustainability to societal stability along four key pillars: (1) minimum disruption of ecological processes; (2) maximum conservation of materials and energy or an economy of stock rather than flow; (3) a population in which recruitment equals loss; and (4) a social system in which the individual can enjoy, rather than feel restricted by, the first three conditions. (Goldsmith et al., 1972, p.8) What is known as the Brundtland report defines sustainable development as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ (WCED 1987, p. 43) The goals of this report, commissioned in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development in the form of a ‘Global Agenda for Change’, included: (1) propose long-term environmental strategies for achieving sustainable development by 2000 and beyond; (2) recommend ways in which concerns for the environment can translate into greater co operation among developing countries and between countries at different stages of economical and social development, leading to the achievement of common and mutually supportive objectives that take account of the interrelationships between people, resources, environment, and development; (3) consider ways and means by which the international community can deal more effectively with environment concerns; and (4) help define shared perceptions of long term environmental issues and appropriate efforts to successfully deal with the problems of protecting and enhancing the environment, a long term agenda for action during the coming decades, and aspirational goals for the world community (see Brundtland, 1987)

Figure 11 Creaco and Querini graphic representation of the sustainable development objectives (2003)

The report, titled ‘Our Common Future, From One Earth to One World’, offered a detailed account of global challenges including institutional gaps, crises, successes, and failures to that date. It also analysed policy directions, primarily focusing on population, food security, species and ecosystems, energy, industry, and urbanisation. It paid particular attention to the international cooperation and institutional reform on managing the commons and the environment.

The report also highlighted the ‘essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given’, and ‘the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organisation on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs’ (Creaco and Querini, 2013, p. 2)

Since then, sustainability has become an omnipresent term across sectors, generating a great number of definitions, tinted with sectoral and societal sensitivities, including sustainable resource management, sustainable livelihoods, sustainable societies, sustainable communities, sustainable cities, sustainable tourism, sustainable agriculture, and many more.

Other definitions were also/later developed to include more aspects. Basiago (1996, p. 135) focused on the application of sustainability ‘as an alternative to the pathology of modern urban form.’ Basiago’s definition also emphasised aspects such as vital, efficient, humane, self sufficient, and natural.

The Merriam Webster’s (2022) definition of sustainability zooms on ‘resources’: ‘Capable of being sustained. Of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.’ The Global Footprint Network defined sustainability by reference to ‘balance’ ‘… when resources are consumed faster than they are produced or renewed, the resource is depleted and eventually used up. In a sustainable world, society's demand on nature is in balance with nature's capacity to meet that demand.’

In their ‘Caring for the Earth’ Strategy for Sustainable Living (1991, p. 10), The World Conservation Union, United Nations Environment Programme and the World Wide Fund for Nature defined sustainable development as a means to ‘improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems. ‘The report (p. 8) stresses humanity’s obligation to ‘take no more from nature than nature can replenish’. It also outlines a number of sustainability principles, of which the fundamental ‘respect and care for the community of life’, followed by the ‘improvement of the quality of human life’, ‘conserving the earth’s vitality and diversity’, ‘minimizing the depletion of non renewable resources’, ‘keeping within the earth’s carrying capacity’, ‘changing personal attitudes and practices’, ‘enabling

communities to care for their own environments’, ‘providing a national framework for integrating development and conservation’, and ‘creating a global alliance’

Trying to define ‘sustainability’: Impossible, ‘intellectually arrogant’, and unrealistic It was classified as unrealistic because conventional mass tourism brought them many benefits. Since there are various definitions for and ambiguity about concepts (Saarinen, 2006 & Clarke, 1997), this section summarises the most important findings that enable work with the concept.

The President's Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD) established by former US President Bill Clinton in 1993 with an advisory mandate on sustainable development defined sustainability with a focus on pressure, as ‘ creating a life-sustaining Earth, a future in which prosperity and opportunity increase, while life flourishes and pressures on the oceans, Earth and atmosphere diminish.’ The PCSD’s goals built on the understanding that economic prosperity can only be pursued at the same time with environmental protection and social equity. Like previous reports mentioned here, the Council’s goals focused on health and environment, economic prosperity, equity, conservation of nature, sustainable communities, civic engagement, population, international responsibility, and education.

Sustainability attracted much academic attention, as researchers sought to define it and limit growth. Pearce, Makandia & Barbier (1989) spoke of sustainable development as a social and economic system, which would ensure that real incomes rise, educational standards increase, the health of the nation improves, and the general quality of life is advanced. Interestingly, Pearce (1993), explains sustainable development as concerned with the development of a society where the costs of development are not transferred to future generations, or at least an attempt is made to compensate for such costs (Definitions of Sustainability, 2022).

Since 1992, the number of multilateral environmental agreements has grown significantly, and, at present, there are many hundreds of binding and non binding global agreements on environmental issues, as well as a wide range of other agreements that address social and economic aspects of development. (Stoddart, 2011, p. 9) As seen before and pointed out by Heinen (1994), no single approach to 'sustainable development' or framework was consistently useful, given the variety of scales inherent in different conservation programmes and diverse types of societies and institutional structures.

Figure 13 Plans developed to tackle sustainability

In the process, the idea of sustainable development within the tourism discourse also emerged. Since then, as Saarinen (2014, p. 5) notes, it has become an important policy framework for tourism and regional developers, guiding their planning and development thinking.’

With the upward modern tourism growth trajectory after the world wars, its critics experienced a similar reaction as did ‘the environmental critics of the classical general economic growth model: protest a desire for the clock to be turned back a hope for improvement through technical developments and better management the emergence of the concept of sustainable development.’ (Bramwell & Lane, 1993, p. 2)

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Sustainable tourism development guidelines and management practices are applicable to all forms of tourism in all types of destinations, including mass tourism and the various niche tourism segments. Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic, and socio cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long term sustainability.

As such/From this perspective, sustainable tourism should:

1. Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.

2. Respect the socio cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter cultural understanding and tolerance.

3. Ensure viable, long term economic operations, providing socio economic benefits that are fairly distributed to all stakeholders, including stable employment and income earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.

In his ‘The environment tourism nexus influence of market ethics’, Andrew Holden (2009) describes society’s relationship with the natural environment, much impacted by tourism, as a ‘critical juncture’. This refers to the human behavior and attitude towards the natural environment how far the former can/should be allowed to go in transforming nature in the name of tourism development. He enlists a number of environmental problems, such as ‘global warming, ozone depletion, bio diversity loss, species extinction, and ecosystem degradation’ (Holden, 2009, p. 374). In addition, he mentions threats to the ecosystem services as specified in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), including ‘‘provisioning services’’ for example, food and water; ‘‘regulating services’’ for example, climate and flood control; ‘‘cultural services’’ that offer recreational, aesthetic and spiritual benefits; and ‘‘supporting services’’, for example, photosynthesis and nutrient recycling (. Yet, tourism is greatly dependent on these ecosystem services, giving rise to a sequence of reciprocal cause and effect processes: tourism builds/flourishes on ecosystem services but in the process and overtime it negatively impacts them, which, in turn, end up affecting the quality of the tourism offer.

Figure

Gössling (2000) and Durbarry (2004) note that such high reliance and impact is particularly common in developing countries and ‘more remote areas that are otherwise of less value’ (Petriconi, 2016, p. 1). In such cases, tourism is viewed as a nucleus driving economic growth. There is no dispute that tourism is highly reliant on resources. Given that resources do have a strong local anchoring territorially, environmentally, socially, and economically speaking, the debate on sustainable tourism is both complex and critical. As Holden (2009, p. 374) puts it, ‘tourism’s relationship with the natural environment is made complex through the involvement of a diversity of stakeholders, the variance of the spatial dimension of its activities, a lack of clear definition of key conceptual themes, and the subsequent difficulties of the systematic planning of its development.’

Sustainable tourism, similarly to ‘sustainability’, has been defined in many ways, including elements from across the spectrum of planning, environment, man made heritage, ecology, social equity and participation, economic and social. In fact, Pearce (1994b) writes that ‘the vocabulary of sustainability is still far from settled ... A wide variety of opinion exists as to what would constitute sustainable urban form.’ This renders the process of ‘defining’ it challenging, leading to numerous interpretations that vary in terms of scale, significance, and so on. Holden (2009, p. 374) calls it a ‘reductionist approach, limited to isolated examples of environmental initiatives and improvements undertaken by tour operators, hotel groups or destinations.’

The very notion of sustainability highlights a sense of responsibility towards future generations in the way we consume and protect resources. First, it is increasingly evident that the current form of tourism is unsustainable and will stop being a source of income for future generations. Second, given that unsustainable tourism negatively impacts the natural and cultural resources many destinations rely upon, the future of competitiveness is also at risk. Therefore, need to implement sustainability procedures in tourism becomes a priority, as a means to preserve resources, secure income for future generations and maintain the competitive advantage. (Saarinen, 2006 and Pomering, Noble, & Johnson, 2011) (Petriconi, 2016, p. 1) ‘Theories of sustainability attempt to prioritize and integrate social responses to environmental and cultural problems.’ (Willis, 2008, p. 380)

Place, location, the relationship between humans and the environment, movement, and regions, are all key concepts within a (sustainable) place based tourism development discourse. As such, geography’s contribution to the understanding and studying of the tourism phenomenon is important.

2.4 Analytical discussion

In seeking to research and understand tourism as we know it today, particularly from a territorial dimension, geography becomes an important starting point. Geography as a science

has its grounding on the study of different environments, places, spaces, and the interactions between them, and man. In essence it seeks to investigate and understand why things are the way they are, in their locations. Understandably, the focus of such study, at the beginning was primarily on understanding environments, places, and inter related phenomena. At this point, man’s interaction and transformational exchange with the surrounding nature was limited, also because of the world population being comparatively lower.

Almost all definitions on ‘geography’ consulted as part of this literature review, highlight the ’quest for knowledge’. From Strabo of Amasia, to Ptolemy, and other successors engaging in the study of geography concern themselves with the need to ‘know’ the world of the time: to know places, their traits, phenomena related to them, and why certain things happen documented in detailed accounts.

As the study of geography evolved and its connection to other disciplines became more obvious/known, the focus on relationships between the different elements subject of geographical investigation, and the relationship between such elements and man, also increased. By focusing on relationships, the relation between geography and other disciplines, and geography and man attracted more attention. As a result, the focus on the interplay between man and various elements subject of geographical inquiry, including place and territory, has increased across the disciplines. ‘Geographers have long spoken of the importance of place as the unique focus distinguishing geography from other disciplines’ (Seamon & Sowers, 2008, p. 3).

The relevance of geographical aspects to this research is significant: similarly to the development of geography as a discipline, aside from its leisurely aspects, tourism also has a strong connection to the need to know, explore, and understand. People are driven by ‘newness’; they visit new places to experience them. In the process, through the act of travelling, and through wanting to experience this ‘newness’, people interact with these elements, namely the place, the local community, the environment, the culture, the local economy, etc.

Travelling is not a new phenomenon: history has shown that the curiosity to know and learn about the unknown has been an integral part of mankind, from Pharaoh Hatshepsut of Ancient Egypt to a hitchhiking backpacker of today’s times. Whilst many centuries travelling was confined to a particular opulent and privileged few, i.e. royalty, nobility, merchants, researchers, the military, artists, etc., today travelling has become an affordable reality for most. Development of technology, improvement of labour rights, a general increase in welfare meant that the possibility to travel was made available also to the mass, leading to the emergence and popularisation of mass tourism constituting the demand for (mass) tourism. With millions of people travelling throughout the year, with a geography that is very international (and scattered), the transformative impact of tourism on the territory has become increasingly obvious and tangible, especially in places and among communities that are directly or indirectly engaged in the shaping and provision of the touristic offer. The territories subjected to (mass) touristic demand manifest a number of concerns including territorial/environmental, cultural, and social to mention a few. In fact, these concerns have been compared to ‘a volcano threatening to erupt for a very long time’ (Dodds & Butler, 2019, p. V), all of which covered by the term ‘over tourism’, which according to Milano (2018) refers to ‘the excessive growth of visitors leading to overcrowding in areas where residents suffer the consequences of temporary and seasonal tourism peaks, which have enforced permanent changes to their lifestyles, access to amenities and general well being’ (cited in Dodds & Butler, 2019, p.1). This phenomenon has led to the triangular relation: angry locals, concerned researchers/scientists, and hyped tourists. Milano’s cited definition focuses primarily on the impact over tourism has on the local communities, which most times coincides also with the tourism offer. The definition does not explicitly cover the taxing pressure excessive touristic activity can have on the territory in general, and place and environment in particular. It does however imply it.

The concept of over tourism is related to other concepts, namely: carrying capacity, resilience and sustainability. Carrying capacity as defined by Dodds and Butler (2019) refers to the maximum number of people that can use a facility without an unacceptable decline in the quality of the environment or in the quality of the experience (p.33). The concept of resilience in a tourism development context, refers to ‘the ability of destinations to absorb shocks and disturbances (impacts) and recover’ (Dodds & Butler, 2019, p.2). Whereas sustainability, defined in a myriad of ways as shown in section 3.3, in a tourism context as defined by the UN Environment Program and UN World Tourism Organization is used to mean ‘tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities’ (What is sustainable tourism?, n.d.). All three inter-related concepts, whether in a direct or indirect way, make reference to ‘facility’, ‘environment’, and/or the destination’. Facility and destination contain the concept of ‘place’, be it in both its most physical aspect, as well as in its other constituent elements and layers of meaning as detailed in section 3.2, such as: (i) place as a territory of meanings (Tuan, 1977); (ii) place as a physical setting of social activity (Giddens, 1990); (iii) place as a center of value; etc. Based on these definitions, the pressure exerted by excessive demand for tourism impacts the meaning, the physical setting and value offered by a place. Doreen Massey, in her definition of place, views the external input or pressure by the demand for tourism, as an interaction. She goes so far as viewing this place openness to interact, as part of the place identity which in her explanation, is evolving. The interactions between the place and other places, or the place and people, she views as trajectories, maintaining that ‘a place is a constellation of trajectories: it is open, not bounded, and ever changing (Massey, 2007). Whilst Massey implies that the concept of place is helpful also in the study of the various historical layers, Relph (1978), views the study and ‘understanding of place as fundamental in the process of maintaining and restoring existing places, or the making of new places’ (Seamon & Sowers, 2008, p. 3).

Place and tourism have an interesting relationship. They affect one another to a great extent. Tourism as we know it today, cannot happen without place: the occurrence of tourism as an activity is almost at all times related to some place, even the ‘transiting’ process from one place to another. The services as part of the tourism offer are connected to place: transport, hospitality in all that it entails, sports and leisure, and any other services. The impact is transformative, which raises the issue of place identity, and to what extent a place can evolve, yet maintaining intact that what constitutes the very essence of a place, which is also subject of tourism interest. Transformation, as it has been shown, can assume several forms: it can be in the form of environmental pollution, visual pollution, depletion of resources, and ‘training sensitive ecosystems to the breaking point’ (Coca, 2019). In Relph’s and Augè’s work, transformation is viewed as a parallel process, drifting places into placelessness and/or non places. Placelessness has been defined as:

‘The condition of an environment lacking significant places and the associated attitude of a lack of attachment to place caused by the homogenizing effects of modernity, e.g. commercialism, mass consumption, standard planning regulations, alienation, and obsession with speed and movement. Shopping malls, highways, post-war US suburbs, and edge cities are typically described as placeless, although cultural geographers have argued that they can be sites of meaning filled engagement and identity.’ (placelessness, n.d.)

Relph (1978) defines placelessness as ‘the casual eradication of distinctive places and the making of standardized landscapes that results from an insensitivity to the significance of place’ (Relph 1976, Preface). Modernism, the ‘mass’ scale to most activities previously confined to few such as tourism, air travel, car travel, etc.; and a spreading popular and fast culture in daily life has meant that authenticity has been gradually replaced by lesser authentic, more functional and practical approaches, which Relph terms placelessness. The overall impact of these two forces, Relph explains, which manifest through such processes as mass communication, mass culture, and central authority, is the ‘undermining of place for both

individuals and cultures, and the casual replacement of the diverse and significant places of the world with anonymous spaces and exchangeable environments’ (Relph 1976, p. 143).

Tourism offers both an illustrating and antithetical example of this phenomenon: as it has shown above, demand for tourism and offer has accelerated the spread of placelessness. In some cases this is unconscious process, as tourism service providers try to anchor themselves in high potential tourist destinations, such as chain hotels, chain bars and restaurants, and other complementary services such as those focused on leisure. The image below (fig.7) is an interesting example. Stripped off the elements that give the place its identity, this place, which could be any place, is inundated with non place elements, which are introduced purely for functional purposes and are meant to create ‘distinguishable sameness’. The ‘Gulf’, ‘Michelin’ or ‘Budweiser’ billboards look the same everywhere, adding to the rise of a non-place So as demand for ‘authentic’ tourism experiences grows with tourists wanting to have access to places that have not been made popular or exploited, the number of such places decreases.

Richard Butler’s tourism area life cycle model constitutes a clear example of the transformation trajectory a place undergoes as a result of tourism demand induced pressures. Examples of place turned tourist destinations and their ‘progression’ through the 6 different stages in Butlers’s TALC model can be identified across all continents.

Figure 15 ‘Placelessness’ as depicted by E. Relph, 2020 (left), and ‘Non places’ (right). (Source: Edward Relph, and Albertacarsigns).

Figure 16 Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia (Coca, 2019).

Massey’s definition of place is dynamic, implying that a place can evolve as historical layers adorn it with meaning and identity. In a tourism context, one could question if such development classifies as various layers of history or a single layer of a phase in history whose primary preoccupation is mass consumption. In which case, does rapid and continuous transformation occurring on a place add to the identity and authenticity of that place, or does it lead to the fading of elements of identity and authenticity? Questions of sustainability arise, and how tourism development can grow to adopt more sustainable traits and practices.

Doreen

Figure 17 Maya Beach, Thailand. (Coca, 2019)

Figure 18 Boracay Beach, Philippines (Coca, 2019)

CHAPTER 3

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE IN ALBANIA3

3.1 Governance of the tourism sector in Albania

An assessment of the policy framework for the tourism sector in Albania

‘For several years, tourism in Albania has been driven primarily by enthusiasm: (a) the enthusiasm of foreigners to experience the beautiful nature and rich history of a former communist country; (b) the enthusiasm of locals, able to finally appreciate their own country as free citizens; and (c) the enthusiasm of new entrepreneurs and developers daring to invest with foresight’ (Ciro, 2020, p.69)

Enthusiasm is both a natural and necessary driver in the pioneering stages of any process of development. However, enthusiasm alone does not suffice. Governance is equally important if tourism is to become a sustainable sector to assess to what extent policies from across sectors that have tourism relevance, especially spatial planning, are aligned and in support of sustainable tourism practices. In addition, a close assessment of the tourism governance in Albania is needed to gain insight into the existing gaps in the policy/legislative framework, valuable feedback for the formulation of the policy recommendations this research work aims to contribute. This section analyses the governance of the sector between 1992 and 20224 from a policy perspective, describing the inherent challenges it faces today.

3.1.1 Early stages of tourism planning in Albania: Italy’s quinta sponda

Albania’s history with modern day tourism, is relatively recent, with some of the first attempts dating back to 1939, when Italy invaded Albania, as part of a larger colonization campaign in the region of the Mediterranean. ‘Interestingly, Italian officials wanted tourism to supplement more conventional programs of demographics and agricultural colonisation’ (Hom, 2012, p. 282). From the initial assessment undertaken by the National Italian Tourism Agency in June 1939 it emerged that Albania did not have a system for planning and managing of tourism, or infrastructure in support of prospective tourism development. The assessment undertaken by the Italian government extended to touristic infrastructure, with the ambition to

3 This chapter was published in the ‘Annual Review of Territorial Governance in the Western Balkans Journal of Western Balkan Network on Territorial Governance’, referenced as follows: Ciro, A. (2019). Tourism governance in Albania an assessment of the policy framework for the tourism sector in Albania. Annual Review of Territorial Governance in the Western Balkans Journal of Western Balkan Network on Territorial Governance (TG WeB), 1(1), Article https://doi.org/10.32034/CP TGWBAR I01 06.

4 This period coincides with the time Albania has been open to outside visitors or tourists.

create what would be Albania’s first tourism master plan, as ‘La Gazzetta Azzurra: giornale del turismo’ (1939) reported in June that year (Hom, 2012). The assessment reported a need for physical infrastructure, including roads and hotels, crucial to ‘transforming Albania into a modern, and implicitly Italian, territory’ (Hom, 2012, 294).

During this time, a number of entities were established, including the ‘National Leisure Hours Organization’, and the ‘Ente Turistico Albania (‘Albanian Tourism Association), mandated as the ‘executive branch’ of the formerly established ‘Albania’s general directorate of tourism’. Italy’s focus on developing and promoting tourism in Albania, was also echoed in the local press, as were articles in the magazine of the ‘Touring Club Italiano’, highlighting the importance of the Italian investments in the construction of new road networks, for the future of Albania as a tourist destination. In addition to the various trips organised to Albania, a detailed guidebook was also prepared and published later that year, intended to trigger tourism demand.

It was during this time, that the characterising, distinctive feature of hospitality among Albanians was picked upon, and proclaimed and promoted as sacred. In the article ‘Usi e costumi del popolo Albanese’, authored by Icilio Bianchi and published in the monthly periodical magazine of the Touring Club Italiano ‘Le Vie d’Italia’ in 1939, the sacredness of hospitality is explained in detail:

‘Just pause at a doorway to be welcomed and treated well . . . everywhere, in Albania, the guest is sacred: ‘the Albanian’s house is [one] of God and of friend[s]. Even the Ghegs and the Tosks, so different from each other, agree upon this national virtue’ … This absolute respect for the guest transforms even the most uncouth Albanian yokel into a devoted friend, and the most humble rampart into a comfortable and safe haven. Nor does hospitality attenuate itself for difference[s] of religion, because it is itself a

1940 marked the end of the Albanian tourism development and promotion venture was disrupted by Italy entering World War II, and the focus shifting from tourism to military operations.

Albania’s flirt with the prospect of becoming a tourist destination resumed during the second half of the 20th century’ (Ciro, 2020, p.69), following the end of the 2nd World War and the rise of the communist regime. Nevertheless, due to fears of ideology and propaganda associated with and potentially spreading through international tourism, tourism was never genuinely pursued and regulated at a policy level, or promoted for economic development purposes.

Figure Examples of the Albanian tourism promoting articles published in Italian Press during the 1930s.

‘Important political developments, such as the withdrawal of the country from the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance of the Socialist Bloc, and its subsequent fall out with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1961 and People’s Republic of China in 1978 reinforced Albania’s isolation within its own borders’ (Ciro, 2019, p.70). Due to its politics of isolation, Albania only received 1.6% of the total number of international visitors to the Balkan peninsula between 1960 and 1990.

In 1980, there were fewer tourists in Albania than there were travel agencies in the neighbouring country of Greece. The situation with domestic tourism was similarly modest; domestic travel was largely limited to honeymoons and summer vacations due to a centrally planned, anti demographic movement policy, low income levels, and other factors.

Foreign visitors started to travel to Albania when the communist dictatorship fell in 1992 and the nation transitioned to a free market economy. Isolation alone and curiosity to see the most secluded place in Europe served as a magnet to regional and international tourism (Ciro, 2019, p.70). At the same time, increased incomes (including remittances) and the diversification of the modes of transportation translated into growth for domestic tourism, which reached 76% of the overall tourist numbers in 1993 (Humolli & Vishi, 2016).

The idea of a remote nation in the centre of Europe appealed to travellers’ growing desire for undiscovered, unexplored locations and distinctive experiences. This reality is confirmed by the rising number of visitors traveling to Albania. Figure 1 below illustrates the rising trend. The only exceptions are the minor declines in 1997 and 2013, which were mostly brought on by the nation's political unrest.5

The figures are encouraging, yet, Albania’s comparatively limited experience with tourism, vis à vis both the region and the wider Europe, has meant that the governance of the sector has inherent limitations Institutional and cultural deficiencies in human capacities, resources, experience, and a lack of strategic vision of development encouraged a carte blanche approach to the sector. Until recently, policymakers and government authorities have been unable to keep up with this fast paced sector. Sporadic attempts to govern the sector date back to 1993 when the Ministry of Tourism

6

5 1997 marked a period of civil war and unrest in Albania.

6 The strategy was prepared by the UK based firm Touch Ros and Europincipal Limited.

Figure 20 International Tourism, Number of Arrivals in Albania, 1993 2019. Source: Institute of Statistics of Albania (INSTAT) and the World Bank (2019)

supported by the European Reconstruction and Development Bank

prepared the first sectorial strategy on tourism.

The two key concepts analysed in this section, namely ‘governance’ and ‘sustainable tourism’ are applied to mean the following: (a) governance: ‘the exercise of economic, political, and administrative authority to manage the complex mechanisms, processes, relationships and institutions through which, interests are articulated, rights are exercised, and differences are mediated among stakeholders’ (UNDP, 2012, p. 3); and, (b) ‘sustainable tourism’ as defined by the UN World Tourism Organization Network ‘as a form of tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.’

3.1.2 An abridgment of tourism regulatory framework in Albania between 1992 2019

Between 1992 and 2019, the legal framework governing the growth of the tourist industry experienced several modifications. The execution of legislation has frequently been hampered by delays and a lack of monitoring, much like the series of sectorial and cross-sectoral plans pertaining to tourism, such as the 1993 Law No. 7665 "For the development of priority regions in tourism."

The first tourism related law was passed in post communist Albania in January 1993 and was entitled "For the development of key sectors in tourism." It concentrated on the "stimuli" notion and provided descriptions of the many types of activities, people, places, and structures thought to be crucial for promoting the growth of the nation's tourist industry (MoT, 1993) The Committee for the Development of Tourism, an inter ministerial organization created to oversee the industry, was also introduced. Furthermore, Law No. 7594's measures from August 1992 aimed to promote international investment.

The Law No. 9734 ‘On Tourism’, which established a regulatory framework for the administration of the tourism industry and the creation of standards for touristic goods and services, was approved in May 2007. Its implementation however, did not result in the noticeable improvements initially anticipated. This failure was likely caused by a number of causes, including the absence of a coherent economic growth model and mounting development pressure in the absence of authorized territorial plans.

In 2013 2014, the government started to support the expansion of the tourist industry. Due to the increased attention given to and interest in the industry, sector specific laws as well as the law for strategic investments were established.

A new law titled "On Tourism" No. 93/2015, was enacted in 2015 addressing a number of concerns that industry leaders and tourism professionals highlighted. This law offered a taxonomy of lodging buildings as well as the first precise definitions of fundamental ideas, practices, certificates, and licenses for business organizations functioning in the tourist sector.

‘In a 2017 report on the effectiveness of policies for the strategic development of tourism, the State Supreme Audit Institution (2017) found that the bylaws for Law No. 93/2015 were slow to follow, which resulted in the failure to establish some key institutions stipulated therein. This law was followed by a new law, No.114/2017 ‘Amendments to the Law No. 93/2015’, which introduced legislative incentives to facilitate the construction of luxurious four and five star hotels and resorts’ (Ciro, 2019, p.72).

Increased investments in important industries including energy, agriculture, tourism, and resource extraction were the focus of Law No. 55/2015, "On Strategic Investments" (article 8). Because of the cheap costs, undervalued natural resources, and adaptable labour markets in the nation, the legislation specifically recognized these industries as extremely profitable over the long term and ideal for a fast paced economy.

The bill was anticipated to establish the prerequisites necessary for luring and keeping strategic investors as well as a "fast track" for reviewing and approving strategic investment proposals. Each possible strategic investor's status must be approved by the Secretariat of the Strategic Investments Committee (AIDA), which is also in charge of directing potential foreign investment interest. The law also calls for the establishment of a Register of Strategic

Investments, which would contain a record of all completed strategic investment projects (Law No. 55/2015b, Art. 10).

Fiscal and administrative incentives aimed at fostering growth and foreign investment in the industry were created as a result of the developing legislative framework supporting tourist development:

Fiscal incentives

The government formalized its ambition to draw investments from internationally renowned brands, such as Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Radisson Blue, etc., in the area of four- and five star hotels through modifications to Law No. 93/2015, "On Tourism." In addition to receiving "special status," the latter would also be eligible for the majority of the following tax breaks (Albania Investment Council, 2018):

o ‘Reduction of the value added tax (VAT) for all accommodation structures, from 20% to 6% starting from June 2017. The private sector and other interest groups had, for a long time, pointed out that Albania had one of the highest value added tax levels in the region and had requested a reduction to make the sector more competitive. Beginning with 2018, the revised VAT level was offered to all services provided in the five star hotels and resorts granted ‘special status’ by the government’ (Ciro, 2019, p.73).

o ‘Exclusion from a series of taxes, including: the profit tax for a period of 10 years for all entities that have been granted ‘special status’ by December 2024; a building tax and infrastructure impact tax for all international four and five star hotels or resort brands’ (ibid.)

Administrative incentives

In line with the Law No. 55/2015 ‘On strategic investments’, two administrative incentives were approved:

o Assisted procedure: concentrated on the role of public administration in supporting potential investors by streamlining the method for obtaining the required papers, following, coordinating, assisting, monitoring, and, at times, acting as the strategic investment's representative. The process also envisages support in the form of enabling infrastructure by making state owned property available to the creation and execution of strategic investments (Law No. 55.2015). Only strategic tourist investors that have made investments totalling at least 5 million euros and created at least 80 jobs are eligible for this procedure.

o Special procedure: The special procedure is intended to create all necessary preconditions, including expropriation of private property and approval of contracts by the parliament of Albania (with the consent of the Council of Ministers), to vouch for a greater guarantee of the legal relationship between the investor and the Government of Albania. This procedure is in addition to all facilitations anticipated under the "assisted procedure." Strategic investments of 50 million euros or more that have an influence on the economy, jobs, industry, technology, and regional development are among the requirements for eligibility for the unique assistance that comes with the special procedure.

The government also introduced several incentives intended to develop certain types of tourism, e.g. agritourism, including:

Financial assistance for the start up of agritourist businesses: after being designated as a "agritourist entity" in accordance with Council of Ministers Decision No. 22 as of January 2018, these entities get a 6% VAT reduction for services provided in the

hospitality sector, such as lodging and dining, as well as a significantly reduced profit tax from 15% to 5%. The two tax reductions went into effect in January 2019.

The National Programme for Urban Renaissance: a national initiative launched from 2013 to 2017 with an estimated cost of 440 million USD to physically revitalize major urban centers in around 70 cities. 2017 (Ministry of Finance) In cases where cultural heritage was impacted, it is still unclear and occasionally debatable to what extent such initiatives contributed to the growth of tourism (see, for example, the public position of the Association of Architects of Albania from February 13, 2017 on the "Veliera project in the city of Durrës," and February 9, 2017 report on the "Bypass project" in Gjirokastër by Merxhani). Thus, despite the government's acknowledgement of the importance of cultural tourism, it also makes expenditures that harm cultural assets.

The Integrated Programme for Rural Development: beginning in 2017, the government redirected its attention to rural development via a unique, national initiative intended to develop rural space in 100 communities across Albania. The program promised a coordinated approach to rural development by coordinating public investments with donor and private investments in villages that have a rich cultural and natural heritage and, as a result, a high potential for tourism to develop. Each of the 61 municipalities was represented by at least one village.

To what extent the newly introduced legislative framework has been put into effect and how such framework will impact the quality of governance in the sector remains an open question that requires systematic monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of such initiatives.

3.1.3 Tourism strategies in Albania between 1992 2019

‘To gain better insight into the challenges of the sector and some of their deep seated reasons, it is important to review tourism strategies to date, including those that expired in a draft form. Based on the definition of governance as employed by this section, the analysis focuses only on the strategies developed from 1992 onwards, following the transition from an isolationist regime towards a democratic system’ (Ciro, 2019, p.74).

These observations are drawn from the review of the various strategies to date:

Six sectorial strategies in all, including the present strategy, were drafted from 1992 to date. Of the six, two strategies were only in a draft form (never making it to a fully approved document), until they were replaced by subsequent strategies Overtime, the mandate of each strategy has been reduced by more then four times, shifting more towards plans or very short term strategies. The first tourism strategy approved in 1993 was designed to cover a timespan of 17 years, the second for 10 years, the third and fourth for barely 6 years, and the latest two have a three to four-year mandate. Each new strategy has been unveiled halfway through the previous one's term in office, sometimes concurrently with the installation of a new administration. This demonstrates the lack of a defined strategy and framework for economic growth and the potential contribution of tourism.

Given that none of the five sectorial plans have been fully implemented, the success rate of their implementation is still an open question. These strategies were developed between 1992 and 2019.

Although no rational is provided to explain the reasons why the preceding strategy was not successfully executed, each subsequent strategy makes reference to the one before it.

The initial sectoral strategy created in 1992 stands out as a trailblazing, cutting edge, and forward thinking strategy that takes into account other sectors including the environment and urban development.

The success rate of the implementation of the five sectorial strategies prepared between 1992 and 2019 remains a moot point, given that none of the strategies has been fully implemented.

The first sectorial strategy prepared in 1992 stands out as a pioneering, advanced, and visionary strategy, considerate of other sectors such as the environment and urban planning;

Sector governance has been shaped by a variety of cross sectoral texts in addition to sectorial policies. Tourism was recognized as a priority development industry in 2015 by the National Strategy for Development and Integration 2015-2020 (NSDI). The statement outlined two strategic goals related to the growth of sustainable tourism while acknowledging the major problems facing the industry. The NSDI (2015) demanded that a tourist strategy and national plan be created, approved, and integrated with other sectoral policies in order to assure execution. Several plans created in 2015 maintained that tourism growth was an important industry, including:

o The General National Territorial Plan 2015 2030: One of the plan's primary development focuses and objectives is listed as tourism. Even if the term "place based tourism model" isn't used directly, it incorporates the idea of sustainable tourism based on natural resources. The plan also uses the geographic component of the tourist industry to map out "areas of national importance" for the planning and sustainable development of the region. Despite placing a lot of emphasis on tourism, the plan is still a national territorial plan. As a result, it has a minimal effect on particular industries (such as tourism).

o Integrated Cross-Sectoral Plan for the Coast 2015 2030: With a sectorial development strategy, it offers a development vision for the coastline that differentiates between urban development in the regions governed by municipalities as well as tourism, the environment, transportation, energy, agriculture, and culture, among other sectors. The plan's declared objective is to achieve a balance between the demand for private investments and the requirement for sustainable development, particularly with regard to tourism in historical, cultural heritage, and protected natural regions.

o Cross Sectoral Strategy for Rural and Agricultural Development 2014 2020: The growth of rural tourism as well as other tourist related endeavors including

cultural tourism, outdoor tourism, mountain tourism, and summer tourism are the document's declared objectives.

o Cross Cutting Strategy Digital Agenda of Albania 2015 2020: It lays out Albania's strategic goals for its digital agenda, many of which are on two levels related to the growth of the travel industry. First, the supply of interactive public services, such as tourism, and electronic government. This calls for the creation of a national e Tourism program, the formation of a hotel registration, tourist products and resources, cultural heritage, a tourism site, and the free Wi Fi service coverage of popular tourist destinations. Second, the expansion of electronic communications across all industries, including the tourist industry.

o Sectorial Strategy of Transport and Action Plan 2016 2020: In order to achieve integrated models of combining coastal tourism (sun and sand), cultural tourism (archaeology and cultural heritage), and natural tourism, it focuses on the connection and accessibility component of tourism (ecotourism).

Other strategies of national relevance that considered tourism development aspects include: the Integrated Cross Sectorial Plan of the Economic Area Tirana Durres, the National Sectorial Plan in the field of Tourism for the Albanian Alps Region, the National Strategy of Culture 2019-2025, the National Strategy of Integrated Waste Management, the Inter sectorial Strategy for Environment, the Strategy for the Integrated Management of Borders 2014-2020, and the Strategy for Business Development and Investments 2014 2021

3.1.4 A critical assessment of the ‘Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Tourism 2019 2023’

In June 2019, following a series of discontinued/partially implemented (draft) strategies, the Government of Albania approved the ‘Strategy of sustainable tourism development in Albania 2019 2023.’ This constitutes a positive first step towards the management of the sector. Much hangs on this document given its role in orienting the development of a strategic priority sectors, crucial to the economic development of the country. However, it remains to be seen whether it actually offers an effective, sustainable perspective to transform Albania from a peripheral to a place based tourist destination. The assessment below can only be preliminary while the implementation of the policy is yet to take place. The strategy begins with a rather generic and ambitious vision: ‘Albania, a welcoming destination, attractive, authentic, for the sustainable development of economic, natural, and social potentials of our country’ (MTE, 2019, p. 16, author’s translation) It distinguishes among three types of tourism, namely: coastal, natural, and thematic tourism, and organizes its strategic goals into four distinct groups related to:

1. Creation of new development poles and industries and consolidation of the touristic offer;

2. Increase of the added value and impact of the sector on the economy and employment;

3. Development of new tourism products and services, and improved quality; and

4. Improvement of the country’s image and promotion of local products (MTE, 2019, p.4).

The goals are broken into a total of fifteen specific objectives, which are expected to yield significant economic outputs by 2023, including: an increase of the sector’s contribution to the GDP from 8.4% to 10%; at least 6,000 new businesses related to the tourism sector; 2.552 million EUR in foreign direct investments; an increase in investments in the tourism sector of up to 6.3% of public investments; and a three fold increase in revenue from direct tax (of the sector) from 9 to 31 billion .

Its strategic goals that advance sustainability are:

• Increasing the added value and impact of the sector on the economy and employment

by prioritizing public investment, promoting private investment, attracting a larger number of tourists, and increasing the duration of their stay in the country. In turn, these actions will make tourism one of the three main pillars of the Albanian economy and one of the safest sources of new jobs (pp. 4, 15, 16)

• Development of new products and services in tourism, as well as improvement of their quality. To this end, tourist service providers will be standardised and certified through regulatory facilitation and supportive interventions (p. 16)

• Improving the country’s image and promotion of authentic local products by means of a smart marketing campaign to promote the country’s natural, historical and cultural assets;

These strategic goals are broken down into five policy goals, each with three specific goals. With regards to sustainability, several observations stand out:

• For policy goal 1, ‘Promotion of public and private Investments’, only its third specific goal is noteworthy when it comes to sustainable development. Termed ‘Orientation of public investments towards priority areas for the development of tourism and tourist destinations for improvement of their basic infrastructure’, it includes the advancement of connecting and basic infrastructure such as electricity and water supply. This is expected to allow businesses to grow and develop also in areas which may not already have a set infrastructure. In addition, the tourist flow can this way spread within the country and diversify within the year.

• For policy goal 2, ‘Improvement of tourism services’, two of its specific goals relate to sustainability development:

1. ‘Development of new evaluation models, standardization, certification and classification of services for tourism and tour operators.’

This sets a specific standard for tourism and tour operators by allowing certified operators to have reliable work and expand their reach.

2. ‘Establishment of a regulatory and institutional framework for the development of vocational education and qualifications in tourism, as well as training of human resources engaged in the sector.’

Such a framework and curricula for training professionals and inhabitants of a tourist area ensures the capacity development of the people which will manage this sector constantly over time.

The third specific goal mentions the creation of tourist ports and marinas with a focus on the virgin bays along the coastline. It is mostly focused on developing coastal tourism, which in Albania’s case is part of mass tourism. Regarding the virgin bays in this area, local schemes that offer alternative coastal services, such as diving in remote areas and coastline trails, are not included as a more sustainable option.

• Policy goal 3, ‘Consolidation and development of tourism products’, includes the following specific goals:

1. ‘Development of the natural tourism programme and creation of new products’

2. ‘Development of the thematic tourism programme and creation of new products’

Given the potential of natural and thematic tourism in Albania, the creation of a programme that focuses on such tourist activities permits their continuation throughout the year in mountainous areas, protected areas, rural areas, historical and cultural itineraries, and so on.

• For policy goal 4, ‘Re orientation of promotion towards tourism potentials’, its three specific goals include:

1. ‘Designing a tourism brand and marketing strategy’

2. ‘Promoting yearly tourism products in the country and abroad’;

3. ‘Supporting the promotion of agents in the country and diaspora’

This policy goal focuses almost entirely on what tourism can offer, such as authentic Albanian products, the creation of various myths, or stories and attractions. If properly implemented, this goal has the potential to boost Albania’s tourism image

and guarantee a continuous flux of tourists, allowing them to have similar experiences instead of straining the sector during specific seasonal periods.

• For Policy goal 5, ‘Supporting the management of destinations’, it is fully aligned with the concept of sustainability and contains the following specific goals:

1. ‘‘Development of a destination management model’

2. ‘‘Consolidation of legal and institutional framework for the management and operation of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs)’

3. ‘‘Monitoring and supporting Destination Management Organizations’

This goal aims to develop specific DMOs for each destination. DMOs focus on particular products and allow tourism in each area to grow while maintaining its authenticity. The establishment of a legal and institutional framework for DMOs, as well as for their monitoring and support, can help to advance DMOs in the future.

Tourism products consist of different forms of tourism development. For sustainable tourism, the focus falls on:

• Natural tourism: Albania’s environment offers the development of rural tourism, mountain tourism, ecotourism, and outdoor activities (e.g. rafting, parachuting, mountain biking, fishing, trekking, mountaineering, hiking, horseback riding, and study tours). So far, mountain tourism has succeeded in stabilizing the number of tours organized. Tourism of environmentally protected areas is also attracting more visitors, reaching 2.4 million in 2018.

• Thematic tourism: This includes several forms of tourism but those relevant to sustainability include agrotourism, cultural tourism, gastronomic tourism, and thermal/welfare tourism. Studies conducted with visitors and travel industries of foreign markets note that ‘archeology, heritage and culture are identified as Albania's strengths. The main destinations visited by organized cultural tours are Shkodra, Lezha, Kruja, Durres, Tirana, Fier, Berat, Elbasan, Korça, Përmet, Gjirokastra, Saranda and Vlora.’ (p. 6)

Thermal/welfare tourism (using for e.g. thalassotherapy and thermal water therapy) is also important when it comes to sustainable development, as it relies exclusively upon natural resources.

The expected outputs as stated in the strategy raise two core concerns:

1. The accuracy of the database used for the generation of the baseline for each output is questionable, given the major discrepancies between the data of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and that generated by the Institute of Statistics of Albania (see section 5.1). As such, growth projections risk being unrealistic and non representative of actual capacities and potentials, and the monitoring of achievement indicators may skew results due to differing baseline values, providing a very different picture of the sector.

2. The extent to which such results can be achieved within a sustainable development framework remains uncertain. Growth across various sectors by several fold appears to be based on tourist volumes capable of being generated through mass tourism policies and measures. It seems less likely that the strategy targets the profile of the tourist who cares about the environment and is willing to pay more for sustainable practices, which has often not been the case (Pulido Fernández and López-Sánchez, 2016)

Moreover, the strategy lists a number of existing/present and future challenges. But it does not include currently pressing issues such as conflicting development priorities and the incomplete and inconsistent data on the tourism sector.

In addition, the strategy focuses only on tourism by non residents (inbound tourism by foreign nationals or expats). As stated in its overall goal: ‘Albania should be promoted extensively among the international community as a destination worthy of competing on equal with other destinations in the global tourism market’ (MTE, 2019, p. 16, author’s translation) The reason why domestic tourism is not analysed as a subject of this

strategy is unknown, especially when considering the increasing trend of Albanians travelling internally to varied destinations, their spending capacity, the increasing number of local tour operators, and the increasing number of local businesses particularly in the eco tourism realm. The government’s ambition to extend the tourism season is in fact largely related to the continuous flow of domestic tourism. As such, it should have been included in the strategy.

To conclude, it remains unclear the extent to which the sustainable development of tourism in Albania has been considered and how the government plans to accomplish it, considering that none of the strategic objectives foresees or focuses on sustainable development models and practices. This is of particular concern when taking into account that this strategy has been drafted by a ministry that is responsible for both tourism and the environment.

An analysis of the legislative framework directly related to tourism was conducted, focusing on two core laws directly related to the regulation of touristic activity

3.1.5 A critical assessment of the Law No. 93/2015 ‘On Tourism’

The purpose of this law is articulated in its first article and is to promote Albania as an attractive tourist destination for domestic and foreign visitors, supporting the development of sustainable tourism, ensuring that tourism service providers meet the requirements for tourists, in a healthy and safe environment, and that they respect the current needs of hosting communities and the needs of future generations. The law also provides a number of definitions:

Agrotourism is the hosting activity that takes place on a farm or other agricultural unit, with the aim of attracting visitors, often enabling them to participate in agricultural activities or other ancillary activities that take place in that agricultural environment. Agrotourism supports the development of sustainable tourism in rural areas through environmental protection, preservation of traditions and promotion of characteristic/representative local products.

Guesthouse (guest house/ bujtinë) is a building, part of which is used as the residence of the owner and where accommodation and food are provided to tourists, for a fee.

Touristic resource is the set of elements and / or factors, such as potentials that enable the creation of a tourist experience, including tangible resources, intangible resources, and human resources.

Certificate, is a document issued by the ministry responsible for tourism that serves to prove the fulfilment of requirements and standards for exercising/applying a given activity.

Traditional tourist village is a place inhabited/filled with a high concentration of touristic resources and enterprises, which has the capacity to attract domestic and foreign visitors, has a harmonized infrastructure and facilities that meet their requirements.

Camping is a public or private fenced area, equipped with the necessary infrastructure (e.g. water, toilets, and electricity), where travelers can be accommodated in camping tents, or can set up their own tents, or park their accommodation motor vehicles (camper).

National Sectoral Tourism Plan is drafted in accordance with the law on territorial planning and development and the national strategy for tourism development, which is approved by the National Council of the Territory.

Touristic product is the set of intertwined elements, organized as a special value chain, which contains material products and services, natural and cultural values, super structures, and touristic infrastructure.

Artisanal works are handicrafts of cultural and historical interest produced for sale to tourists and they include woodwork, silverwork, embroidery, lacquer / varnish

work, glassware, costumes, engraving, stonework, paintings, pottery, and baskets.

Curative/healing center is an accommodation structure located in areas with natural healing potentials, which are stimulated by land, water, sea, sand, and climate and which serve to perform curative therapies. The National register of touristic resources is an information system that contains a database on the touristic resources of the country.

Tourist is the visitor who stays at least for one night in the place he visits for leisure, business and other purposes.

Sustainable tourism is tourism that meets the needs of tourists, host communities, tourism enterprises and local and central decision makers, through the management of tourism resources, preservation of sustainable economic, social, cultural, and environmental values, in order for them to continue to remain attractive and create opportunities for tourism development in the future.

Rural tourism is the tourist activity that takes place in a rural environment and is oriented towards the use of local tourism resources.

In its Article 5, the law identifies the main ‘Principles of sustainable tourism development and investments in its development,’ emphasising that ‘tourism and other related activities are based on the principles of sustainable development.’ These principles deal with economic, environmental and socio cultural aspects and require the establishment of a fair balance between these three dimensions to ensure the sustainability of longterm development.

According to the provisions of this law, the principles of sustainable tourism development are ensured through:

a) involvement in the planning process of various public bodies, the private sector, professional, trade and consumer protection associations, relevant NGOs, as well as the population; b) organization and implementation of tourism planning at the local level, in accordance with the National Tourism Plan, drafted and approved according to legal provisions in force, as an integral part of sustainable tourism development at the national level;

c) tourism forecasting, planning, administration, and control, by respecting the protection of the environment and touristic resources, according to set norms and standards ; ç) fair distribution of advantages and costs among all actors of the tourism system; d) informing, educating, motivating and involving the local population in the process of creating value for the tourist (for tourists); dh) preliminary evaluation of tourism projects and the impact of their implementation; e) involvement of local communities in the study and drafting joint programmes for tourism development; ë) monitoring the implementation of tourism projects.

Chapter/Article 3, ‘Institutional framework and responsible structures for tourism’, outlines the state policies for tourism, emphasising that ‘tourism constitutes a priority sector for the economy, and to this end, any touristic activities and creation of favourable legal, economic and structural conditions for their development are supported’. Article 7 (‘Law on tourism’) includes the following provisions specifically focused on sustainable tourism development:

setting priority directions for the development of tourism in Albania; fostering the image of the Republic of Albania as a tourist destination; creating conditions for the protection of the interests and legitimate rights of tourists and providers of tourism services; guaranteeing the development of international cooperation in the field of tourism; supporting and cooperating with tourism organizations / associations as prescribed by law;

developing and supporting host tourism.

Based on Article 9 of the law ‘On Tourism’, 93/2015, the ministry responsible for tourism is tasked with the following:

implementing the basic principles of sustainable tourism development, in accordance with the provisions of this law and legal and sub legal acts in force, in cooperation with all actors of the tourism industry; creating and administering the Central Tourism Register and the National Register of Touristic Resources; supporting, protecting and developing tourism resources and promoting tourism products, in accordance with the principles of sustainable tourism development and in cooperation with stakeholders; supporting, promoting and raising awareness of tourism enterprises, which exercise tourism activities as accommodation structures, regarding the efficient use of natural resources and the ‘Eco Certificate’ certification.

Conversely, on a local level, the responsibilities stipulated in Article 19 include: providing supporting infrastructure for tourism business activities at the local level, enabling the observance of standards from tourism enterprises; contributing to the development of different types of tourism at the local level, such as cultural tourism and agrotourism, based on touristic resources; and playing an active role in diversifying the tourism product, in cooperation with all central and local institutions, as well as stakeholders;

Article 22 of the law defines the classification of the tourist resources: natural touristic resources, which include natural landscapes, protected areas, geographical and biological features, climatic, marine and hydrographic conditions as well as other physical, natural or geo monumental objects that are attractive to tourists; human touristic resources, which are divided into: (i) human material touristic resources, including historical buildings and other constructions, relics as well as handicrafts; and (ii) intangible human touristic resources, including various cultural activities.

According to the law, tourism resources are transformed into tourism products based on a study and planning process, according to the priorities set out in the National Tourism Development Strategy.

Furthermore, Article 29 on ‘Protection, preservation, use and development of natural touristic resources’ foresees the following:

In order to effectively protect, preserve, use and develop natural touristic resources, the development and operation of a tourism enterprise, such as a hotel, tourist complex and other accommodation structures, in areas with a priority on tourism development, is done in accordance with the national sectoral tourism plan, classification categories and management plans of the network of protected areas and with the legal provisions in force for the planning and development of the territory, also referring to the planning documents.

The development and operation of a tourism enterprise, such as a hotel, tourist complex and other accommodation structures, in areas with a priority on tourism development, based on the general public interest, can also be done on state property, provided that these structures, constructions, facilities and auxiliary services do not damage the natural and cultural parameters of these areas and do not endanger the touristic activity, and are in accordance with the national sectoral tourism plan.

The use of natural resources such as a sea, lake, river, or their shores must be done in such a way as not to damage or destroy, in any case, their characteristics and their surrounding territory.

The Ministry responsible for tourism prepares programmes to support projects in the field of tourism.

These programmes must be in accordance with the objectives of this law and ensure the sustainable development of tourism, protect, preserve and promote touristic destinations and natural and cultural heritage values, enable the development and diversification of tourism products, as well as to support professionalism in the field of tourism.

Based on Article 45 of the law, each category of accommodation structures is classified with a separate system, accompanied by the respective distinctive signs, according to the following definition:

‘Guesthouse’ Standard; ‘Sleep house’ (Fjetinë) Standard, Comfort; ‘Camping’ Standard

‘Hotel’ Two stars, three stars, four stars, five stars; ‘Motel’ Standard, Comfort, Superior; ‘Resort’ Three stars, four stars, five stars; ‘Curative Center’ Two stars, three stars, four stars, five stars; ‘Bed and Breakfast’ (B&B) Standard, Comfort, Superior.

The law has a dedicated section on education in the field of tourism; Article 67 on ‘Education objectives in the field of tourism’ assigns the ministry responsible for tourism to promote education in this field, specifically focusing on the following aspects: a) promoting and educating the population in its entirety on tourism as an industry; b) encouraging the recognition of history, culture, natural beauties, religious traditions, handicrafts and putting them in the service of tourism, in cooperation with responsible ministries and other public and private institutions, operating in relevant fields; c) raising social awareness about tourism, creating an open and friendly environment for tourists and the development of a tradition of hospitality.

In addition, Article 68, on ‘Education, training and research’ defines the responsibilities of the line ministry to promote and strengthen human capacities in the tourism sector. More specifically, it foresees: a) involvement in campaigns to promote awareness in the general population about the contribution of the tourism sector to the domestic economy, as well as other positive benefits and opportunities that the sector provides for professional development and employment; b) inclusion of tourism issues, as an economically significant sector, in all educational system cycles; c) promotion of vocational training courses in schools and vocational training centres for the tourism sector, whose accreditation is a shared responsibility among the line ministries of education/ vocational training and tourism. d) awards to national success or excellency awards, for services in the field of tourism, tourism enterprises or specific individuals.

4.1.5 Albania’s tourism sector in figures and its governance challenges

4.1.5.1 Albania’s tourism ambitions in figures

Once the most isolated country in the region, today Albania marks the fastest growth in the tourism sector among all South and East European (SEE) countries (Figure 2). Over 5.3 million international tourist arrivals were reported in 2018 and 2 193 million USD in international tourism receipts (UNWTO, 2019) More specifically, the sector has contributed an average of 2.8 % to the GDP, amounting to a total of 45 billion generated through tourism related activities (like accommodation, food and drink services, travel and tour operators, car rentals, and other leisure activities). (INSTAT, 2019) The sector’s contribution to employment in 2017 was also positive, with 93,000 direct jobs and

291,000 indirect jobs attributed to the tourism development value chain, and over 22,785 enterprises operating in the tourism sector (Ministry of Tourism and Environment, 2019)

Figure 21. International tourist arrivals 2002 2018 for five regional destinations

Source: World Bank data, based on WTO Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, 2019

Data for 2018 from the Institute of Statistics of Albania confirms that foreign citizens have spent on average 4.3 nights in Albania, with 76% having stayed in hotels at an average rate of 52 EUR/day (INSTAT, 2019) With over 17,000 rooms and 38,000 beds available to tourists in 2018 (INSTAT, 2019), if collected and managed correctly by the local government, such figures would have brought good news to local (and central) authorities from a revenue perspective.

The future of tourism as projected by the NSSTD (2019) is even more ambitious, with one third of the GDP (including direct and indirect effects) to be generated by the tourism sector by 2028. Other important projections in the NSSTD include 8.8% of the active work force engaged in tourism-related jobs and 8.2% of all investments taking place in the country relating to tourism.

Such projections are instrumental in orienting development. Hence, accurate data upon which analyses and estimations/prognoses/forecasts are based are fundamental to the process. While tourism as a sector is new and relies on relatively poor data and limited time series, there is a significantly high discrepancy among the figures provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (as part of the NSSTD) and the figures provided by the Institute of Statistics of Albania (INSTAT). A case in point is the tourism sector’s contribution to the economy, valued at 8.5% of the GDP according to the NSSTD, which takes its data from the World Travel and Tourism Council (2017). That figure is 2.8% of the GDP according to INSTAT (2019).

Despite differences in the methodologies applied, discrepancies assessed at approximately 5.7%points are difficult to explain, particularly when considering that the sector has demonstrated growth from 2017 to 2018. Similarly, significant differences/inconsistencies are found when reporting on the number of accommodation structures and available rooms. In their technical note on ‘Informality and competition in the tourism sector’ (2018), the Albania Investment Council reported 3,800 accommodating structures, 29,000 rooms, and 67,000 beds available to tourists (referring to data from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment). INSTAT (2019), on the other hand, reported 17,000 rooms and 38,000 beds available to tourists in 2018.

4.1.5.2 Governance challenges in the tourism sector

In addition to the ambiguity related to the lack of data on this sector tourism has a number of governance challenges, which are identified through the above analysis and by various institutions, and presented in at least three core documents: (1) the Report on the effectiveness of policies on the strategies of tourism, published by the State Supreme Audit Institution in 2017; (2) the NSSTD prepared by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, and approved by the government through the DCM No. 413 on 19 June 2019; and (3) the Technical Note on ‘Informality and competition in the tourism sector’ published by the Albania Investment Council in 2018. While it is difficult to account for all challenges related to the governance of the tourism sector, the most pressing ones that are yet to be addressed by the respective institutions can be categorised as ‘institutional’ and ‘market’ related, though the dividing line among the two can sometimes be blurred: Low effectiveness and efficiency in the tourism sector and the responsible institutions because of a lack of clear vision; a lack of evidence informed, well formulated strategies and action plans; and a failure to implement the legislative framework and complete it with bylaws. Both laws No. 9734 ‘On tourism’ from May 2007 and No 93/2015 ‘On tourism’ from year 2015 attest to institutional limitations to draft the bylaws and other necessary regulations or to set up stipulated structures, like the Commission for the Standardisation of the Touristic Activities, the Regional Committees for the Development of Tourism, and Monitoring Structures

Incomplete and inconsistent data on the tourism sector primarily because of the lack of a clear methodology for the collection and processing of statistical information related to the sector; the lack of a specific, approved procedure on statistical information in the sector; delays in fully updating the database with accurate and complete data on the number of tour operators, travel agencies, and other related actors; and large discrepancies when reporting on various tourism performance metrics, such as its contribution to the GDP and the magnitude of the private sector operating in tourism related services

Informality in the sector as measured through tax declarations and own assessments by the tax administration is reported at 40%. (General Tax Directorate, 2018) Informality in the sector takes the form of operation as an unregistered business, tax evasion, unreported employment, underreporting taxable income, undeclared revenues, cash based transactions, and underreporting or no reporting of guests in the case of hotels. In addition , informality can be analysed and potentially assessed through the lens of local finances.

Although the sector is poorly covered by statistics, municipality own revenues and revenues generated from the hotel tax have been consulted for the purposes of this analysis. The municipalities in the country generate, on average, 29% of the total local revenues from own source revenues (Co PLAN, 2019) With the exception of Tirana (an outlier), Kamëz, and Himarë municipalities show a very low capacity to generate revenues from own sources. Out of the 29% of own source revenues, municipalities in the country generate only 0.9% from the hotel tax payable for each guest/night. The municipalities of Himarë, Berat, Lezhë, Prrenjas, and Vlorë stand above the national average, yet the average is very low not even 1%. (ibid.) With tourism statistics indicating an increase in the number of tourists, such a discrepancy indicates a high level of informality in this sector regarding the number of guests in accommodation structures.

Insufficient resources and capacities at the local level. The law ‘On tourism’ sets out a number of responsibilities for local governments, such as the maintenance and regularly updating of a tourism resource inventory and the provision of supportive infrastructure to local businesses operating in the tourism sector, ensuring that accommodation structures are classified certified.7 However, most municipalities are not able to fulfill these responsibilities. A recent survey8 that addressed all 61 municipalities in the country shows that 79% of municipalities claim that tourism is a priority sector for their local economic development. Yet, only 27% of the respondents have a local strategy or plan for tourism development in their municipality. Part of the respondents that considered tourism as a priority sector but did not have a local strategy or plan stated that they use the national tourism strategy and the General Local Territorial Plans (GLTP).

To date, at least 37 GLTPs have been approved, all of which have tourism related priority objectives. Most municipalities reported that they had no enabling mechanisms in place to support or offer incentives to local businesses. Only about one third of the municipalities reported some form of incentives, such as a reduction of the fiscal burden for local businesses willing to relocate to a newly requalified tourism improvement district. Similarly, the municipalities that consider tourism as a priority sector also reported dedicated capacities to cover the sector. Qualitative considerations on the skills and technical capacities of the allocated staff were not part of the focus of the survey though most of the reported staff work on several sectors. Tourism happens to be an additional task for them

Conflicting development priorities are particularly visible and impactful in the case of energy production through the construction of small Hydropower Plants (HPPs).

7 DCM no. 730, dated 20.10.2016 ‘For the Approval of the Regulation for the conditions, criteria, tariffs, deadlines and procedure for the classification of accommodating structures.’

8 The survey was conducted by the author in September 2019 through electronic communication. It consisted of five questions, including: (1) Is tourism a priority development sector in your municipality? (2) Do you have a Tourism Strategy or Tourism Development Plan for your municipality? (3) Do you have enabling policies / incentive schemes for local businesses operating in the tourism sector?; (4) Do you have staff dedicated to the tourism sector?; (5) How many service structures (accommodation, restaurants, etc.) operating in the tourism sector result in your municipality?

Sikirova and Gallop (2015) reported at least 583 considered hydropower projects, 75% of which have entered operation in the past 10 years (Sikorova & Gallop, 2015). Of these 75%, 105 HPPs are in protected areas (Gjoka, 2018), leading to a series of negative effects such as damaged biodiversity, increased droughts, reduced water quantities, and subsequent reduced access to water. (ibid.) The government’s ambitions to develop and promote sustainable, nature based tourism are inconsistent with and undermined by the government granted permits to construct at least 105 HPPs in protected areas and highly popular tourist destinations.

Unresolved environmental issues persist, such as deforestation, including in national parks and protected areas. Despite attempts to curb deforestation through a 2016 declared moratorium of forests, Albania has lost approximately 380 km2 of forest area (Global Forest Watch, 2019), and invaluable biodiversity and landscapes in areas with high tourism development potential, such as the National Park of Lura.

Limited quantity and quality of accommodation structures is particularly relevant in highly popular destinations, where the average number of ‘beds per unit’ remains low and the overall quality offered is below the expected standard. Given the circumstances and the absence of a categorisation and classification system, it is difficult to devise corrective measures and monitor change.

Limited capacities of human resources operating in the tourism sector, including staff employed in hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, information desks, and other tourism related services. The lack of a solid tradition and prior experience in tourism has manifested in poor customer service practices, inadequate communication, and overall unsatisfying reviews and customer experiences. In the absence of qualitative assessments, customer feedback in online tourism-related portals are one way to grasp this aspect

Albania as a tourist destination is a positively evolving reality, as growth trends have shown over the years. However, the current sector does not accurately portray the sector’s dynamics and what its future prospects. There are several reasons for this situation, including:

The informality challenge in the sector Calculated at approximately 40% (General Tax Directorate, 2018), the level of informality is believed to be significantly higher, as indicated by inconsistencies between the number of overnights spent in hotels and the insignificant level of hotel tax accumulated by municipalities.

The policy and legislative frameworks governing the sector, including at least four draft strategies and two laws, which have been inconclusive, remained at the stage of drafts or saw their implementation discontinued. The recently approved Strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in Albania, although a long awaited document, is not comprehensive, inclusive or evidence based to be useful to domestic and international tourism. The strategy does not even cover domestic tourism, which , makes up an important contribution to the sector because of its year round seasonality and continuous demand In addition, the strategy does not create the necessary preconditions for addressing the challenges of the sector, i.e. Monitoring Reports. The are no objectives focusing on existing challenges in the sector or interrelated sectors such as energy, water management, waste management, forest management, protected areas, economy/informality, public services, and infrastructure. This, in turn, leads to conflicting development interests, moral hazards, and opportunistic behaviour Statistics on the sector, while issued from official sources and responsible institutions, are inconsistent and present major differences. To date, there is no clear methodology for the collection and processing of statistical information related to the sector. This leads to questions about the accuracy of all analyses, plans, and strategies in the sector and all inter related sectors, and hinders the ability to assess the actual contribution of the sector to the economy.

Tourism planning offers limited projections for a three to four year period. Starting anew with every newly assigned minister, ministry, or government limits the

sector’s ability to plan for the mid term and long term, resulting in sector strategies based on short sighted visions and action plans. Institutional efforts and processes within and between the central and local level are not coordinated. Conflicting interests and development priorities, as in the case of Albania’s energy sector, have a direct, counter productive impact on the development of tourism. Mushrooming HPPs in protected areas and national parks, by definition, do not and should not fall within the sustainable tourism promise

The newly approved strategy fails to explain what is meant by sustainable tourism development. Most objectives, measures, and expected economic outputs relate to mass tourism, focused on the already crowded and depleted areas, such as the coast.

Municipalities do not and often cannot tap into their own touristic resources due to low financial capacities (limited capacities to invest); limited or no qualified human resources; high degree of informality; no actual strategy or plan for the sector; conflicting development priorities; and no enabling instruments or incentive schemes to support and encourage local business operating in the sector.

CHAPTER 4

Data Analysis

This chapter focuses on analysing all the primary data accumulated through: Application of the Importance Performance Analysis on two different groups of respondents, namely (i) tourists, and (ii) service providers; Structured interviews realized with 22 agrotourism entities, as defined by Law no. 93/2015 ‘On tourism’ with a countrywide territorial coverage; Content analysis of the National Action Plan in view of the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development in Albania 2019 2023; Content analysis of the Law No. 93/2015 ‘On tourism’; Content analysis of the Decision of Council of Ministers no. 22, dated 12 January 2018 ‘For the approval of certification criteria of the agrotourism activity’. Content analysis of the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development in Albania 2019-2023; Observation conducted in all 22 visited agrotourism sites that were interviewed; Content analysis of all approved Municipal Development Strategies out of 61 municipalities in the country;

The data and observation material obtained through the aforementioned research methods will be elaborated in detail in line with the scope of this research. It will explore the status and application of sustainable tourism development forms in Albania such are the place based approaches. It will do so by investigating the phenomenon of placelessness in numerous destinations in Albania; examining offer and demand for sustainable tourism development forms and to what extent they support one another. The analysis of all primary data gathered, together with the theoretical framework presented in Chapter 2, will make it possible to tackle the research question at the centre of this study: i.e. In the face of an increasing need for sustainability practices in tourism, how does a place based approach help advance sustainable tourism development?

4.1 Importance Performance Analysis

The Importance Performance Analysis by definition serves to measure perception and constitutes a versatile instrument in the context of this research because it allows an assessment of the perception of the ‘importance’ and ‘performance’ of a number of aspects under three sustainable development elements: social, economic, and environmental. This instrument was applied to two different groups: (i) tourists and (ii)

service providers during the period July October 2021, which is the timeframe during which the survey was conducted.

4.1.1 Importance Performance Analysis on tourists

During the period July- October 2021, a sample of 421 IPA surveys were conducted in 5 key tourist destinations in Albania, namely: Tiranë (the capital), Durrës, Korçë, Vlorë and Sarandë. The sample was established The data accumulated were initially analysed to produce a general profile of the respondents. In order of percentage, the highest number of respondents were surveyed in Korçë and Sarandë with 23.8%, Vlorë with 22.3%, followed by Tiranë with 20.7% and Durrrës with 9.5%. It should be noted that among the five municipalities, Korçë and Tiranë offer and enjoy all year round tourism with a focus on history, culture, and culinary traditions. Conversely, Durrës, Vlorë and Sarandë provide more coastal tourism to masses that frequent the areas on a seasonal basis.

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Korçë 100 23.8 23.8 23.8 Tiranë 87 20.7 20.7 44.4 Durrës 40 9.5 9.5 53.9 Sarandë 100 23.8 23.8 77.7 Vlorë 94 22.3 22.3 100.0 Total 421 100.0 100.0

Table 3 Locations where IPA respondents were approached. What is notable in terms of the respondents’ country of origin is that tourists from the Western Balkan region, including the domestic ones, make for 51.8%, followed by 29.9% from Western and Northern European countries, 14.7% from Central European countries and the remaining 3.6% from non European countries. In total, 64.8% were foreigners travelling to Albania on tourism related purpose, and 35.2% were domestic tourists. A detailed account of the respondents by country of origin can be found in Annex 2.

Domestic WB Central Europe Western Europe Scandinavia Other

No. of respondents 148 70 62 115 11 15

Percentage 35.2% 16.6% 14.7% 27.3% 2.6% 3.6%

Table 4 IPA respondents segmented by region.

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Albanian 148 35.2 35.2 35.2 Foreign 273 64.8 64.8 100.0 Total 421 100.0 100.0

Table 5 IPA respondents’ country of origin: Albanian vs. Foreign.

In terms of gender distribution, the higher number of respondents only by a mere 0.2%, were female with 50.1 % as opposed to 49.9% male.

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Men 210 49.9 49.9 49.9 Women 211 50.1 50.1 100.0

Total 421 100.0 100.0

Table 6 IPA respondents’ gender.

In terms of distribution by age, the highest number of respondents (35.6%) fall in the group 19 30 years of age, followed by the age group 31 40 with 24.5%, and 17.6% in the age group 41-50. Together these account for 77.7% adults of the overall total. This segment is of particular interest to this study considering that respondents in this category enjoy purchasing power and full discretion over the tourism type.

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Under 18 17 4.0 4.0 4.0 19 30 150 35.6 35.6 39.7 31-40 103 24.5 24.5 64.1 41 50 74 17.6 17.6 81.7 51 60 52 12.4 12.4 94.1 +60 25 5.9 5.9 100.0

Total 421 100.0 100.0

Table 7 IPA respondents age group.

The predominant level of education of the respondents at 70.1% is higher education, at bachelor or postgraduate level. Quality education is a sustainable development goal (no.4) and seen as instrumental in ‘driving upward socioeconomic mobility and escaping poverty.’ (Education United Nations Sustainable Development, n.d.) Takemoto (2011) asserts that through its transformative power, education holds the answer/key to challenges. ‘The right information and education can change people’s values and behaviours, encouraging them to adopt more sustainable lifestyles’. (Takemoto, 2011) Sustainability requires these changes to take place on a societal level in order for the environmental and economic pillars to stand.

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Elementary school 17 4.0 4.0 4.0

High school 109 25.9 25.9 29.9 University 194 46.1 46.1 76.0 Postgraduate education (Master, PhD)

101 24.0 24.0 100.0

Total 421 100.0 100.0

Table 8 IPA respondents’ level of education

The professional composition of the respondents is varied: 19.5% are students and volunteers, 29% entrepreneurs and self employed, 6.7% engaged in management, 9.3% public officials, and 12.1% retired or unemployed.

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Student 80 19.0 19.0 19.0

Volunteer 2 0.5 0.5 19.5

Entrepreneur 30 7.1 7.1 26.6

Self employed 92 21.9 21.9 48.5 Manager 28 6.7 6.7 55.1 Unemployed 22 5.2 5.2 60.3 Retired 29 6.9 6.9 67.2

Public official 39 9.3 9.3 76.5 Other 99 23.5 23.5 100.0

Total 421 100.0 100.0

Table 9 Occupation of IPA respondents

Many of the respondents were returning tourists, with 28.6% having visited 2 3 times,34.6% 4 times or more, and 36.8% of the total on their first visit to Albania. These figures are encouraging from the perspective of Albania as a new upcoming destination, on several levels: on a domestic level, on a regional level, and European level.

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid One time 154 36.6 36.8 36.8 2 3 times 120 28.5 28.6 65.4 4 times 70 16.6 16.7 82.1 Other 75 17.8 17.9 100.0

Total 419 99.5 100.0

Missing System 2 0.5

Total 421 100.0

Table 10 Number of visits for tourism reasons of the IPA respondents.

In terms of choice of accommodation, the distribution among respondents was as follows: the majority opt to lodge in hotels at 38%, 14.9% choose to camp or stay in guest houses, 24.7% rent, 15.2% stay with friends and family, 4.8% have their own property, and the remaining opt for hostels.

Frequency Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Camping 25 5.9 5.9 5.9

Rented house 104 24.7 24.7 30.6 Private property 20 4.8 4.8 35.4

Friends and family 64 15.2 15.2 50.6

Hotel 160 38.0 38.0 88.6 Hostel 7 1.7 1.7 90.3 Guest house 38 9.0 9.0 99.3 Other 3 0.7 0.7 100.0

Total 421 100.0 100.0

Table 11

Type of accommodation

In terms of duration of stay, the distribution varies: one day visitors constitute 4.5% of the respondents; over half (52.5%) spend between a weekend and 5 days in the place they visit; 26.4% stay 1 week, and 16.7% remain for 2 weeks or more. Duration of stay, in most cases, has a direct impact on revenue generation; 72.1% of the respondents reported spending 3 days or more, meaning income for local tourism service providers.

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid One day 19 4.5 4.5 4.5

One weekend 99 23.5 23.5 28.0

3 5 days 122 29.0 29.0 57.0

1 week 111 26.4 26.4 83.4 2 weeks 47 11.2 11.2 94.5 Other 23 5.5 5.5 100.0

Total 421 100.0 100.0

Table 12

Duration of stay

In terms of territorial typology of destinations planned to visit, the highest percentage of respondents (27.4%) planned on visiting the coast, followed by 27% going for urban areas (cities), 29.4% for rural sites, including villages and mountainous areas, and 16.2% interested in historical or cultural sites. The high percentage among coastal tourists can be explained also by the fact that the survey took place during the period July October.

Responses

Percent of Cases N Percent

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Cities) 242 27.0% 57.5%

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Villages) 141 15.7% 33.5%

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Coast) 246 27.4% 58.4%

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Mountains) 123 13.7% 29.2%

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Historical cultural points)

145 16.2% 34.4%

Total 897 100.0% 213.1%

Table 13 Destinations planned to visit

To better understand the likelihood and extent of relationships between multiple variables, a cross tabulation analysis was conducted with the following results: Type of accommodation * Country of origin Crosstabulation (Refer to Annex 2)

o Of the people choosing to camp when travelling, 48% are from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, followed by 16% of German nationals, 12%

Italians, and 4% Finnish. The percentage of campers domestically is at a low 8%, indicating a relatively low camping culture;

o Of the people choosing to rent a house, the majority is from the Western Balkans region with 31.7%, followed by domestic tourists at 27.9%, and a remaining 40.4% broken down into small percentages among neighboring Italy, Greece and CEE countries;

o Guesthouses prove a popular choice among domestic tourists, at 52.6%, followed by France, Italy, Greece and Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland each at 5.3%;

o Of the people staying in own private property, 75% are domestic tourists, which could potentially indicate either a relatively high stock of properties occupied seasonally or a relatively high urbanisation rate in these destinations. Coastal tourism destinations are more prone to attracting property owners that occupy them on a seasonal basis.

Type of accommodation * Country of origin Crosstabulation

This cross tabulation focuses on investigating the relationship between choice of accommodation and country of origin. In comparison to foreign tourists, domestic tourists prefer to stay in private property, in guesthouse, or with friends and family. The Albanian respondents can be profiled as follows in relation to the choice of type accommodation they make:

o The majority (37.2%) choose to stay in hotels; followed by a high percentage who rent (18.9%), and 18.2% who stay with family and friends. Based experience and knowledge of the context, there is a high likelihood that this typology is based in urbanized areas.

o Low budget alternatives such as hostels, guesthouses and camping constitute small percentages, at 0.7%, 13.5% and 1.4% respectively;

Country of origin

Total Albanian Foreign

Type of accommodation Camping 8.0% 92.0%

Rented house 26.9% 73.1% Private property 75.0% 25.0%

Friends and family 42.2% 57.8% Hotel 34.4% 65.6% Hostel 14.3% 85.7% Guest house 52.6% 47.4% Other 100.0%

Total 35.2% 64.8% 100.0%

Table 14 Each Type of accommodation * Country of origin

Type of accommodation

Country of origin

Total Albanian Foreign

Camping 1.4% 8.4% 5.9%

Rented house 18.9% 27.8% 24.7% Private property 10.1% 1.8% 4.8%

Friends and family 18.2% 13.6% 15.2%

Hotel 37.2% 38.5% 38.0%

Hostel 0.7% 2.2% 1.7%

Guest house 13.5% 6.6% 9.0%

Other 1.1% 0.7%

Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Table 15 Type of accommodation * for each Country of origin

Type of accommodation * Duration of stay Crosstabulation

This crosstabulation explores the relationship between type of accommodation and duration of stay. What is interesting to note is that:

o Among those respondents choosing to camp, the highest majority (56%) choose to spend a weekend at the visited destination; followed by 28% who stay 3 5 days. Camping, which has evolved significantly into various sophisticated forms, can be defined as special interest tourism, highly reliant on nature.

o Tourists choosing to rent housing generally choose to spend 1 week (35.6%), followed by 25% who stay for 2 3 days; and a significantly lower percentage for those who remain for prolonged periods of time, i.e. 13.5% for 2 weeks and 7.7% for more than 2 weeks;

o Owners of private property opt to stay longer than 2 weeks ( 40%), followed by comparable distributions among respondents staying from 3 5 days to 2 weeks, at 15%, 20% and 15%, respectively.

o The situation appears similar among respondents choosing to stay with family and friends, with the highest majority (25%) spending 1 week.

o Of people choosing to stay in hotels, only a small percentage (1.3%) choose to stay longer than 2 weeks. The biggest majority (61.9%) opt for 3 5 days (35%) to 1 week (26.9%). This finding is of particular interest in terms of understanding and depicting the profile of a tourist and projected revenues from hotel stays;

o Hostels and guesthouses are comparable in terms of findings: in both cases, the highest percentage of respondents spend a weekend, followed by 3-5 days stay.

o Of the people choosing to spend 1 night, a majority (52.6%) choose hotels and a minority (5.3%) camping. Likewise for respondents who stay for 1 weekend (37.4%). It is interesting to note that the higher the number of days spent beyond the ‘1 week’ mark, the smaller the percentage of respondents staying in hotels. Stays of 2 weeks or more, are more popular among those who go for ‘friends and family’ and ‘rented house’.

Type of accommodation

Duration of stay

Total One day One weekend 3-5 days 1 week 2 weeks Other

Camping 4.0% 56.0% 28.0% 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 100.0%

Rented house 2.9% 15.4% 25.0% 35.6% 13.5% 7.7% 100.0%

Private property 5.0% 5.0% 15.0% 20.0% 15.0% 40.0% 100.0%

Friends and family 3.1% 20.3% 21.9% 25.0% 23.4% 6.3% 100.0%

Hotel 6.3% 23.1% 35.0% 26.9% 7.5% 1.3% 100.0%

Hostel 42.9% 28.6% 28.6% 100.0%

Guest house 5.3% 39.5% 36.8% 18.4% 100.0%

Other 100.0% 100.0%

Total 4.5% 23.5% 29.0% 26.4% 11.2% 5.5% 100.0%

Table 16 -Type of accommodation * Duration of stay.

Type of accommodation

Duration of stay

Total One day One weekend 3 5 days 1 week 2 weeks Other

Camping 5.3% 14.1% 5.7% 0.9% 2.1% 4.3% 5.9%

Rented house 15.8% 16.2% 21.3% 33.3% 29.8% 34.8% 24.7% Private property 5.3% 1.0% 2.5% 3.6% 6.4% 34.8% 4.8%

Friends and family 10.5% 13.1% 11.5% 14.4% 31.9% 17.4% 15.2%

Hotel 52.6% 37.4% 45.9% 38.7% 25.5% 8.7% 38.0%

Hostel 3.0% 1.6% 4.3% 1.7%

Guest house 10.5% 15.2% 11.5% 6.3% 9.0% Other 2.7% 0.7%

Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Table 17 - Type of accommodation * Duration of stay.

Crosstabulation of the type of destinations visited and the type of accommodation choice

This crosstabulation explores the relationship between of the type of destinations visited and the type of accommodation choice, with particular emphasis on rural choices and how the choice of accommodation is affected.

o No matter the choice of destination, hotels attract the majority of tourists, ranging between 30.1% in the case of mountainous destinations and 42.1% for tourists of historical-cultural destinations.

o Of the five different types of destinations, camping is the most preferred (15.4%) among tourists visiting mountains, followed by rural destinations (villages) with 7.8%, and coastal destinations with 6.1%. Mountain based tourism is closely connected to what nature and the local community have to offer, and in the case of campers, oftentimes very autonomous in the way they experience tourism, it is also place-based, in that their choice is related to the specificities of a given place.

o Hostels and guesthouses are less popular, particularly in the case of villages and mountains (in the case of hostels) with 0%, and in the case of coastal destinations and guesthouses with 2%.

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Cities)

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Villages)

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Coast)

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Mountains)

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Historical cultural points)

Type of accommodation

Camping Count 12 11 15 19 8 25 % within choice of destination 5.0% 7.8% 6.1% 15.4% 5.5%

Rented house Count 50 23 81 21 28 104 % within choice of destination 20.7% 16.3% 32.9% 17.1% 19.3%

Private property Count 12 7 12 8 7 20 % within choice of destination 5.0% 5.0% 4.9% 6.5% 4.8% Count 35 25 32 17 16 64

Friends and family % within choice of destination 14.5% 17.7% 13.0% 13.8% 11.0%

Hotel Count 95 51 94 37 61 160

% within choice of destination 39.3% 36.2% 38.2% 30.1% 42.1%

Hostel Count 4 0 4 0 3 7

% within choice of destination 1.7% 0.0% 1.6% 0.0% 2.1%

Guest house Count 31 21 5 18 19 38

% within choice of destination 12.8% 14.9% 2.0% 14.6% 13.1%

Other Count 3 3 3 3 3 3

% within choice of destination 1.2% 2.1% 1.2% 2.4% 2.1%

Total Count 242 141 246 123 145 421

Percentages and totals are based on respondents.

a. Dichotomy group tabulated at value 1.

Table 18 Accommodation*choice of destination Crosstabulation

Type of accommodation * Mode of travel Crosstabulation

This crosstabulation investigates the relationship between the type of accommodation and the mode of travel in terms companionship (tourists travelling alone or in specific groups).

o Of those camping a majority of 56% prefer to travel with friends, followed by those (28%) who opt to travel with family. If we were to consider that camping is the most popular among mountainous destinations (followed by coastal), this is a positive indicator on at least 2 levels: (i) this nature based tourism experience/activity is popular among group travelers, which bodes well in terms of revenue generation for the local community, and (ii) this type of tourism often attracts tourists whose enjoyment and appreciation of a touristic experience is based on a set of values favoring the protection of nature. Of those camping, and choosing to do so when travelling alone, the percentage is comparatively low (8%) if compared to group based travel (i.e. family, friends)

o Of those preferring to rent a house when travelling, a majority of 57.7% travel with family or a group (21.2%). Similar trends are noticeable among tourists choosing private property, with 70% travelling with family and 25% with friends. This illustrates the growing

trend of ‘second homes (apartments)’ in coastal destinations, which mounts development pressure on the most popular coastal destinations, e.g. Durrrës, Vlorë, Sarandë, Kavajë, and Shëngjin. These holiday homes, in most cases, are used on a seasonal basis.

o Hostels are a popular choice among tourists travelling with friends (85.7%) or alone (14.3%).

o Of those preferring guesthouse stay, 52.6% travel with friends and 31.6% with family. This is the least preferred option for those travelling alone (7.9%) or as an organised group (7.9%).

o Among those travelling alone, the majority stay with friends and family (44.4%) or in a hotel (30.6%). The least voted option for lone travelers are hostels (2.8%), which could imply that hostels are not too widespread in the country or very popular.

o For tourists travelling with family, with friends, or in organised groups, hotels constitute a first choice, with 36.4%, 39.9% and 51.4%, respectively.

Type of accommodation * Mode of travel

Mode of travel

Total Alone With family With friends Organised group Other

Type of accommodation Camping 8.0% 28.0% 56.0% 8.0% 100.0%

Rented house 1.9% 57.7% 21.2% 10.6% 8.7% 100.0% Private property 5.0% 70.0% 25.0% 100.0% Hotel 6.9% 44.4% 34.4% 11.9% 2.5% 100.0% Hostel 14.3% 85.7% 100.0% Guest house 7.9% 31.6% 52.6% 7.9% 100.0% Other 66.7% 33.3% 100.0%

Total 8.6% 46.3% 32.8% 8.8% 3.6% 100.0%

Table 19 Each type of accommodation*mode of travel

Mode of travel Total

Alone With family With friends

Organised group Other

Type of accommodation Camping 5.6% 3.6% 10.1% 13.3% 5.9%

Rented house 5.6% 30.8% 15.9% 29.7% 60.0% 24.7%

Private property 2.8% 7.2% 3.6% 4.8%

Friends and family 44.4% 15.9% 10.1% 8.1% 15.2%

Hotel 30.6% 36.4% 39.9% 51.4% 26.7% 38.0%

Hostel 2.8% 4.3% 1.7%

Guest house 8.3% 6.2% 14.5% 8.1% 9.0%

Other 1.4% 2.7% 0.7%

Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Table 20 -Type of accommodation*each mode of travel

Destinations planning to visit * mode of travel Crosstabulation

This crosstabulation looks into the relationship between the two variables, i.e. the planned destination and mode of travel. Some of the key trends identified in this multiple response question are:

o Most respondents (69.4%) travelling alone ()prefer urban destinations (cities).

o Of those travelling with family, the majority (66.2%) prefer coastal destinations, a mass tourism contingent and 53.3% opt for urban destinations.

o Among those travelling with friends, the distribution among destinations is more inclusive of villages, mountainous areas and historical and cultural destinations, with 31.2%, 39.1% and 42%, respectively. What stands out in the case of respondents travelling with friends is the high percentage (60.9%) who planns to visit cities, followed by coastal destinations (53.6%).

o By and large, organized groups opt for historical cultural destinations (56.8%), followed by cities (51.4%), and mountains (40.5%).

Destinations planning to visit Total

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Cities)

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Villages)

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Coast)

Destinations planned to visit during the stay (Mountains)

Destinations planned to visit during the stay

(Historicalcultural points)

Mode of travel Alone Count 25 13 15 11 12 36

% within destinations planning to visit

69.4% 36.1% 41.7% 30.6% 33.3%

With family Count 104 64 129 41 48 195

% within destinations planning to visit

53.3% 32.8% 66.2% 21.0% 24.6%

With friends Count 84 43 74 54 58 138

% within destinations planning to visit

60.9% 31.2% 53.6% 39.1% 42.0%

Organised group Count 19 13 15 15 21 37 % within destinations planning to visit

51.4% 35.1% 40.5% 40.5% 56.8%

Other Count 10 8 13 2 6 15

% within destinations planning to visit

66.7% 53.3% 86.7% 13.3% 40.0%

Total Count 242 141 246 123 145 421

Table 21 -

Mode of travel vs. destinations planning to visit.

Country of origin * gender crosstabulation

This crosstabulation investigates the relation between the country of origin of respondents and their gender. Of the Albanian respondents, the majority (56.8%) were female, comparatively higher than the foreign female tourists (46.5%).

Gender

Total Male Female

Country of origin_coded Albanian 43.2% 56.8% 100.0% Foreign 53.5% 46.5% 100.0%

Total 49.9% 50.1% 100.0%

Table 22 - Country of origin * Gender crosstabulation

Country of origin * Age group and education Crosstabulation

This crosstabulation explores the relationship between the country of origin and age group of respondents. In the case of the Albanian respondents, the majority (56.8%) are youth, age group 19 30, whereas of the majority of foreign respondents belongs to the 31 40 years old age group. Noteworthy for the Albanian sample is the comparatively low number of respondents above 60 years old (1.4%) as opposed to 8.4% in the case of foreign respondents, and 5.9% of the overall total for this age group.

The crosstabulation between country of origin and level of education shows similarities between Albanian and foreign respondents.

Age group

Total under 18 19 30 31 40 41 50 51 60 +60

Country of origin Albanian 4.7% 56.8% 20.9% 10.1% 6.1% 1.4% 100.0% Foreign 3.7% 24.2% 26.4% 21.6% 15.8% 8.4% 100.0%

Total 4.0% 35.6% 24.5% 17.6% 12.4% 5.9% 100.0%

Table 23

Country of origin * Age group Crosstabulation

Level of education

Total Elementary school High school University

Postgraduate education (Master, PhD)

Country of origin Albanian 2.7% 19.6% 41.2% 36.5% 100.0% Foreign 4.8% 29.3% 48.7% 17.2% 100.0%

Total 4.0% 25.9% 46.1% 24.0% 100.0%

Table 24 Country of origin * Level of education Crosstabulation

The finding concerning the low level of retired tourists (60+ age group) is validated also by the crosstabulation between the country of origin and occupation. Among the

Albanian respondents, only 2% are reportedly retired, as opposed to 9.5% from those of foreign origin.

Occupation

Pu blic offi cial Oth er Cou ntry of origi n_c ode d

Tota l Stud ent Volun teer Entrepr eneur

Self empl oyed Man ager Unemp loyed Reti red

Albanian 24.3 % 6.8% 14.2 % 5.4% 4.7% 2.0 % 8.1 % 34. 5% 100. 0% Foreign 16.1 % 0.7% 7.3% 26.0 % 7.3% 5.5% 9.5 % 9.9 % 17. 6% 100. 0%

Total 19.0 % 0.5% 7.1% 21.9 % 6.7% 5.2% 6.9 % 9.3 % 23. 5% 100. 0%

Table 25 Country of origin * Occupation Crosstabulation.

The crosstabulation between the country of origin variable and number of visits for tourism reasons highlights some trends for domestic tourism: the highest percentage among Albanian respondents travel more than 4 times (39%), as opposed to one time tourists from foreign origin (51.3%), or 2 3 time visiting tourists (30.8%), again from foreign origin. The latter is an encouraging statistic, in terms of returning tourists.

Number of visits for tourism reasons

Total One time 2 3 times 4 times Other

Country of origin_coded Albanian 9.6% 24.7% 26.7% 39.0% 100.0% Foreign 51.3% 30.8% 11.4% 6.6% 100.0%

Total 36.8% 28.6% 16.7% 17.9% 100.0%

Table 26 Country of origin * number of visits for tourism reasons

In terms of duration of stay, analysed by origin, the highest percentage (31.9%) of foreign tourists spend on average 1 week, followed by 24.2% who stay 3 5 days. As far as domestic tourism is concerned, it seems more active for durations ranging from 1 weekend (19.8%) to 3 5 days (24.2%), and culminating to 1 week (31.9%). This is valuable feedback to domestic tourism planning and development.

Duration of stay

Total One day One weekend 3 5 days 1 week 2 weeks Other

Country of origin Albanian 5.4% 30.4% 37.8% 16.2% 2.0% 8.1% 100.0% Foreign 4.0% 19.8% 24.2% 31.9% 16.1% 4.0% 100.0%

Total 4.5% 23.5% 29.0% 26.4% 11.2% 5.5% 100.0%

Table 27 Country of origin * Duration of stay Crosstabulation

The crosstabulation between the country of origin and the mode of travel reveals that, by and large, tourism is primarily a family activity, with 48% of Albanian respondents travelling with their family, compared to 45.4% of foreign respondents who do the same. This could suggest that the tourism offer is more suited to families, followed by

respondents travelling with friends (35.1%) among Albanian respondents and 31.5% among foreign ones.

Mode of travel

Total Alone With family With friends Organised group Other

Country of origin Albanian 6.8% 48.0% 35.1% 9.5% 0.7% 100.0% Foreign 9.5% 45.4% 31.5% 8.4% 5.1% 100.0%

Total 8.6% 46.3% 32.8% 8.8% 3.6% 100.0%

Table 28 Country of origin * Mode of travel Crosstabulation.

The crosstabulation between age group and number of visits for tourism reason provides interesting insights into the relationship between the age group 19 30 and the number of visits, which appears high across the spectrum: 28.6% among those visiting one time, 35.8% for those travelling 2 3 times, 37.1% among those travelling 4 times/year. The age group 31 40 appears to have a more balanced distribution among the 4 categories, with 25.3% travelling only once, and the remaining groups averaging around 24%. The lowest percentages emerge in the age group 60+, with the highest number (12.3%) responding ‘one time’ and the remaining categories under 5%.

Number of visits for tourism reasons

Total One time 2 3 times 4 times Other Age group under 18 3.2% 5.0% 7.1% 1.3% 4.1% 19 30 28.6% 35.8% 37.1% 48.0% 35.6% 31 40 25.3% 24.2% 24.3% 24.0% 24.6% 41 50 19.5% 20.0% 15.7% 12.0% 17.7% 51 60 11.0% 13.3% 14.3% 10.7% 12.2% +60 12.3% 1.7% 1.4% 4.0% 6.0%

Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Table 29 Age group * Number of visits for tourism reasons

The crosstabulation between number of visits for tourism reason and duration of stay reveals that:

o Of the one time visiting respondents, the majority remain between one weekend (24%), 3 5 days (29.2%), and 1 week (27.9%).

o Of those visiting 2 3 times, the largest part (28.3%) spend on average 1 week in the country. Short trips such as one weekend or 3 5 days trips are also popular among respondents that visit 2 3 times.

o Frequent tourists (i.e. 4 times or more), appear primarily interested in short breaks such as 3 5 day stays.

o Durations longer than 2 weeks appear low/rare among all categories of respondents, ranging from 0.6% among one time tourists and 22.7% among the group that travels more than 4 times.

Duration of stay

Total One day One weekend 3 5 days 1 week 2 weeks Other

Number of visits One time 7.1% 24.0% 29.2% 27.9% 11.0% 0.6% 100.0%

for toursim reasons

2 3 times 6.7% 23.3% 25.8% 28.3% 12.5% 3.3% 100.0%

4 times 25.7% 34.3% 27.1% 11.4% 1.4% 100.0%

Other 20.0% 28.0% 20.0% 9.3% 22.7% 100.0%

Total 4.5% 23.4% 28.9% 26.5% 11.2% 5.5% 100.0%

Table 30 Number of visits for tourism reasons * Duration of stay

The crosstabulation between number of visits for tourism reasons and mode of travel reveals that among respondents visiting ‘one time’, the majority (41.6%) travel with family, followed by 31.2% who join friends. Similarly, the frequent tourists, visiting 2 3 or 4 times, generally travel with family 45.8% and 47.1% respectively, and slightly less with friends, 40% and 27.1% respectively. In the case of frequent tourists (4 times), the percentage of those choosing to travel alone appears higher at 12.9% than other groups.

Mode of travel

Total Alone With family With friends Organised group Other

Number of visits for tourism reasons

One time 7.8% 41.6% 31.2% 14.3% 5.2% 100.0%

2 3 times 8.3% 45.8% 40.0% 2.5% 3.3% 100.0%

4 times 12.9% 47.1% 27.1% 11.4% 1.4% 100.0%

Other 6.7% 54.7% 30.7% 5.3% 2.7% 100.0%

Total 8.6% 46.1% 32.9% 8.8% 3.6% 100.0%

Table 31 Number of visits for tourism reasons * Mode of travel.

The second section of the IPA questionnaire focuses on Likert scale questions assessing tourists’ perceived importance and performance on 24 aspects related to sustainable tourism and place based tourism development quality attributes, including the following:

o Fulfilment of expectations at destination;

o Green space in the surrounding areas at destination;

o Use of local materials including stone, wood, etc.;

o An obvious vernacular character of the place;

o Use of high energy efficiency materials;

o Use of recycling or similar practices;

o Safety at destination; hospitality;

o Hygiene at destination;

o Artistic wealth and cultural heritage at destination;

o Available infrastructure at destination;

o Access for people with disabilities;

o Display of orienting signage;

o Use of local ingredients;

o Local employees;

o Variety of touristic experiences at destination;

o Availability of online information on the destination;

o Affordability;

These quality attributes were selected to cover aspects of sustainable tourism as perceived/understood by the average tourist, in terms of social, environmental elements, as well as aspects related to the notion of ‘place’.

They were tested for correlation, using the Pearson coefficient. The Pearson coefficient is a type of correlation coefficient that represents the relationship between two variables that are measured on the same interval or ratio scale. It is a measure of the strength of the association between two continuous variables. (Kenton, 2006) Through the Pearson coefficient it is possible to measure ‘the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables’ (ibid.), with values ranging between 1 (strong negative relationship) and +1 (strong positive relationship). If it is near to 0 it shows no linear relationship at all.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Fulfilling of expectations on the destination’ showed no linear relationship between importance and performance.

Correlations

IMP_Fullfilling of expectations on the destination

IMP_Fullfilling of expectations on the destination

PERF_Fullfilling of expectations on the destination

PERF_Fullfilling of expectations on the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 0.041 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.421 N 402 396

Pearson Correlation 0.041 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.421 N 396 407

Table 32 - Correlation of importance vs. performance of 'Fulfilling of expectations on the destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Presence of greenery on the destination’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Presence of greenery on the destination

PERF_Presence of greenery on the destination

IMP_Presence of greenery on the destination

PERF_Presence of greenery on the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .210** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 404 398

Pearson Correlation .210** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 398 410

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 33 - Correlation of importance vs. performance of 'Presence of greenery on the destination'

The significant correlation between the importance and performance of this attribute is also visually illustrated through the regress curve below, based on the following equation: Equation is: y = 0.2903x + 2.4394

T2_PERF_Q2

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.2903x + 2.4394 R² = 0.0441 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

T2_IMP_Q2

Table 34 Regress curve between importance and performance of 'Presence of greenery on the destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Use of local materials’ emerged/is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant, and particularly relevant in the place based sustainable tourism discourse, related to identity, authenticity, and the cultural, social and natural capital of a particular place

Correlations

IMP_Use of local materials PERF_Use of local materials

IMP_Use of local materials Pearson Correlation 1 .167** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 394 388

PERF_Use of local materials Pearson Correlation .167** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 388 400

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 35 Correlation of importance vs. performance of 'Use of local materials'

The correlation is also visibly clear in the following regress curve, based on the equation: y = 0.2127x + 2.2991

T2_PERF_Q3

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.2127x + 2.2991 R² = 0.0339 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

T2_IMP_Q3

Table 36 Regress curve for attribute ‘use of local materials’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Clear local feel of the place’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Clear local feel of the place

IMP_Clear local feel of the place

PERF_Clear local feel of the place

Pearson Correlation 1 .123* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.015 N 396 391

PERF_Clear local feel of the place Pearson Correlation .123* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.015 N 391 401

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 37 Correlation of importance vs. performance of attribute ‘Clear local feel of the place’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attributes ‘Use of high energy efficiency elements’ and ‘Recycling practices or other practices’ showed no linear relationship between importance and performance.

Correlations

IMP_Use of high energy efficiency elements

IMP_Use of high energy efficiency elements

PERF_Use of high energy efficiency elements

PERF_Use of high energy efficiency elements

Pearson Correlation 1 0.055 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.280 N 390 382

Pearson Correlation 0.055 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.280 N 382 394

Table 38 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute ‘Use of high energy efficiency elements’

Correlations

IMP_Recycling practices or other practices

PERF_Recycling practices or other practices

IMP_Recycling practices or other practices

PERF_Recycling practices or other practices

Pearson Correlation 1 0.067 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.190 N 392 383

Pearson Correlation 0.067 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.190 N 383 395

Table 39 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute ‘Recycling practices or other practices’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Physical safety offered at the destination’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Physical safety offered at the destination

PERF_Physical safety offered at the destination

IMP_Physical safety offered at the destination

PERF_Physical safety offered at the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .129* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.010 N 400 392

Pearson Correlation -.129* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.010 N 392 403

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 40 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Physical safety offered at the destination'.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Cleanliness level offered at destination’ showed no linear relationship between importance and performance.

Correlations

IMP_Cleanliness level offered at destination

PERF_Cleanliness level offered at destination

IMP_Cleanliness level offered at destination

PERF_Cleanliness level offered at destination

Pearson Correlation 1 0.095 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.059 N 402 397

Pearson Correlation 0.095 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.059 N 397 408

Table 41 - Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Cleanliness level offered at destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Landscape maintenance at the destination’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Landscape maintenance at the destination

PERF_Landscape maintenance at the destination

IMP_Landscape maintenance at the destination

PERF_Landscape maintenance at the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .132** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.009 N 398 393

Pearson Correlation .132** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.009 N 393 405

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 42 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Landscape maintenance at the destination'

The correlation is also visibly clear in the following regress curve based on the following equation: y = 0,1919x + 2,7266. R² = 0,0175

T2_PERF_Q9

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.1919x + 2.7266 R² = 0.0175 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

T2_IMP_Q9

Table 43 Regress curve for correlation of attribute ''Landscape maintenance at the destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Hospitality’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Hospitality PERF_Hospitality

IMP_Hospitality Pearson Correlation 1 .109* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.030 N 400 395

PERF_Hospitality

Pearson Correlation .109* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.030 N 395 407

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 44 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Hospitality'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Serenity offered at the destination’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Serenity offered at the destination

PERF_Serenity offered at the destination

IMP_Serenity offered at the destination

PERF_Serenity offered at the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .154** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.002 N 395 390

Pearson Correlation .154** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.002 N 390 402

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 45 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Serenity offered at the destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination

IMP_Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination

PERF_Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination

PERF_Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .404** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 392 385

Pearson Correlation .404** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 385 396

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 46 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination'

The correlation is visible also in the regress curve as illustrated below, based on equation: y = 0,4861x + 1,5138. R² = 0,1632

T2_PERF_Q12

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

T2_IMP_Q12

Table 47 Regress curve for correlation of attribute ''Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Infrastructure including parking and transportation at the destination’, ‘Waste management available at the destination’, and ‘Access for people with disabilities’ showed no linear relationship between importance and performance.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Orientation signs in case of emergencies’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Orientation signs in case of emergencies

PERF_Orientation signs in case of ecemergencies

IMP_Orientation signs in case of emergencies

PERF_Orientation signs in case of emergencies

Pearson Correlation 1 .148** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.004 N 377 369

Pearson Correlation .148** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.004 N 369 379

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 48 Correlation of importance vs. performance of attribute 'Orientation signs in case of emergencies'

The regress curve, based on equation: y = 0,3072x + 1,3311 R² = 0,0552 illustrates the correlation between importance and performance:

T2_PERF_Q16

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

T2_IMP_Q16

Table 49 Regress curve for correlation of attribute 'Orientation signs in case of emergencies

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Available healthcare at the destination’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Available healthcare at the destination

PERF_Available healthcare at the destination

IMP_Available healthcare at the destination

PERF_Available healthcare at the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .235** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 378 369

Pearson Correlation .235** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 369 379

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 50 - Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Available healthcare at the destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Local Food and drinks offered at the destination’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant

Correlations

IMP_Local food and drinks offered at the destination

IMP_Culinary and drinks offered at the destination

PERF_Local food and drinks offered at the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .228** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 380 373

PERF_Culinary and drinks offered at the destination

Pearson Correlation .228** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 373 383

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 51 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Culinary and drinks offered at the destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Use of local products at the destination’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Use of local products at the destination

PERF_Use of local products at the destination

IMP_Use of local products at the destination

PERF_Use of local products at the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .220** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 391 383

Pearson Correlation .220** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 383 394

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 52 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute ‘Use of local products at the destination’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Service by locally employed staff’ showed significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Service by locally employed staff

PERF_Service by locally employed staff

IMP_Service by locally employed staff

PERF_Service by locally employed staff

Pearson Correlation 1 .103* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.050 N 378 364

Pearson Correlation .103* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.050 N 364 374

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 53 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Service by locally employed staff'.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Variety of tourism activities available at destination’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Variety of tourism activities available at destination

IMP_Variety of tourism activities available at destination

PERF_Variety of tourism activities available at destination

PERF_Variety of tourism activities available at destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .255** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 385 379

Pearson Correlation .255** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 379 391

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 54 - Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Variety of tourism activities available at destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Availability of accessible information online on the destination’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Availability of accessible information on line on the destiantion

PERF_Availability of accessible information on line on the destination

IMP_Availability of accessible information on line on the destination

PERF_Availability of accessible information on line on the destination

Pearson Correlation 1 .113* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.027 N 388 382

Pearson Correlation .113* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.027 N 382 393

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 55 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Availability of accessible information online on the destination'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attributes ‘Staff communicate in a decent qualitative manner’, ‘Staff can communicate in a foreign language’, showed no linear relationship between importance and performance.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the attribute ‘Albania is an affordable destination’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed) between importance and performance. The association between importance and performance of this attribute is significant.

Correlations

IMP_Albania is an affordable destination

PERF_Albania is an affordable destination

IMP_Albania is an affordable destination Pearson Correlation 1 .101* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.045

N 397 392

PERF_Albania is an affordable destination Pearson Correlation .101* 1 Sig. (2-tailed) 0.045 N 392 404

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 56 Correlation of importance vs. performance for attribute 'Albania is an affordable destination'

Having tested each attribute for correlations through the Pearson correlation coefficient, the level of perception (left column) is compared to the level of performance (column on the right) to understand if there is congruence or similarity between them, and to what extent . This process was conducted through 4 different methodologies.

Method 1: The ECG distances

First, the differences for each column were identified, as presented in the graphs below. It is clear that the difference between the two numbers x and y source their values from the set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, will be a value resulting from x y which is sourced from the set { 4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4}. The closer to the horizontal axis the values are, the higher the congruence meaning that the level of perceived importance is in line with that of perceived performance. The farther away from the horizontal axis the values are, the greater the differences meaning that the level of perceived importance is disproportionately related to the level of perceived performance. Each difference is presented through line charts.

The highest congruence, i.e. the lowest difference between perceived level of performance and perceived level of importance, is observed in the following attributes: ‘hospitality’ (table 56), ‘serenity/tranquillity at destination’ (table 57), ‘artistic and cultural wealth at destination’ (table 58), ‘culinary offer and drinks at destination’ (table 59), ‘use of local ingredients/produce characteristic for the area (food, drinks)’ (table 60), ‘service by locally employed staff' (table 61), ‘variety of touristic experience at destination' (table 62), ‘decent communication and qualitative service by staff’ (table 63), and ‘'Albania an affordable destination' (table 64). Table 57 ECG distances for ‘Hospitality’

Table 58 ECG distances for ‘Serenity/tranquillity at destination’

4

2

0

-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 -4

Table 59 ECG distances for ‘Artistic and cultural wealth at destination’

-2

4

2

0

6 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 -4

Table 60 ECG distances for ‘Culinary offer and drinks at destination’

-2

4

2

0

6 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

-2

6 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 -4

Table 61 ECG distances for ‘Use of local ingredients/produce characteristic for the area (food, drinks).

Table 62 ECG distances for 'Service by locally employed staff'

4

2

0

-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 -4

Table 63 ECG distances for 'Variety of touristic experience at destination'

-2

4

2

0

6 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 -4

Table 64 ECG distances for ‘Decent communication and qualitative service by staff’.

-2

4

2

0

6 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

-2

6 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 -4

Table 65 ECG distances for 'Albania an affordable destination'.

Method 2: Histograms

Histograms were used as a second method to check for correlations. To this end, the differences between the left and right columns were first calculated and then mapped in bar type graphs. It is clear that the difference of the two numbers x and y that take values in the set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} will be a quantity x y that takes values in the set { 4, 3, 2 , 1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4}.

The higher the bar at point 0, the more equal the left column is to the right column being compared so the more immutable the two sizes. The more parts of the graph (bars) are to the right of point 0, the greater the

5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00 45.00 50.00

Dist_Q6 Dist_Q15 Dist_Q16 Dist_Q16a Dist_Q5 Dist_Q14 Dist_Q13 Dist_Q3 Dist_Q8 Dist_Q23 Dist_Q21 Dist_Q7 Dist_Q9 Dist_Q17 Dist_Q19 Dist_Q22 Dist_Q2 Dist_Q4 Dist_Q11 Dist_Q1 Dist_Q20 Dist_Q24 Dist_Q12 Dist_Q18 Dist_Q10

To better understand what tourists value the most in terms of expectations from their touristic experience, variables were ranked starting from the ones that have been 9 Detailed calculations of the t test can be accessed in Annex

attributed the highest level of importance from respondents. The overall value of perceived importance (4.64) is higher than the perceived performance (4.47). Respondents have valued as most important ‘Q8. Cleanliness level offered at destination’ 4.64 on the Likert scale’, as opposed to 3.55 Likert scale when assessed for performance (ranked 15th). The histogram below shows that approximately 23% of the surveyed tourists find no difference between what they value as important and what they perceive as performance in reality, whereas for the remaining 77% there are differences ranging from ‘ 3 to 4’.

111 15 26 0

Table 67 Ranking in terms of perceived importance

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages) 4.64 40

Cleanliness level offered at destination 3.55 4.60 60

Physical safety offered at destination 3.82 4.56 80

Fulfilling of your expectations on the destination 3.92 4.54 100

Staff communicate in a decent qualitative manner 3.91 1 6 28

Hospitality 4.47 4.54 120

4.50 Q9. Landscape maintainance at (close to) the destination 3.60

4.49 Q24. Albania is an affordable destination (financially) 4.04

4.45 Q17. Culinary and drinks offered at destination (type and quality) 3.64

4.41 Q 2. Presence of greenery in the destination 3.70

4.41 Q18. Use of local (characterstic) produce/ingredients at destination 4.05

4.34 Q16. Available healthcare at destination 2.66

4.33 Q23. Staff can communicate in a foreign language 3.57

4.30 Q13. Available infrastructure including parking and transportation available at destination 3.07

4.25 Q12. Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination 3.59 4.24 Q4. Clear local/original feel of the place 3.67

4.24 Q11. Serenity/ quietness offered at the destination 3.69

4.19 Q21. Availability of accessible information online on the destination 3.33

4.13

Q16. Clear display of orientation signs in case of emergencies/disasters (including earthquakes, fires, floods, etc.) 2.47

4.11 Q20. Variety of tourism activities available at destination 3.51 4.05 Q14. Waste management available at destination 2.73 4.01 Q6. Application of recycling and similar practices 2.25

3.91 Q5. Use of high energy efficiency elements (panels, well insulated windows) 2.60

3.83 Q19. Service by locally employed staff 3.73

3.79 Q15. Access for people with disabilities 1.97

3.64 Q3. Use of local materials, such as local stone, wood, etc. 3.07

Table 68 Ranking in terms of perceived importance

Some variables of high relevance to the place based sustainable tourism development discourse have scored low both on the perceived importance and performance. They include: Q3. ‘Use of local materials, such as local stone, wood, etc.’; Q5. ‘Use of high energy efficiency elements (panels, well insulated windows)’.

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

4.54 Q10. Hospitality 4.47

4.41 Q18. Use of local (characterstic) produce/ingredients at destination 4.05

4.49 Q24. Albania is an affordable destination (financially) 4.04

4.56 Q1. Fullfilling of your expectations on the destination 3.92

4.54 Q22. Staff communicate in a decent qualitative manner 3.91 4.60 Q7. Physical safety offered at destination 3.82

3.83 Q19. Service by locally employed staff 3.73

4.41 Q2. Presence of greenery in the destination 3.70

4.24 Q11. Serenity/ quietness offered at the destination 3.69

4.24 Q4. Clear local/original feel of the place 3.67

4.45 Q17. Culinary and drinks offered at destination (type and quality) 3.64

4.50 Q9. Landscape maintainance at (close to) the destination 3.60

4.25 Q12. Artistic and cultural heritage at the destination 3.59

4.33 Q23. Staff can communicate in a foreign language 3.57

4.64 Q8. Cleanliness level offered at destination 3.55

4.11 Q20. Variety of tourism activities available at destination 3.51

4.19 Q21. Availability of accessible information online on the destination 3.33

4.30 Q13. Available infrastructure including parking and transportation available at destination 3.07

3.64 Q3. Use of local materials, such as local stone, wood, etc. 3.07

4.05 Q14. Waste management available at destination 2.73 4.34 Q16. Healthcare at destination 2.66

3.91 Q5. Use of high energy efficiency elements (panels, well insulated windows) 2.60

4.13

Q16. Clear display of orientation signs in case of emergencies/disasters (including earthquakes, fires, floods, etc.) 2.47

4.01 Q6. Application of recycling and similar practices 2.25 3.79 Q15. Access for people with disabilities 1.97

Table 69 Ranking in terms of perceived performance

Among the 24 variables scrutinised, those focused on environmental aspects manifest noticeable discrepancies between perceived importance and perceived performance: ‘Presence of greenery in the destination’ is perceived as ‘important’ among respondents at 4.41 on Likert scale value (89% of the maximum 5 points), while its performance is assessed , relatively low at 3.70 on the Likert scale (74% of the maximum 5 points). ‘Waste management available at destination’ is at 4.05 points Likert scale in terms of perceived importance compared to 2.73 points for performance.

In addition, ‘application of recycling and similar practices’ ranks second to last, with 4.01 points in terms of importance and 2.25 points regarding perceived performance.

Similarly, ‘Use of high energy efficiency elements (panels, well insulated windows)’ features low both in terms of perceived importance (3.91) and perceived performance (2.25), ranking 22nd (out of 25) on both columns.

Variables with particular focus on social aspects such as ‘Service by locally employed staff’ received low score in terms of perceived importance (3.83), as opposed to 3.73 points when assessed for perceived performance. ‘Clear local/original feel of the place’, particularly related to place based sustainable tourism practices, is perceived on average as important (4.24, ranked 15th), but received lower score for perceived performance (3.67).

The third part of the questionnaire included 9 open ended and closed ended questions The first question asked respondents if they had ever visited other countries in the region (i.e. Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Montenegro). Over half (54.9%) said they

had visited other countries in the region. This result could indicate that the majority of the respondents were from the region, or that mobility within the region is high, or that Albania attracts a specific typology of tourists who prefer to travel in the Balkans.

When asked if Albania evoked any resemblance to any other countries, responses varied from ‘Albania is unique’ (4%), to it resembles other Balkan countries (23.5%), or is similar to other countries, like Turkey, Lebanon, and Greece. Yet, when asked whether Albania was different to its neighbouring countries, 36.8% of the respondents said ‘Yes’.

When prompted to single out one positive quality about the touristic experience in Albania, respondents tended to mention ‘nature’ (30.6%), followed by ‘hospitality’ (13.3%), and cuisine (7.4%). Rich cultural/historical heritage accounted for a low percentage (3.1%), and service only 1%. When asked to name one negative quality about Albania, the most common responses were: poor service (14.3%), high levels of pollution (16.6%), overall poor infrastructure (21.4%), and poorly trained/unskilled workers/staff (4%).

49.4% of respondents chose not to respond to the question regarding the average annual budget intended for travel. The remaining 50.6%that 18.1% they would spend between 100 500EUR (18.1%), between 600 1000EUR (19.5%), and more than 1000EUR (13.1%).

The question (#6) about the willingness of respondents to pay more for services which respect nature (e.g. cycling, energy efficiency, and composting) and that engage/include the local community received a 74.5% positive response, as opposed to 25.5% who objected.

The other sustainability related questions (#7) asked respondents whether they purchased local products before leaving a place they visited. The majority (64.7%) said yes, while 35.3% stated no. Of those who purchased, the choice was distributed among livestock products, alcohol, souvenirs, and artisanal products.

Respondents were also asked whether they preferred mass tourism choices i.e. crowded places with many tourists or less busy places. 34% stated they favoured places with less tourists and 18.1% embraced both options.

Lastly, respondents were asked which one element they regarded as the most important for their holiday experience. Their answers returned: nature (23.5%), followed by service and hospitality (20.2%), historical/cultural heritage (6.4%), entertainment (6.2%) and gastronomy (3.6%).

4.1.2 Importance Performance Analysis of service providers operating in the tourism sector

During July October 2021, 53 IPA surveys were conducted in 5 key tourist destinations in Albania, namely: Tiranë (the capital), Durrës, Korçë, Vlorë, and Sarandë. Data was collected from 53 service providers and analysed. The number of respondents is comparatively low to the number of IPA applied to tourists, for a number of reasons: A generally distorted touristic season because of the Covid 19 pandemic, resulting in businesses closing down;

Hesitant businesses to share views for lack of trust, and/or lack of culture of participating in research;

In terms of typology, the majority of providers (45.3 %) offer accommodation services. This is followed by 39.6 % which have either a bar service (20.8 %), restaurant service (11.3 %) or both (7.5 %). 9.4% of providers provide restaurant as well as accommodation services, and the remaining have shops (1.9 %) or souvenir shops (3.8 %). This can be viewed in detail in the below table:

Valid Accommodation

Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

45.3 45.3 45.3

Bar 20.8 20.8 66.0 Bar + Restaurant 7.5 7.5 73.6 Restaurant 11.3 11.3 84.9 Restaurant + Accommodation 9.4 9.4 94.3 Shop 1.9 1.9 96.2 Souvenir's shop 3.8 3.8 100.0

Total 100.0 100.0

Table 70 Distribution of respondents according to typology

In terms of gender distribution, most of the respondents were male (66%) versus 34% female.

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid Male 35 66.0 66.0 66.0 Female 18 34.0 34.0 100.0

Total 53 100.0 100.0

Table 71 Distribution of respondents based on gender

Concerning the age distribution, 81.1% of respondents representing service providers belong to the 15 40 year old group. This shows that the greatest portion of businesses are run by a young people. The remaining 18.9% represent age groups above the age of 41.

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid 15 29 25 47.2 47.2 47.2 30 40 18 34.0 34.0 81.1 41 50 5 9.4 9.4 90.6 51 60 4 7.5 7.5 98.1 +61 1 1.9 1.9 100.0

Total 53 100.0 100.0

Table 72 Distribution of respondents based on age groups

Most providers (50.9%) have a university degree, followed by postgraduates (18.9%), professional high school (17%) and high-school education (13.2%).

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid High school 7 13.2 13.2 13.2 Professional high school 9 17.0 17.0 30.2 University 27 50.9 50.9 81.1 Postgraduate education (Master, Phd) 10 18.9 18.9 100.0

Total 53 100.0 100.0

Table 73 Distribution of respondents based on level of education

Regarding their experience in the field of tourism, 52.8 % of service providers indicated up to 5 years of experience, 26.4 % between 6 10 years and the remaining 20.8 % between 11 27 years. This indicates an increase in the number of the newly opened businesses focusing on service provision, with 1 in 2 businesses classifying as new.

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Valid 1 4 7.5 7.5 7.5 2 8 15.1 15.1 22.6 3 8 15.1 15.1 37.7 4 3 5.7 5.7 43.4 5 5 9.4 9.4 52.8 6 5 9.4 9.4 62.3 7 2 3.8 3.8 66.0 8 2 3.8 3.8 69.8 10 5 9.4 9.4 79.2 11 1 1.9 1.9 81.1 12 1 1.9 1.9 83.0 13 1 1.9 1.9 84.9 15 1 1.9 1.9 86.8 17 1 1.9 1.9 88.7 20 4 7.5 7.5 96.2 22 1 1.9 1.9 98.1 27 1 1.9 1.9 100.0

Total 53 100.0 100.0

Table 74 - Distribution of respondents based on experience.

In terms of tourist typology, 13.2% of providers offer service to local tourists, 7.5% to regional tourists, 10% to international tourists and 84.9% to mixed typologies. The total percentage is over 100% as multiple responses were given from providers. Multiple responses were also provided by service providers regarding the average age of tourists. The highest percentage (84.9%) deemed that the average age of tourists was between 26 and 40 years. This is followed by 58.5 % between 41 60, 28.3% between 15 25 and 18.9% who estimated tourists the average age of 60.

In terms of tourist groups, the bulk of providers (81.1%) said they were offering service to families, 73.6% to organised groups and 39.6% to individual tourists. Multiple responses were given on this classification by service providers.

As for tourism based on territorial typology, the largest proportion of respondents (86.8%) claimed that urban (city) tourism is preferred, followed by mountainous tourism (75.5%), adventure tourism (28.3%), rural and backpacking tourism (13.2% each), business tourism (9.4%) and coastal tourism (5.7%).

To better understand the likelihood and extent of relationships between multiple variables, a cross tabulation analysis was conducted yielding the following results:

Typology * Gender Crosstabulation

This crosstabulation explores the relationship between the typology of service providers and gender. The hospitality industry, including lodging food and beverage service, are dominated primarily by male. 62.5% of the service providers surveyed and operating in the accommodation sector are male; 72.7%in bars, 100% in restaurants. The ratio is

reversed in the case of shops including souvenir shops, where all respondents were female.

Typology * Gender Crosstabulation

% within Typology

Typology

Gender

Total Male Female

62.5% 37.5% 100.0% Bar 72.7% 27.3% 100.0%

Accommodation

Bar + Restaurant 100.0% 100.0% Restaurant 100.0% 100.0% Restaurant + Accommodation 40.0% 60.0% 100.0% Shop 100.0% 100.0%

Souvenir's shop 100.0% 100.0%

Total 66.0% 34.0% 100.0%

Table 75 Correlation of typology versus gender

Typology * Gender Crosstabulation

This crosstabulation explores the relationship between the typology of service providers and age group distribution. The highest percentages are found among young age groups: 79.2% of service providers in the accommodation sector are between 15-29 and 30 40 of age. The same can be said for bars: 90.9% of service providers here fall in the age groups 15-29 and 30-40 years old. The age groups with the least involvement in service provision are those between 51 60, and above 61 of age. The most common activity for the age group 51 60 is shops in support of tourism.

Typology * Age Crosstabulation

Typology

Age

Total 15 29 30 40 41 50 51 60 +61

Accommodation 54.2% 25.0% 12.5% 4.2% 4.2% 100.0%

Bar 54.5% 36.4% 9.1% 100.0%

Bar + Restaurant 25.0% 75.0% 100.0%

Restaurant 16.7% 33.3% 33.3% 16.7% 100.0%

Restaurant + Accommodation 60.0% 40.0% 100.0%

Shop 100.0% 100.0% Souvenir's shop 50.0% 50.0% 100.0%

Total 47.2% 34.0% 9.4% 7.5% 1.9% 100.0%

Table 76 Correlation between the typology of service providers and age group distribution

The second, third, fourth and fifth sections of the IPA questionnaire focuses on Likert scale questions assessing service providers’ perceived importance and performance on the following aspects related to sustainable tourism and place based tourism development quality attributes:

Development of sustainable tourism

o A1. Tourism an important engine driving economic development in Albania

o A2. Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania;

o A3. Development of tourism based on a national strategy for tourism, with a clear long term development vision and objectives;

o A4. A national strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country;

o A5. Familiarity with the content of the strategy;

o A6. A local strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country;

o A7. A clear development vision for my business;

o A8. Familiarity with the sustainable development principles;

o A9. The development vision for my business is in line with sustainable development;

o A10. Offering unique experiences, different from what is offered in other countries;

o A11. Networks of tourism service providers and collaborations between them to increase efficiency and sustainable development Local and social aspects

o B1. Local origin of products / services and connection with the principles of sustainable development

o B2. Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers

o B3. Purchase / provide 50% or more of the required supplies from local suppliers / manufacturers

o B4. Prioritize local suppliers

o B5. Most business personnel from the area

o B6. Enforce labor code rules

o B7. Familiarity of business staff (employees) with some of the sustainable development practices

o B8. Ongoing employee training

o B9. Use / support of local guides

o B10. Promotion of local products

o B11. Rich history of the town / village / area where the business is located

o B12. Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located

o B13. Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in and around the area

o B14. Proximity of business to historical / cultural / natural points

o B15. Information / material (translated) about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest to visit

o B16. Authenticity of the tourist service / product

o B17. Tourism as a development tool for local communities

o B18. Tourism as a tool of development and emancipation for local communities

o B19. Participation in meetings for sustainable tourism planning of the area

o B20. Support to local community initiatives in line with the development of sustainable tourism

Environmental aspects

o C1. Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements, such as: mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the town / village / area where the business is located

o C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged

o C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

o C4. Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed

o C5. Conservation of endangered species in the area

o C6. Cleanliness and hygiene in the premises where the service / product is provided and around

o C7. Certified hygiene practices (HCCAP, etc.)

o C8. Good waste management in the service / product environment and surroundings

o C9. Waste recycling

o C10. Use of elements / materials with high energy efficiency

o C11. Wastewater treatment

o C12. Clean air in the service / product environments and the surrounding area

o C13. Use of native vegetation in the surrounding environment (such as native spices, native trees, flowers, etc.)

o C14. Eco friendly tourism practice (negative impact on low environment)

o C15. Green business strategies (environmentally friendly)

o C16. High awareness / awareness of businesses and individuals on environmental issues.

o C17. Educating consumers and the local community on products and services (tourism) which respect the environment

o C18. Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment

o C19. Development of tourism in accordance with environmental norms

o C20. Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity / originality of the destination

Organisational aspects

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects)

o D2. Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your activity

o D3. Respecting the legal basis on construction / development

o D4. Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force (NIPT, special permits, etc.)

o D5. Certified and qualified staff / personnel in certain disciplines / skills, professional certificates, training certificates)

o D6. Training of staff / staff on sustainable tourism issues

o D7. Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from the client / customer

o D8. Use of current business images and products / services for promotion

o D9. Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with the rules / legal basis (such as hunting activity, or walking in endangered ecosystems, etc.)

o D10. Enabling and facilitating access for people with disabilities / special needs in business environments

o D11. Enabling and facilitating access for people with disabilities / special needs in the surrounding areas (including parks, protected areas, etc.)

o D12. Clear orientation signage in the environment where the service is provided

o D13. Membership in networks of tourism service providers

o D14. Partnerships with foreign organizations / operators that respect the principles of sustainable tourism

o D15. Adopting the principles of sustainable development increases the costs for my business (such as waste reduction, use of high energy efficiency elements, use of local products, etc.)

The quality attributes were tested for correlation, using the Pearson coefficient, to measure ‘the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables’ (ibid.),

with values ranging between 1 (strong negative relationship) and +1 (strong positive relationship). If it is near to 0 it shows no linear relationship at all.

Two asterics (**) shows that coresponding variables have linear relationship at significance *0.01.

- One asterics (*) shows that coresponding variables have linear relationship at significance *0.05 (that is lower level of statsaitical significance of linear relationship than 0.01 above).

The pairs were tested for both perceived importance and performance for attributes under section A. Development of sustainable tourism:

o A2. Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania; and A4. A national strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country;

o A2. Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania; and A8. Familiarity with the sustainable development principles;

o A2. Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania; and A9. The development vision for my business is in line with sustainable development;

o A8. Familiarity with the sustainable development principles; and A9. The development vision for my business is in line with sustainable development;

o A9. The development vision for my business is in line with sustainable development;

o and A10. Offering unique experiences, different from what is offered in other countries;

o A2. Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania; and A6. A local strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘A2. Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ and ‘A4. Having a strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in the country’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that a country (Albania) having sustainability as a priority, is correlated to that country (Albania) having a strategy for sustainable development of tourism. This constitutes a rational finding in that it is to be expected that priorities would be reflected in strategies. However, having a strategy does not necessarily translate into prioritizing sustainable tourism development, and the extent to which the strategy reflects this priority is subject to analysis in chapter 4 Correlations

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Sust ainable tourism, a priority for Albania

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q4_ having a strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in the country

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_ Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q4_ having a strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in the country

Pearson Correlation 1 .306* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.031 N 53 50

Pearson Correlation .306* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.031 N 50 50

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 77 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania' and 'Having a strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in the country'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘A2. Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ and ‘A9. The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘a country (Albania) having sustainability as a priority’ is correlated to ‘The business vision being in line with the principles of sustainable development’ Similar to the correlation above, this correlation also constitutes a rational finding, and it can be interpreted in numerous ways:

The business community picked up on priorities as stated by the government, including rhetoric, government decisions, policies, etc. The business community may have explored/ may have been exposed to the benefits associated to sustainability, i.e. economic, social and environmental aspects. A point in case is the use of higher energy efficiency, which is of interest from a business perspective in so far as it can result in reduced consumption Likewise, use of locally sourced ingredients and produce can mean fewer/less costs related to transportation, import, processing, and so on.

Correlations

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Susta inable tourism, a priority for Albania

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q9 _The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Susta inable tourism, a priority for Albania

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q9_The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development

Pearson Correlati on

1 .336* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.015 N 53 52

Pearson Correlati on

.336* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.015 N 52 52

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 78 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania', and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development'.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘A8. and A9‘ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to ‘The business vision being in line with the principles of sustainable development.’ Short of an accurate estimation of the extent to which the business community is exposed to and familiarised with principles of sustainable development, the perceived importance associated seems reasonable. Less clear is the reason behind the familiarity element, which could range from ‘business pragmatism’ to ‘shared values with the sustainability principles’.

Correlations

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Famil iarity with the principles of sustainable development

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q9_ The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Famil iarity with the principles of sustainable development

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q9_The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development

Pearson Correlati on

1 .921** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 51 51

Pearson Correlati on

.921** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 51 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 79 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development' and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development'

This correlation is visually notable also in the regress curve graph below, which builds on the following equation: y = 0,8249x + 0,8436. R² = 0,8478

5

4

3

2

1

O1_IMP_Q9 O1_IMP_Q8

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

0

Table 80 Regress curve for correlation perceived importance between 'Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development' and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘A9. and A10‘ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘the business vision being in line with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to the ‘Offering unique experiences that differ from other places.’

This finding/result is particularly important for this study, as it could indicate that sustainability is correlated to place based tourism development and the unique elements of a place. The artistic, cultural, natural, and historical elements in a ‘given place’ as well as spiritual heritage, or strong natural elements present in the territory serve not only to shape the identity of a place but also that of a business. The ability to explore these elements, understand them, and combine them, can help a business craft unique

touristic experiences and firmly root/anchor them in that place. This integration with the place, and what is local, contributes to the creation of a place specific, non generic, and at best authentic touristic offer. Afterall, as Hughes (1995, p. 781) points out, ‘the issue of authenticity runs, like an obligato, through tourism studies ’ Whether staged or impervious to outside influences, the concept of authenticity is used to mean ‘principal, genuine’ and ‘made or done in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original.’10

Correlations

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q9_

The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q10_Off

ering unique experiences that differ from other places

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q9_The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q10_Off

ering unique experiences that differ from other places

Pearson Correlati on

1 .595** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

Pearson Correlati on

.595** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 81 - Correlation of perceived importance between ‘The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development ' and ‘Offering unique experiences that differ from other places’

The correlation is visually expressed below through the regress curve, based on the equation: y = 0,7229x + 1,2918, R² = 0,3544 10 https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/authentic?q=authentic

Table 82 Regress curve for correlation perceived importance between ‘The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development ' and ‘Offering unique experiences that differ from other places’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘A2. and A6 ‘is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ is correlated to having a strategy for the territorial development at the municipal level. This is an important aspect from a territorial perspective, enabling the translation of national objectives locally, where resources are.

Following the administrative territorial reform in Albania (2015), all 61 newly reconfigured municipalities had the legal obligation to draft the General Local Territorial Plan, including the Municipal Strategy for Territorial Development. Whilst most municipalities entertain the idea of developing tourism, they mostly rely on central government policies and incentives for a number of reasons, including:

Limited human and financial resources to plan and manage their touristic assets; Limited (if any) experience in the tourism sector;

The tourism planning and development legislative framework is constantly developing, meaning that changes have not been coordinated.

For a more accurate assessment of the situation on a local level, see section 5.2, which focuses on the tourism development aspect of local strategies.

Correlations

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Sust ainable tourism, a priority for Albania

Pearson Correlati on

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Sust ainable tourism, a priority for Albania

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q6_ Having a strategy for the territorial development at the municipal level

1 .488**

Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 52

development at the municipal level Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 83 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania' and 'Having a strategy for the territorial development at the municipal level' The correlation is expressed through the regress curve, based on the following equation: y = 0,7229x + 1,2918 R² = 0,3544

5

4

3

2

1

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O1_IMP_Q 6 O1_IMP_Q2

0

Table 84 Regress curve expressing the Correlation of perceived importance between 'Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania' and 'Having a strategy for the territorial development at the municipal level'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘A8. and A9 ‘ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to ‘The business vision being in line with the principles of sustainable development.’

Correlations O1_PERFORMANCE_Q8_Fa miliarity with the principles of sustainable development

O1_PERFORMANCE_Q8_Fa miliarity with the principles of sustainable development

O1_PERFORMANCE_Q9_Th e business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development

O1_PERFORMANCE_Q 9_The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development

1 .566** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 51 51

Pearson Correlati on

.566** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 51 52

Pearson Correlati on

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 85 Correlation of perceived performance between 'Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development' and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development'

The regress curve below illustrates the correlation for perceived performance of the pair, based on the following equation: y = 0,5006x + 1,5672. R² = 0,3206

5

4

3

2

1

O1_PERF_Q9 O1_PERF_Q8

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

0

Table 86 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between 'Familiarity with the principles of sustainable development' and 'The business vision is in line with the principles of sustainable development'

The pairs tested for both perceived importance and performance for attributes under section B. Local and social aspects:

o B1. Local origin of products / services and connection with the principles of sustainable development and B2. Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers

o B1 Local origin of products / services and connection with the principles of sustainable development and B3 Purchase / provide 50% or more of the required supplies from local suppliers / manufacturers;

o B1 Local origin of products / services and connection with the principles of sustainable development and and B4 Prioritize local suppliers;

o B1 Local origin of products / services and connection with the principles of sustainable development and and B7 Familiarity of business staff (employees) with some of the sustainable development practices;

o B7 Familiarity of business staff (employees) with some of the sustainable development practices dhe B8;

o B2 Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers and B9;

o B2 Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers and B8;

o B4 Prioritize local suppliers dhe B10 Promotion of local products;

o B11 Rich history of the town / village / area where the business is located dhe B13 Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in and around the area;

o B12 Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located and B13 Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in and around the area;

o B13 Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in and around the area dhe B14 Proximity of business to historical / cultural / natural points;

o B11 Rich history of the town / village / area where the business is located and B15 Information / material (translated) about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest to visit;

o B12 Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located and B15 Information / material (translated) about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest to visit;

o B13 Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in and around the area and B15 Information / material (translated) about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest to visit;

o B4 Prioritize local suppliers and B16 Authenticity of the tourist service / product

o B8 Ongoing employee training and B16 Authenticity of the tourist service / product

o B2 Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers and B18;

o B2 Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers and B20 Support to local community initiatives in line with the development of sustainable tourism;

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B1. and B3’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers.’

The correlation for this pair is rational and supports the principles of sustainable development. Small scale, locally owned businesses create communities that are more prosperous, connected, and generally better off across a wide range of metrics. The choice to buy from locally owned businesses has several positive implications. According to ‘Sustainable Connections’, ‘locally owned businesses make more local purchases, that require less transportation and set up shop in town or city centers which generally means less sprawl, congestion, habitat loss, and pollution.’ (Why Buy Local? | Sustainable Connections, n.d.) In addition, and very important in terms of social and economic benefits, purchasing locally helps establish and maintain (tourism) value chains, leading to increased employment opportunities, increased revenues, and greater local ownership.

the necessary supplies from local suppliers Correlat ion Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 87 Correlations of perceived importance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’

This correlation is visibly clear in the regress curve below, based on the equation: y = 0,8271x + 0,785. R² = 0,4561.

O2_IMP_Q 3

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_IMP_Q1

Table 88 Regress curve for Correlations of perceived importance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B1. and B4’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to ‘Prioritizing local suppliers’. This correlations is in line with the correlation between B1 and B3. By opting for products of local origin and prioritizing local suppliers, service providers operating in the tourism sector can:

Contribute to keeping a reduced carbon footprint, by diminishing the volume of fossil fuels used in shipping and transportation and cutting down greenhouse gas emissions; (Sorensen Ruiz, 2020)

Exercise greater control on the specifications of the service/good acquired locally, thereby ensuring better compliance and reduced waste. Ensure greater agility and adaptability to changing circumstance. As the COVID19 pandemic showcased, high reliance on complex suplly chains translated in delayed or altogether halted operations, leading to increased costs and shortages. Close proximity to suppliers results in more efficient monitoring and management of the overall supply chain.

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Loc al origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q1_L

ocal origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q4_Prior itize local suppliers

1 .533** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

Pearson Correlati on

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q4_Prior itize local suppliers Pearson Correlati on

.533** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 89 Correlations of perceived importance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Prioritize local suppliers’

The correlation between the two attributes is illustrated in the regress curve below, based on the following equation: y = 0,8855x + 0,4252. R² = 0,2839

5

4

3

2

1

O2_IMP_Q 4 O2_IMP_Q1

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

0

Table 90 Regress curve for correlations of perceived importance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Prioritize local suppliers’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B1. and B7’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices.’

This correlation, while reasonable, highlights the importance of familiarity with sustainable development concepts at a very local level. Research attributes much of the unsustainable behaviour and negative environmental impact to a lack of knowledge and

to the way the education system operates overall. Local producers/service providers and the business staff are part of the same value chain and, as such, having a better understanding of sustainability principles and their application leads to better production and promotion of local goods/services offered. Familiarity with the sustainability principles across the spectrum of local actors also makes a cooperative approach more likely. A local producer of a specific product/good/service will be more interested in upholding sustainable production practices when:

Its product/service is understood, appreciated and promoted; The purchase of its products is guaranteed among local cooperators who support, promote and make this product/service part of their touristic offer. In addition to long term benefits (i.e. environmental), this practice ensures short term economic benefits. Piñero et al.(2020, p. 809) reviewed 18,000 papers to explore what drives adoption of sustainable practices among farmers. They found that ‘independent of the incentive programme, short term economic benefits have a higher adoption rate than those aimed solely at providing an ecological service. In the long run, one of the strongest motivations for farmers to adopt sustainable practices is perceived benefits for either their farms, the environment or both. ‘

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q1_ Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Loca l origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q7_Fami

liarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q7_Fami liarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices

1 .443** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 53 50

Pearson Correlati on

Pearson Correlati on

.443** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 50 50

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 91 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices’

The correlative relation is expressed in the following regress curve chart, based on the equation: y = 0,9701x - 0,1746. R² = 0,1964

O2_IMP_Q 7

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_IMP_Q1

Table 92 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between 'Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B7. and B8’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Familiarity of business staff with some of the sustainable development practices’ is correlated to ‘Continuous training of employees’.

This correlation underlines the importance of education vis a vis sustainable tourism development. Continuous investment in building capacities and skills of local staff constitutes an investment in the local community, which impacts not only the quality level of service delivery but also the relationship with the community to which staff members belong. Continuous training serves well the business and, it serves not only as a type of remuneration for the local staff but also as a means to foster a greater sense of (local) ownership.

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q7_Fa miliarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q7_Fa miliarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Con tinuous training of employees

1 .641** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 50 50

Pearson Correlati on

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Con tinuous training of employees Pearson Correlati on

.641** 1

Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 50 50

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 93 Correlation of perceived importance between 'familiarity of business' staff with sustainable development practices' and 'continuous training of employees'

The correlation is visually represented through the regress curve below, based on the equation y = 0,4451x + 2,6793. R² = 0,4114.

O2_IMP_Q 8

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_IMP_Q7

Table 94 Regress curve for Correlation of perceived importance between 'familiarity of business' staff with sustainable development practices' and 'continuous training of employees'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B2 and B8’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Development of stable relationships between business and local suppliers’ is correlated to ‘Continuous training of employees’. This association could be interpreted in many ways, of which stability/continuity in terms of service provision and overall business sustainability are of particular interest to this research.

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Dev elopment of stable relationships between business and local suppliers

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Dev

elopment of stable relationships between business and local suppliers

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Co ntinuous training of employees

1 .296* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.037 N 53 50

Pearson Correlati on

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Con tinuous training of employees Pearson Correlati on

.296* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.037 N 50 50

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 95 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Development of stable relationships between business and local suppliers' and 'Continuous training of employees'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B4. and B10’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Prioritizing local suppliers’ is correlated to ‘Promotion of local products.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q4_Prior itize local suppliers Pearson Correlati on

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q4_Pr ioritize local suppliers

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q10_Pro motion of local products

1 .612** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q10_Pro motion of local products Pearson Correlati on

.612** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 96 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Prioritize local suppliers' and 'Promotion of local products'

O2_IMP_Q 10

5

4

3

2

y = 0.4975x + 2.4365 R² = 0.375 0

1

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_IMP_Q4

Table 97 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between 'Prioritize local suppliers' and 'Promotion of local products'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B4. and B10’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located’ is correlated to ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q11

_Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q11_Ric h history of the city / village / Pearson Correlati on

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q13_Pre serving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

1 .281*

area where the business is located Sig. (2 tailed) 0.044 N 53 52

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q13_Pre serving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

Pearson Correlati on

.281* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.044 N 52 52

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 98 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Rich history of the city/village where the business is located'' and 'Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B12. and B13’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located’ is correlated to ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q12 _Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q13_Pre serving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q12_Ric h culture of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q13_Pre serving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

Pearson Correlati on

1 .334* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.015 N 53 52

Pearson Correlati on

.334* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.015 N 52 52

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 99 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Rich culture of the city/village where the business is located'' and 'Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area'

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B11. and B15’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located’ is correlated to ‘Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q11

_Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q11_Ric h history of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Tra

nslated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Tra nslated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest

1 .311* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.026 N 53 51

Pearson Correlati on

Pearson Correlati on

.311* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.026 N 51 51

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). Table 100 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Rich history of the city/village where the business is located'' and Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest '

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B12. and B15’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located’ is correlated to ‘Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q12

_Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q12_Ric h culture of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Tra nslated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Tra nslated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest

Pearson Correlati on 1 .302* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.031 N 53 51

Pearson Correlati on .302* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.031 N 51 51

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 101 Correlation of perceived importance between 'Rich culture of the city/village where the business is located'' and Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B13. and B15’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ is correlated to ‘Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q13_Pr eserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q13_Pr eserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Tr

anslated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Tr anslated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest

Pearson Correlati on 1 .395** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.004 N 52 51

Pearson Correlati on .395** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.004 N 51 51

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 102 Correlation of perceived importance between Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area '' and Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest '

O2_IMP_Q

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_IMP_Q13

y = 0.7439x + 0.9512 R² = 0.156

Table 103 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area '' and Translated material about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest '

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B4. and B16’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Prioritizing local suppliers’ is correlated to ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q4_Prior itize local suppliers

Pearson Correlati on

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q4_P rioritize local suppliers

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q16_Aut henticity of the tourist service / product

1 .553**

Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 52

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q16_Aut henticity of the tourist service / product

Pearson Correlati on

.553** 1

Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 104 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Prioritizing local suppliers '' and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product.’

O2_IMP_Q 16

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_IMP_Q4

y = 0.583x + 1.9533 R² = 0.3063

Table 105 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between ‘Prioritizing local suppliers '' and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product.’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B8. and B16' is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Continuous training of employees’ is correlated to ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Con tinuous training of employees Pearson Correlati on

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Co ntinuous training of employees

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q16_Au thenticity of the tourist service / product

1 .444** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 50 49

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q16_Au thenticity of the tourist service / product

Pearson Correlati on

.444** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 49 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 106 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Continuous training of employees’ and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’

O2_IMP_Q 16

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_IMP_Q8

y = 0.5111x + 2.2949 R² = 0.197

Table 107 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between ‘Continuous training of employees’ and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B1. and B2’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to ‘Development of stable relationships between business and local suppliers.’

Correlations

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q

1_Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q2_De velopment of stable relationships between business and local suppliers

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q1_Loc al origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q2_De velopment of stable relationships between business and local suppliers

Pearson Correlat ion

1 .519** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

Pearson Correlat ion

.519** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 108 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connections with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Development of stable relationships between business and local suppliers’.

O2_PERF_Q2

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_PERF_Q1

y = 0.4829x + 2.281 R² = 0.2689

Table 109 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connections with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Development of stable relationships between business and local suppliers’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B1. and B3’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’, is correlated to ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers.’

Correlations

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q

1_Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q3_Pu rchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q1_Lo cal origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q3_Pu rchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers

Pearson Correlati on

1 .486** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

Pearson Correlati on

.486** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 110 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’

O2_PERF_Q 3

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_PERF_Q1

y = 0.5654x + 1.8393 R² = 0.236

Table 111 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B1. and B4’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to ‘Prioritizing local suppliers.’

Correlations

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q1 _Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development O2_PERFORMANCE_Q4_Pr ioritize local suppliers

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q1_L ocal origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q4_Pr ioritize local suppliers

Pearson Correlati on

1 .361** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.008 N 53 53

Pearson Correlati on

.361** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.008 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 112 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’

O2_PERF_Q 4

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.4275x + 2.3194 R² = 0.1306 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_PERF_Q1

Table 113 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Purchasing 50% or more of the necessary supplies from local suppliers’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B1. and B7’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ is correlated to ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices.’

Correlations

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q1

_Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q7_Fa miliarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q1_Lo cal origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q7_Fa miliarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices

Pearson Correlati on

1 .368** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.009 N 53 50

Pearson Correlati on

.368** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.009 N 50 50

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 114 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices’.

O2_PERF_Q 7

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_PERF_Q1

y = 0.4385x + 1.5513 R² = 0.1351

Table 115 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Local origin of products and connection with the principles of sustainable development’ and ‘Familiarity of business' staff with some of the sustainable development practices’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B4. and B10’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Prioritizing local suppliers’ is correlated to ‘Promotion of local products.’

Correlations

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q4_Pr ioritize local suppliers Pearson Correlat ion

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q4_ Prioritize local suppliers O2_PERFORMANCE_Q10_ Promotion of local products

1 .305* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.027 N 53 53

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q10_ Promotion of local products Pearson Correlat ion

.305* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.027 N 53 53

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 116 Correlation of perceived performance between ' Prioritize local suppliers’ and ‘Promotion of local products’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B11. and B13’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located’ is correlated to ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area.’

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q

11_Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q13_P reserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q11_R

ich history of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q13_P

reserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

Pearson Correlati on

1 .829** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 52

Pearson Correlati on

.829** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 117 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’

5

4

3

O2_PERF_Q 13 O2_PERF_Q11

2

1

y = 1.0814x 0.5242 R² = 0.6873 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Table 118 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Rich history of the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B12. and B13’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located’ is correlated to ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area.’

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q

12_Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q13_P reserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q12_R

ich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q13_P

reserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

Pearson Correlati on

1 .710** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 52

Pearson Correlati on

.710** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 119 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’

5

4

O2_PERF_Q 13 O2_PERF_Q12

3

2

1

y = 0.88x + 0.44 R² = 0.5039 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Table 120 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B13. and B14’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ is correlated to ‘Proximity of business to historical cultural points.’

Correlations

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q13_ Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q13_ Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q14 _Proximity of business to historical cultural points

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q14_ Proximity of business to historical cultural points

Pearso n Correlat ion

1 .638** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

Pearso n Correlat ion

.638** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 121 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ and ‘Proximity of business to historical cultural points’

5

4

O2_PERF_Q 14 O2_PERF_Q13

3

2

1

y = 0.7228x + 1.0787 R² = 0.4065 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Table 122 Regress curve of correlation of perceived performance between ‘Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area’ and ‘Proximity of business to historical cultural points’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B8. and B16’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Continuous training of employees’ is correlated to ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product.’

Correlations

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q8_ Continuous training of employees

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q16_ Authenticity of the tourist service / product

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q8_C ontinuous training of employees

O2_PERFORMANCE_Q16_ Authenticity of the tourist service / product

Pearso n Correlat ion

1 .360* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.010 N 50 50

Pearso n Correlat ion

.360* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.010 N 50 53

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 123 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Continuous training of employees’ and ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’.

The pairs tested for both perceived importance and performance for attributes under section C. Environmental aspects:

o C1. Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements, such as: mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the town / village / area where the business is located and C13. Use of native vegetation in the surrounding environment (such as native spices, native trees, flowers, etc.)

o C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged and C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

o C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged and C4. Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed

o C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged and C13. Use of native vegetation in the surrounding environment (such as native spices, native trees, flowers, etc.)

o C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged and C15. Green business strategies (environmentally friendly)

o C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged and C17. Educating consumers and the local community on products and services (tourism) which respect the environment

o C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged and C20. Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity / originality of the destination

o C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms and C4. Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed

o C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms and C10. Use of elements / materials with high energy efficiency

o C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms and C14. Eco friendly tourism practice (negative impact on low environment)

o C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms and C15. Green business strategies (environmentally friendly)

o C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms and C18. Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment

o C6. Cleanliness and hygiene in the premises where the service / product is provided and around and C9. Waste recycling

o C6. Cleanliness and hygiene in the premises where the service / product is provided and around and C11. Wastewater treatment

o C19. Development of tourism in accordance with environmental norms and C20. Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity / originality of the destination.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C1. and C13’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’ is correlated to ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.).’

Correlations

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Ri ch nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q13_U se of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Ric h nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q13_U se of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)

Pearson Correlatio n

1 .751** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

Pearson Correlatio n

.751** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 124 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)’

O3_IMP_Q13

5

4

3

2

1

y = 1.3916x 2.0531 R² = 0.564 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O3_IMP_Q1

Table 125 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’ and ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C2. and C3’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ is correlated to ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms.’

Correlations

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Unch anged conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q3 _New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Unch anged conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q3_New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

Pearson Correlati on

1 .523** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

Pearson Correlati on

.523** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 126 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’

O3_IMP_Q3

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.5889x + 1.9809 R² = 0.2732 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O3_IMP_Q2

Table 127 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C2. and C15’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ is correlated to ‘Green business strategies.’

Correlations

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Unc hanged conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Unc hanged conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q15_ Green business strategies

1 .432** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.002 N 52 49

Pearson Correlati on

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Gre en business strategies Pearson Correlati on

.432** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.002 N 49 49

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 128 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Green business strategies’

O3_IMP_Q15

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.5857x + 1.849 R² = 0.1864 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O3_IMP_Q2

Table 129 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Green business strategies’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C3. and C15’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ is correlated to ‘Green business strategies.’

Correlations

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q3_New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q3_N ew tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Gr een business strategies

1 .363* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.010 N 52 49

Pearson Correlatio n

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q15_Gr een business strategies Pearson Correlatio n

.363* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.010 N 49 49

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 130 Correlation of perceived importance between ' New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Green business strategies’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C2. and C17’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ is correlated to ‘Education of consumers and the local community on products and services that respect the environment.’

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Unc hanged conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q17_E ducation of consumers and the local community on products and services that respect the environment

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Unc hanged conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q17_Ed ucation of consumers and the local community on products and services that respect the environment

Pearson Correlati on

1 .464** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 52 50

Pearson Correlati on

.464** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 50 51

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 131 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Education of consumers and the local community on products and services that respect the environment’

5

4

O3_IMP_Q17 O3_IMP_Q2

3

2

1

y = 0.5309x + 2.1796 R² = 0.2153 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Table 132 Regress curve of correlation of perceived importance between '‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Education of consumers and the local community on products and services that respect the environment’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C3. and C18’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ is correlated to ‘Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment.’

Correlations

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q3_New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q18_Bala ncing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q3_ New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q18_Bala ncing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment

1 .480** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 49

Pearson Correlati on

Pearson Correlati on

.480** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 49 49

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 133 Correlation of perceived importance between '‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment’

5

4

O3_IMP_Q18 O3_IMP_Q3

3

2

1

y = 0.5309x + 2.1796 R² = 0.2153 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Table 134 - Regress curve for Correlation of perceived importance between '‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C6. and C11’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Cleanliness and hygiene in the environments surrounding the area where the service / product is provided’ is correlated to ‘Wastewater treatment.’

Correlations

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q6_Cle anliness and hygiene in the environments surrounding the area where the service / product is provided

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q11_W astewater treatment

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q6_Cle anliness and hygiene in the environments surrounding the area where the service / product is provided

Pearson Correlati on

1 .484** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 50

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q11_W astewater treatment Pearson Correlati on

.484** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 50 50

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 135 - Correlation of perceived importance between '‘Cleanliness and hygiene in the environments surrounding the area where the service / product is provided’ and ‘Wastewater treatment’

5

4

O3_IMP_Q11 O3_IMP_Q6

3

2

1

y = 0.5309x + 2.1796 R² = 0.2153 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Table 136 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between '‘Cleanliness and hygiene in the environments surrounding the area where the service / product is provided’ and ‘Wastewater treatment’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C1. and C13’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’ is correlated to ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.).’

Correlations

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q1_

Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q13_

Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q1_

Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q13_

Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)

Pearson Correlati on

1 .374** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.006 N 53 53

Pearson Correlati on

.374** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.006 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 137 Correlation of perceived performance between '‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’’ and ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)’

O3_PERF_Q13

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.697x + 1.0254 R² = 0.1398 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O3_PERF_Q1

Table 138 Regress curve for Correlation of perceived performance between '‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’’ and ‘Use of local vegetation in the surrounding environment (Native spices, native plants, flowers, etc.)’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C2. and C3’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ is correlated to ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms.’

Correlations

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q2_Un changed conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q 3_New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q2_Un changed conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q3_Ne w tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

Pearson Correlati on

1 .768** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

Pearson Correlati on

.768** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 139 - Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’

O3_PERF_Q3

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.9833x + 0.0167 R² = 0.5899 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O3_PERF_Q2

Table 140 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C2. and C4’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ is correlated to ‘Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed.’

Correlations

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q2_Un changed conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q 4_Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q2_Un changed conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q4_Ris k elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed

Pearson Correlati on

1 .394** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.005 N 52 49

Pearson Correlati on

.394** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.005 N 49 49

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 141 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed’

5

4

O3_PERF_Q4 O3_PERF_Q2

3

2

1

y = 0.4405x + 1.2942 R² = 0.155 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Table 142 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C3. and C14’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ is correlated to ‘Environmentally friendly tourism practices.’

Correlations

O3_PERFORMANCE _Q3_New tourist products / services to

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q14_En vironmentally friendly tourism practices

respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q3_New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q14_En vironmentally friendly tourism practices

Pearso n Correla tion

1 .718** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 51

Pearso n Correla tion

.718** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 51 51

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 143 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Environmentally friendly tourism practices’

O3_PERF_Q14

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.6389x + 1.2725 R² = 0.5149 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O3_PERF_Q3

Table 144 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Environmentally friendly tourism practices’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C12. and C15’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ is correlated to ‘Green business strategies.’

Correlations

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q2_U nchanged conservation of natural / protected areas

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q1 5_Green business strategies

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q2_U nchanged conservation of natural / protected areas

Pearson Correlati on

1 .357* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.012 N 52 49

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q15_ Green business strategies Pearson Correlati on

.357* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.012 N 49 49

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 145 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Green business strategies’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C3. and C15’ showed significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ is correlated to ‘Green business strategies.’

Correlations

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q3_N

ew tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q3 _New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms O3_PERFORMANCE_Q15_ Green business strategies

1 .449** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 52 49

Pearson Correlati on

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q15_ Green business strategies Pearson Correlati on

.449** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 49 49

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 146 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Green business strategies’.

6

5

O3_PERF_Q15

4

3

2

1

0

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O3_PERF_Q3

y = 0.4x + 1.6 R² = 0.2017

Table 147 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ and ‘Green business strategies’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C19. and C20’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Tourism development in accordance with environmental norms’ is correlated to ‘Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity of the destination.’

Correlations

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q19_ Tourism development in accordance with environmental norms

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q20_ Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity of the destination

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q19_ Tourism development in accordance with environmental norms

O3_PERFORMANCE_Q20_

Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity of the destination

Pearson Correlati on

1 .367** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.010 N 50 49

Pearson Correlati on

.367** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.010 N 49 49

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 148 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Tourism development in accordance with environmental norms’ and ‘Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity of the destination’.

4

3

2

1

y = 0.2719x + 2.7653 R² = 0.0794 0

Table 149 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Tourism development in accordance with environmental norms’ and ‘Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity of the destination’.

The pairs tested for both perceived importance and performance for attributes under section D. Environmental aspects:

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects) and D2. Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your activity

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects) and D3. Respecting the legal basis on construction / development

o D2. Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your activity and D4. Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force (NIPT, special permits, etc.)

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects) and D5. Certified and qualified staff / personnel in certain disciplines / skills, professional certificates, training certificates)

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects) and D6. Training of staff / staff on sustainable tourism issues

o D5. Certified and qualified staff / personnel in certain disciplines / skills, professional certificates, training certificates) and D6. Training of staff / staff on sustainable tourism issues

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects) and D7. Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from the client / customer

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects) and D9. Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with the rules / legal basis (such as hunting activity, or walking in endangered ecosystems, etc.)

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects) and D12. Clear orientation signage in the environment where the service is provided

o D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects) and D13. Membership in networks of tourism service providers

o D2. Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your activity and D6. Training of staff / staff on sustainable tourism issues

o D8. Use of current business images and products / services for promotion and D9. Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with the rules / legal basis;

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘D1. and D6’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ is correlated to ‘Staff training on sustainable tourism issues.’

Correlations

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Susta inable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q6 _Staff training on sustainable tourism issues

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Susta inable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q6_Staff training on sustainable tourism issues

Pearson Correlati on

1 .335* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.018 N 50 49

Pearson Correlati on

.335* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.018 N 49 49

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 150 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Staff training on sustainable tourism issues’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘D1. and D7’ showed significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ is correlated to ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers.’

Correlations

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Su stainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Sus tainable management system (with environmental, social,

Pearson Correlati on

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q7_Mec hanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers

1 .412**

cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects) Sig. (2 tailed) 0.003 N 50 50

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q7_Mec hanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers

Pearson Correlati on

.412** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.003 N 50 50

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 151 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers’.

O4_IMP_Q7

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.7552x + 1.0699 R² = 0.1695 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O4_IMP_Q1

Table 152 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘D1. and D13’ is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ is correlated to ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers.’

Correlations

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Su stainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Sust ainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q13_Me mbership of networks of tourism service providers

1 .327* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.025

Pearson Correlat ion

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q13_Me mbership of networks of tourism service providers

N 50 47

Pearson Correlat ion

.327* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.025 N 47 47

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 153 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Membership of networks of tourism service providers’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘D8. and D9’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Use of current business images and products / services for promotion’ is correlated to ‘Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.).’

Correlations

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q8_ Use of current business images and products / services for promotion

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q9_Mark eting for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.)

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q8_Use of current business images and products / services for promotion

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q9_Mark eting for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.)

Pearson Correlati on

1 .413** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.004 N 51 46

Pearson Correlati on

.413** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.004 N 46 46

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 154 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Use of current business images and products / services for promotion’ and ‘Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.)’.

O4_IMP_Q9

5

4

3

2

1

y = 1.4417x 2.9333 R² = 0.1704 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O4_IMP_Q8

Table 155 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Use of current business images and products / services for promotion’ and ‘Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘D2. and D4’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your business’ is correlated to ‘Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force.’

Correlations

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q2_R ecognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your business

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q4_ Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q2_R ecognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your business

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q4_C ertificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force

Pearso n Correlat ion

1 .451** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 53 53

Pearso n Correlat ion

.451** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.001 N 53 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 156 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your business’ and ‘Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force’.

O4_PERF_Q4

5

4

3

2

1

0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O4_PERF_Q2

y = 0.2773x + 3.5988 R² = 0.2036

Table 157 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your business’ and ‘Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘D1. and D5’ showed significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ is correlated to ‘Certified and qualified staff in certain disciplines / skills, certificates for practicing the profession, training certificates, etc.’

Correlations

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q1_S

ustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q5

_Certified and qualified staff in certain disciplines / skills, certificates for practicing the profession, training certificates, etc.

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q1_S

ustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q5_C

ertified and qualified staff in certain disciplines / skills, certificates for practicing the profession, training certificates, etc.

Pearson Correlat ion

1 .371** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.009 N 50 49

Pearson Correlat ion

.371** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.009 N 49 51

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 158 - Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Certified and qualified staff in certain disciplines / skills, certificates for practicing the profession, training certificates, etc.’.

O4_PERF_Q5

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.3664x + 3.1726 R² = 0.1377 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O4_PERF_Q1

Table 159 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Certified and qualified staff in certain disciplines / skills, certificates for practicing the profession, training certificates, etc.’.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘D1. and D7’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ is correlated to ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers.’

Correlations

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q1_ Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q7_M echanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q1_S

ustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)

O4_PERFORMANCE_Q7_M

echanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers

Pearso n Correlat ion

1 .407** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.003 N 50 50

Pearso n Correlat ion

.407** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.003 N 50 50

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 160 Correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers’

O4_PERF_Q7

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.5725x + 1.8187 R² = 0.1656 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O4_PERF_Q1

Table 161 Regress curve for correlation of perceived performance between ‘Sustainable management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, safety aspects)’ and ‘Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from customers’

The Pearson correlation test was used to explore correlations between pairs belonging to different sections, i.e. part A, B, C, D. The following pairs were tested for both perceived importance and performance: C10 and D15; B16 and D5; B16 and D6; C5 and D2; C2 and D9; B13 and D2; C19 and D1; C19 and D2; C19 and D6; B16 and C1; A 8 and B17; A2 and C3; A2 and C5.

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B16. and D6’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’ is correlated to ‘Staff training on sustainable tourism issues.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q16_Auth enticity of the tourist service / product

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q6 _Staff training on sustainable tourism issues

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q16_Auth enticity of the tourist service / product

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q6_Staff training on sustainable tourism issues

Pearson Correlati on

1 .377** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.008 N 52 48

Pearson Correlati on

.377** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.008 N 48 49

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 162 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’’ and ‘Staff training on sustainable tourism issues’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘C2. and D9’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived importance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’ is correlated to ‘Staff training on sustainable tourism issues.’

Correlations

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Unc hanged conservation of natural / protected areas

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q9_Ma rketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.)

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Unc hanged conservation of natural / protected areas

O4_IMPORTANCE_Q9_Mar keting for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.)

Pearson Correlati on

1 .303* Sig. (2 tailed) 0.041 N 52 46

Pearson Correlati on

.303* 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.041 N 46 46

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed).

Table 163 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Unchanged conservation of natural / protected areas’ and ‘Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with legal rules (hunting activity, walking in dangerous ecosystems, etc.)’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘B16. and C1’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’ is correlated to ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located.’

Correlations

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q16_Authe nticity of the tourist service / product

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q1_

Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located

O2_IMPORTANCE_Q16_Authe nticity of the tourist service / product

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q1_Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.)

Pearson Correlati on

1 .590** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

Pearson Correlati on

.590** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000

in the city / village / area where the business is located N 52 53

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 164 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’ and ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’

O3_PERF_Q1

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.2974x + 3.5485 R² = 0.2126 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O2_PERF_Q16

Table 165 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Authenticity of the tourist service / product’ and ‘Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the city / village / area where the business is located’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘A2. and C3’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ is correlated to New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms.’

Correlations

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Sustain able tourism, a priority for Albania

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q3_ New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Sustain able tourism, a priority for Albania Pearson Correlatio n

1 .477** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 53 52

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q3_New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms

Pearson Correlatio n

.477** 1

Sig. (2 tailed) 0.000 N 52 52

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 166 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ and ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’

The Pearson Coefficient test for the pair of attributes ‘A2. and C5’ is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed). The association between perceived performance of both attributes is significant, meaning that ‘Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ is correlated to ‘Conservation of endangered species in the area.’

Correlations

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Sustai nable tourism, a priority for Albania

O1_IMPORTANCE_Q2_Sust ainable tourism, a priority for Albania

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q5_Conse rvation of endangered species in the area

1 .391** Sig. (2 tailed) 0.005 N 53 49

Pearson Correlati on

O3_IMPORTANCE_Q5_Conse rvation of endangered species in the area

Pearson Correlati on

.391** 1 Sig. (2 tailed) 0.005 N 49 49 **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed).

Table 167 Correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ and ‘Conservation of endangered species in the area’

O3_PERF_Q5

5

4

3

2

1

y = 0.5533x + 1.4877 R² = 0.2159 0

6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

O1_PERF_Q2

Table 168 Regress curve for correlation of perceived importance between ‘Sustainable tourism, a priority for Albania’ and ‘Conservation of endangered species in the area’

Having tested the different pairs of attributes for correlations through the Pearson correlation coefficient, the level of perception (left column) is compared to the level of performance (column on the right) below to understand if there is congruence or similarity between them, and to what extent. This process was conducted using four different methodologies, for all four variables, namely, A, B, C, and D.

Method 1: The ECG distances

A. Sustainable Tourism Development

The highest congruence, i. e. low/the lowest difference between perceived level of performance and perceived level of importance , is observed in the following attributes:

Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania; A clear development vision for my business; Offering unique experiences different fom other places. That is to say that the respondents’ perceived importance is in line with and supported by perceived performance based on their experience of the reality.

-4 -2 0 2 4 6 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

2

Diff O1_Q2 -2

0

4 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Diff O1_Q10

4

2

0

6 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Diff O1_Q7 -2

Table 169 The ECG distances for ‘Sustainable tourism a priority for Albania’, ‘A clear development vision for my business’, ‘Offering unique experiences different from other places

Most variables for section ‘A’ manifest a low level of congruence. The highest discrepancies between perceived importance and perceive performance are observed among the following variables:

A3. Development of tourism based on a national strategy for tourism, with a clear long term development vision and objectives;

A4. A national strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country;

A5. Familiarity with the content of the strategy;

A6. A local strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country;

A8. Familiarity with the sustainable development principles;

A9. The development vision for my business is in line with sustainable development; A11. Networks of tourism service providers and collaborations between them to increase efficiency and sustainable development.

The responses indicate that respondents’ perceived importance on these variables is high, unlike the level of perceived performance.

Diff O1_Q3

-4 -2 0 2 4 6 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Table 170 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘A’ manifest a low level of congruence ECG distance

B. Local and social aspects

In the case of ‘Local and Social aspects’, the congruence observed is relatively high and comparatively higher to that observed in part A. The following attributes manifest the highest level of consistency:

B5. Most business personnel from the area; B6. Enforce labor code rules; B10. Promotion of local products;

B11. Rich history of the town / village / area where the business is located; B12. Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located;

B13. Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in and around the area;

B14. Proximity of business to historical / cultural / natural points; B16. Authenticity of the tourist service / product.

That is to say that the respondents’ perceived importance is in line with and supported by perceived performance based on their experience of the reality.

Diff O2_Q5

3 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

1

-1

1

3 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

-1

-3

Diff O2_Q11

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Diff O2_Q12

3 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

1

-1

Diff O2_Q12 -3

Table 171 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘B’ manifest a high level of congruence’

The highest discrepancies manifested among part B variables:

B1. Local origin of products / services and connection with the principles of sustainable development;

B19. Participation in meetings for sustainable tourism planning of the area; B20. Support to local community initiatives in line with the development of sustainable tourism. This could potentially imply that respondents are aware of the importance associated to the aforemetioned varibles but do not find it manifested in reality.

C. Environmental aspects

In the case of ‘Environmental aspects’, the congruence observed is relatively high, similar to that observed in part B. The following attributes manifest the highest level of consistency:

C1. Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements, such as: mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the town / village / area where the business is located;

C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged;

C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms;

C6. Cleanliness and hygiene in the premises where the service / product is provided and around;

C7. Certified hygiene practices (HCCAP, etc.);

C8. Good waste management in the service / product environment and surroundings;

C12. Clean air in the service / product environments and the surrounding area;

C13. Use of native vegetation in the surrounding environment (such as native spices, native trees, flowers, etc.).

-1 0 1 2 3 4 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Table 172 Table 171 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘C’ manifest a high level of congruence

The highest discrepancies manifested among part C variables:

C9. Waste recycling;

C16. High awareness / awareness of businesses and individuals on environmental issues

C17. Educating consumers and the local community on products and services (tourism) which respect the environment;

C19. Development of tourism in accordance with environmental norms.

Diff O3_Q9

Diff O3_Q1 -1 0 1 2 3 4 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Table 173 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘B’ manifest a high level of discrepancy’

D. Organisational aspects

In the case of ‘Organisational aspects’, the congruence observed is relatively high, similar to that observed in part B and C. The following attributes manifest the highest level of consistency:

D2. Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your activity;

D3. Respecting the legal basis on construction / development;

D4. Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force (NIPT, special permits, etc.);

D5. Certified and qualified staff / personnel in certain disciplines / skills, professional certificates, training certificates);

D7. Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from the client / customer;

D8. Use of current business images and products / services for promotion;

D12. Clear orientation signage in the environment where the service is provided; D15. Adopting the principles of sustainable development increases the costs for my business (such as waste reduction, use of high energy efficiency elements, use of local products, etc.).

-1 0 1 2 3 4 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Table 174 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘D’’ manifest a high level of congruence

The highest discrepancies manifested among part D variables: D9. Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with the rules / legal basis (such as hunting activity, or walking in endangered ecosystems, etc.); D13. Membership in networks of tourism service providers; D14. Partnerships with foreign organizations / operators that respect the principles of sustainable tourism.

Diff O4_Q2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Table 175 Example of ECG distance for variables for section ‘D’ manifest a high level of discrepancy.

Method 2: Histograms

Similarly to the application of IPA in the case of tourists the differences between the left and right columns were constructed and illustrated in bar type graphs.

A. Development of sustainable tourism

The differences in levels of perceived importance and perceived performance are clear in the following bar charts:

O1_Q3

25

20

15

10

Diff O4_Q9 1 3

14

5

30 -2 0 1 2 3 4

24 7 1 0

‘A’

This shows that the expected level of performance in reality is lower (based on respondents’ perceived experience) than the importance associated to it.

B. Local and social aspects 2

49 1 1 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 -2 0 1 2

O2_Q5 2 1

42 4 3 1 0 10 20 30 40 50 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

O2_Q11

O2_Q6 1

48 2 1 1 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 -1 0 1 2 3

Table 177 Examples for the differences in levels of perceived importance and perceived performance for section ‘B’ variables.

Environmental aspects

47 5 1 0 10 20 30 40 50 0 1 2

Table 178 Examples for the differences in levels of perceived importance and perceived performance for section 'C’ variables.

D. Organisational aspects.

O4_Q2 1

48 2 3 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 1 2

50 1 1 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 -2 0 2 4

40

20

O4_Q3 52 1 0

60 0 2

O4_Q5

40

30

20

10

O4_Q4 41 3 5 2 0

50 0 1 2 3

Table 179 Examples for the differences in levels of perceived importance and perceived performance for section 'D’ variables.

Method 3: T test for paired samples statistics.

The highest valued variable for perceived importance is A1: ‘Tourism an important engine driving economic development in Albania’ followed by A2: ‘Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania’. This result shows that respondents perceive the tourism as a national priority, which could be linked to businesses having ‘received’ the signal from the central government that tourism is crucial to the economy. The respondents also understand the importance of the business development vision (A7), and of the central government and local level to project it by means of a strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country (A6). Respondents identified as least important the ‘Familiarity with the content of the strategy’ (A5), which could imply that:

Businesses rely more on the overall climate and spoken rhetoric used by the government;

Businesses perceive written documents as ‘disconnected’ from what actually happens in reality (an indicator for low trust);

Business are not familiar with evidence based policy influence practices, particularly that of ‘holding authorities accountable’.

The second last ranks ‘Networks of tourism service providers and collaborations between them to increase efficiency and sustainable development ‘(A11), which suggests that respondents grant low importance to networking and choose to operate individually. Respondents appear to place low importance also on ‘Familiarity with the sustainable development principles’ (A8), implying that knowledge of sustainability is limited and disconnected from the tourism development process, or the national strategy on sustainable tourism development.

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

4.87 A1. Tourism an important engine driving economic development in Albania 4.15

4.85 A2. Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania; 4.09 4.83 A7. A clear development vision for my business 4.47 4.81 A6. A local strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country 3.27 4.80 A3. Development of tourism based on a national strategy for tourism, with a clear long term development vision and objectives

3.10

4.73 A9. The development vision for my business is in line with sustainable development; 2.71 4.72 A4. A national strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country 2.92

4.72 A10. Offering unique experiences, different from what is offered in other countries; 3.79

4.71 A8. Familiarity with the sustainable development principles; 2.27 4.65 A11. Networks of tourism service providers and collaborations between them to increase efficiency and sustainable development

2.02 4.65 A5. Familiarity with the content of the strategy 1.71

Table 180 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'importance' for section ‘A’

The highest valued variable for perceived performance is ‘A clear development vision for my business’ (A7), followed by ‘Tourism an important engine driving economic development in Albania’ (A1), and ‘Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania’ (A2). This result shows consistency with perceived importance. Consistency is observed also in the lowest ranking attributes, including A5, A11, and A8.

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

4.83 A7. A clear development vision for my business 4.47

4.87 A1. Tourism an important engine driving economic development in Albania 4.15

4.85 A2. Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania; 4.09

4.72 A10. Offering unique experiences, different from what is offered in other countries; 3.79

4.81 A6. A local strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country; 3.27

4.80 A3. Development of tourism based on a national strategy for tourism, with a clear long term development vision and objectives;

3.10

4.72 A4. A national strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country; 2.92

4.73 A9. The development vision for my business is in line with sustainable development; 2.71

4.71 A8. Familiarity with the sustainable development principles; 2.27

4.65 A11. Networks of tourism service providers and collaborations between them to increase efficiency and sustainable development;

2.02

4.65 A5. Familiarity with the content of the strategy 1.71

Table 181 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'performance'' for section A.

The highest valued variable for perceived importance is B6. ‘Enforce labour code rules’, followed by historical and cultural richness of the area (B11 and B12 respectively), and ‘proximity of business to historical/cultural/natural points’ (B14). This finding shows that respondents associate these attributes to (sustainable) tourism when planning the location of their business.

The lowest valued variable for perceived importance is ‘Participation in meetings for sustainable tourism planning of the area’ (B19), followed by ‘Support to local community initiatives in line with the development of sustainable tourism’ (B20), and ‘Familiarity of business staff (employees) with some of the sustainable development practices’ (B7). Similarly to the findings from Part A responses, respondents manifest (i) an ‘individual approach’ to business management, (ii) limited knowledge of ‘sustainability’ principles, and (iii) limited interaction with local authorities and participation in ongoing local processes. Limited interaction/cooperation is also seen in the poorly ranking of attributes that relate to cooperation on a local level, such as ‘Use / support of local guides’ (B9),

‘Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers’ (B2), and ‘Prioritizing local suppliers’ (B4).

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

4.91 B6. Enforce labour code rules; 4.75 4.91 B11. Rich history of the town / village / area where the business is located 4.79 4.89 B12. Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located 4.79 4.89 B14. Proximity of business to historical / cultural / natural points 4.45 4.87 B1. Local origin of products / services and connection with the principles of sustainable development

3.75 4.87 B13. Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in and around the area

4.65 4.85 B5. Most business personnel from the area 4.87 4.81 B2. Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers; 4.09 4.81 B3. Purchase / provide 50% or more of the required supplies from local suppliers / manufacturers

3.96 4.79 B10. Promotion of local products 4.23 4.75 B17. Tourism as a development tool for local communities 3.94 4.74 B4. Prioritize local suppliers 3.92 4.71 B16. Authenticity of the tourist service / product 4.06 4.70 B8. Ongoing employee training 3.80 4.65 B18. Tourism as a tool of development and emancipation for local communities 4.04 4.64 B9. Use / support of local guides 3.18 4.57 B15. Information / material (translated) about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest to visit

3.33 4.54 B7. Familiarity of business staff (employees) with some of the sustainable development practices

3.20 4.54 B20. Support to local community initiatives in line with the development of sustainable tourism

2.60 4.26 B19. Participation in meetings for sustainable tourism planning of the area 2.08

Table 182 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'importance' for section 'B'

The highest valued variables for perceived performance relate to locality in terms of personnel, and historical and cultural tessiture of the area, namely B5., B11., and B12. Similarly to the level of perceived importance, the least valued in terms of perceived performance is ‘Participation in meetings for sustainable tourism planning of the area’ (B19), followed by ‘Support to local community initiatives in line with the development of sustainable tourism’ (B20). This could indicate very limited two way cooperation with local authorities and vice versa, as observed in the level of importance, implying that the sustainable tourism development vision on at the level of the government is detached from local actors (e.g. entrepreneurs and service providers).

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

4.85 B5. Most business personnel from the area 4.87 4.91 B11. Rich history of the town / village / area where the business is located 4.79 4.89 B12. Rich culture of the city / village / area where the business is located 4.79 4.91 B6. Enforce labour code rules; 4.75 4.87 B13. Preserving the integrity of cultural and archaeological heritage in and around the area

4.65 4.89 B14. Proximity of business to historical / cultural / natural points 4.45 4.79 B10. Promotion of local products 4.23 4.81 B2. Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers; 4.09 4.71 B16. Authenticity of the tourist service / product 4.06 4.65 B18. Tourism as a tool of development and emancipation for local communities 4.04 4.81 B3. Purchase / provide 50% or more of the required supplies from local suppliers / manufacturers

3.96 4.75 B17. Tourism as a development tool for local communities 3.94 4.74 B4. Prioritize local suppliers 3.92 4.70 B8. Ongoing employee training 3.80 4.87 B1. Local origin of products / services and connection with the principles of sustainable development

3.75 4.57 B15. Information / material (translated) about the natural and cultural heritage of places of interest to visit;

3.33 4.54 B7. Familiarity of business staff (employees) with some of the sustainable development practices

3.20 4.64 B9. Use / support of local guides 3.18

4.54 B20. Support to local community initiatives in line with the development of sustainable tourism

2.60

4.26 B19. Participation in meetings for sustainable tourism planning of the area 2.08

Table 183 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'performance' for section 'B'

The highest-valued variables for perceived importance relate to hygiene/cleanliness aspects, including ‘Cleanliness and hygiene in the premises where the service / product is provided and around’ (C6), ‘Clean air in the service / product environments and the surrounding area’ (C12), and ‘Wastewater treatment’ (C11). This is not necessarily supported by certification processes, such as HCCAP, which ranks lower.

The lowest valued variables for perceived importance relate to disaster and risk reduction measures/aspects, ‘Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed’ (C4), ‘recycling practices’ (C9), and ‘Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment’ (C18).

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

4.98 C6. Cleanliness and hygiene in the premises where the service / product is provided and around 4.85

4.96 C12. Clean air in the service / product environments and the surrounding area 4.79 4.92 C11. Wastewater treatment 4.24 4.91 C1. Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements, such as: mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the town / village / area where the business is located 4.75 4.90 C7. Certified hygiene practices (HCCAP, etc.) 4.59 4.90 C19. Development of tourism in accordance with environmental norms; 3.38 4.88 C14. Eco friendly tourism practice (negative impact on low environment); 4.08 4.87 C8. Good waste management in the service / product environment and surroundings; 4.63 4.87 C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged; 4.46 4.86 C20. Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity / originality of the destination; 3.43 4.85 C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms; 4.40 4.77 C13. Use of native vegetation in the surrounding environment (such as native spices, native trees, flowers, etc.) 4.34

4.76

C17. Educating consumers and the local community on products and services (tourism) which respect the environment 2.53

4.71 C5. Conservation of endangered species in the area 3.73 4.69 C15. Green business strategies (environment friendly) 3.35

4.67 C16. High awareness / awareness of businesses and individuals on environmental issues. 2.71 4.66 C10. Use of elements with high energy efficiency. 3.38 4.65 C18. Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment 3.08 4.52 C9. Waste recycling 2.35 4.45 C4. Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed 3.24

Table 184 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'importance' for section 'C''

When analysed from a perceived performance perspective, the situation appears similar to the levels of perceived importance, with awareness on environmental protection and other environmental practices ranked comparatively low. This is the case for ‘waste recycling’, with the lowest value of perceived performance.

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

4.98 C6. Cleanliness and hygiene in the premises where the service / product is provided and around 4.85 4.96 C12. Clean air in the service / product environments and the surrounding area 4.79 4.91 C1. Rich nature (presence of strong natural elements, such as: mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc.) in the town / village / area where the business is located

4.75

4.87 C8. Good waste management in the service / product environment and surroundings; 4.63 4.90 C7. Certified hygiene practices (HCCAP, etc.) 4.59 4.87 C2. Preservation of natural / protected areas unchanged; 4.46 4.85 C3. New tourism products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms; 4.40 4.77 C13. Use of native vegetation in the surrounding environment (such as native spices, native trees, flowers, etc.)

4.34 4.92 C11. Wastewater treatment 4.24 4.88 C14. Eco friendly tourism practice (negative impact on low environment); 4.08 4.71 C5. Conservation of endangered species in the area 3.73

4.86 C20. Tourism planning and policy development based on the specifics and authenticity / originality of the destination;

3.43

4.90 C19. Development of tourism in accordance with environmental norms; 3.38

4.66 C10. Use of elements / materials with high energy efficiency. 3.38

4.69 C15. Green business strategies (environmentally friendly) 3.35

4.45 C4. Risk elements (including natural phenomena, visitor safety) identified and addressed 3.24

4.65 C18. Balancing the needs of visitors with local norms and rules for the environment 3.08

4.67 C16. High awareness / awareness of businesses and individuals on environmental issues. 2.71

4.76 C17. Educating consumers and the local community on products and services (tourism) which respect the environment

2.53

4.52 C9. Waste recycling 2.35

Table 185 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'performance' for section 'C'

The highest valued variables for perceived importance relate to legal/administrative aspects, including: ‘Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your activity’ (D2), ‘Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force (NIPT, special permits, etc.)’ (D4), and ‘Clear orientation signage in the environment where the service is provided’ (D12).

The lowest valued variables for perceived importance concern ‘sustainability’, related knowhow and practices, predominantly in the form of: ‘Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with the rules / legal basis (such as hunting activity, or walking in endangered ecosystems, etc.)’ (D9), ‘Training of staff / staff on sustainable tourism issues’ (D6), ‘Partnerships with foreign organizations / operators that respect the principles of sustainable tourism’ (D14), and ‘Adopting the principles of sustainable development increases the costs for my business (such as waste reduction, use of high energy efficiency elements, use of local products, etc.)’ (D15).

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

5.00 D2. Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your activity 4.85

4.98 D4. Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force (NIPT, special permits, etc.) 4.94

4.98 D12. Clear orientation signage in the environment where the service is provided 4.81

4.98 D5. Certified and qualified staff / personnel in certain disciplines / skills, professional certificates, training certificates)

4.61

4.96 D3. Respecting the legal basis on construction / development 4.89

4.88 D8. Use of current business images and products / services for promotion 4.57

4.85 D11. Enabling and facilitating access for people with disabilities / special needs in the surrounding areas (including parks, protected areas, etc.)

4.17

4.79 D10. Enabling and facilitating access for people with disabilities / special needs in business environments 3.17

4.78 D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects)

4.02

4.72 D13. Membership in networks of tourism service providers 2.28

4.68 D7. Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from the client / customer 4.12

4.65 D15. Adopting the principles of sustainable development increases the costs for my business (such as waste reduction, use of high energy efficiency elements, use of local products, etc.)

4.65 D14. Partnerships with foreign organizations / operators that respect the principles of sustainable tourism

4.13

2.13

4.49 D6. Training of staff / staff on sustainable tourism issues 3.14

4.09 D9. Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with the rules / legal basis (such as hunting activity, or walking in endangered ecosystems, etc.)

2.28

Table 186 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'importance' for section 'D'

The situation appears very similar from a perceived performance value, reinforcing not only findings within the same category (part D), but also across categories. This result highlights the low emphasis on partnerships, engagement in networks, and the need to comprehend and convey to personnel aspects of sustainable development.

Of importance to you (Averages)

Question

Performance resulting from your experience (Averages)

4.98 D4. Certificates or licenses that show compliance with the legal basis in force (NIPT, special permits, etc.) 4.94

4.96 D3. Respecting the legal basis on construction / development 4.89

5.00 D2. Recognition and implementation of the full legal basis applicable to your activity 4.85

4.98 D12. Clear orientation signage in the environment where the service is provided 4.81

4.98 D5. Certified and qualified staff / personnel in certain disciplines / skills, professional certificates, training certificates)

4.61

4.88 D8. Use of current business images and products / services for promotion 4.57

4.85 D11. Enabling and facilitating access for people with disabilities / special needs in the surrounding areas (including parks, protected areas, etc.)

4.65 D15. Adopting the principles of sustainable development increases the costs for my business (such as waste reduction, use of high energy efficiency elements, use of local products, etc.)

4.17

4.13

4.68 D7. Mechanisms / practices for receiving feedback from the client / customer 4.12

4.78 D1. Sustainability management system (with environmental, social, cultural, economic, quality, rights, safety, etc. aspects)

4.02

4.79 D10. Enabling and facilitating access for people with disabilities / special needs in business environments 3.17

4.49 D6. Training of staff / staff on sustainable tourism issues 3.14

4.09 D9. Marketing for activities in protected areas in accordance with the rules / legal basis (such as hunting activity, or walking in endangered ecosystems, etc.)

2.28

4.72 D13. Membership in networks of tourism service providers 2.28

4.65 D14. Partnerships with foreign organizations / operators that respect the principles of sustainable tourism

2.13

Table 187 A ranking of highest to lowest value of averages of perceived 'performance' for section 'D'

4.2 Content analysis of Municipal Development Strategies

The provisions in the legislative framework applicable to tourism, especially the law no. 93/2015 ‘On tourism’, the national strategy, and the various Decisions of Council of Ministers, all have a local dimension. The analysis below assesses on a municipal level the tourism potential and the extent to which tourism constitutes a local development in terms of vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects. The analysis adopts a two tier approach: it starts with a general overview on a qark level, and becomes more elaborate on municipal level.

4.2.1 Qark of Shkodër

The qark of Shkodër comprises five municipalities, including Shkodër, Malësia e Madhe, Vau Dejës, Pukë and Fushë Arrëz. 15% of its territory is environmentally protected by national legislation, as well as by international law, such as the Emerald Network. It ranks 5th in terms of inventory for monuments of culture with a total of 158, of which 150 are situated in the municipality of Shkodër, and 8 elsewhere. Of a total of 163, 137 monuments are found in the Municipality of Shkodër. In addition to natural attractions, the qark of Shkodër is home to a number of museums, including the internationally renowned ‘Marubi’ Museum of Photography, hosting a valuable collection of photographs of the past century.

Due to its proximity to the border, the qark of Shkodër has registered a high number of accesses both by foreign and Albanian visitors. The qark is the northern access gate the only connection to Montenegro and it is well covered by terrestrial infrastructure. Yet, accessibility is partially reduced due to long distances from the closest airports 1

Parole chiave: turismo sostenibile, luogo, assenza di luogo, criticità, analisi delle performance di importanza, fornitori di servizi hour from Podgorica airport (MNE) and 2 hours from Tirana airport and a poorly connected port Ulcinj. The presence on the territory of old railways is an added value, but it needs to be restored. From a touristic service point of view, the qark of Shkodër is average, providing a number of registered accommodations, touristic restaurants and info points.

The qark of Shkodër has an important amount of touristic resources to be valorised. Its

4.2.2.1 Municipality of Shkodër

The municipality of Shkodër, situated in the North West part of the country, has a surface area of 911.84 km2 and a population of 135612 inhabitants. It comprises 11 administrative units and has a touristic, agricultural and student city profile. Regarding its agricultural profile, it has an agricultural land area of 16176 ha, with signature cultivations such as fruit trees and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Shkodër has 137 cultural monuments, 34 natural monuments, 11 protected areas, 1 national park, 1 regional national park, 1 protected landscape, and 1 coastline.

In terms of connectivity, it is 44 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 106 km away from the port of Durrës, 225 km away from the port of Vlora and 351 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 95 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë, and app. 160km from the Kukës International Airport Zayed North Wings. It has access to the North South Corridor of Shkodër Gjirokastër and the Blue Corridor (Velipojë Shëngjin Patok Durrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint). In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.1.2 Municipality of Malësia e Madhe

The municipality of Malësia e Madhe, situated in the north-west part of the country, has a surface area of 951 km2 and a population of 30823 inhabitants. It comprises of 6 administrative units and has an overall agricultural profile. Its agricultural land area measures15093 ha, with signature cultivations including fodder, grains and medicinal plants.

In terms of touristic resources, Malësia e Madhe has 7 cultural monuments, 34 natural monuments, 1 national regional park, and 2 protected areas. It has a strategic position

as a municipality, considering the presence of Lake Shkodra and the Albanian Alps; proximity to the cities of Shkodra and Podgorica; 3 border points with Montenegro; and crossing points with the main urban areas from the secondary national road, Shkodër Hani i Hotit, which also serves as a By Pass of the two main urban areas, Koplik and Bajza.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 111 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 174 km away from the port of Durrës, 292 km away from the port of Vlora and 418 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 158 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë, and app. 223 km from the Kukës International Airport Zayed North Wings. In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.1.3 Municipality of Vau i Dejës

The municipality of Vau i Dejës, situated in the north west part of the country, has a surface area of 499.35 ��! and a population of 30438 inhabitants. It comprises of 6 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. Its agricultural land area is of 9681 ha, with signature cultivations such as fruit trees and chestnuts.

In terms of touristic resources, Vau i Dejës has 3 protected areas, 4 natural monuments, 12 cultural monuments, 2 natural attractions, and 1 cultural attraction.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 43 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 105 km away from the port of Durrës, 224 km away from the port of Vlora and 350 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 88 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. Vau i Dejës is located along the national road connecting Shkodra to Kosovo.

Tourism as a development priority is not directly mentioned/referenced in the municipal development vision; it is however made direct reference in the strategic objectives and priority projects presented in its General Local Plan.

4.2.1.4 Municipality of Pukë

The municipality of Pukë, situated in the north of the country, has a surface area of 505.83 km2 and a population of 11069 inhabitants. It comprises of 5 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. Agricultural lands cover 4.4 % of its total area, with signature cultivations like fruits, mushrooms and medicinal plants. In terms of touristic resources, Pukë has 3 cultural monuments, 12 natural monuments and 1 natural attraction.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 77 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 141 km away from the port of Durrës, 262 km away from the port of Vlora and 388 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 150 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to the Durrës Tiranë Kosovë Highway.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.1.5 Municipality of Fushë Arrëz

The municipality of Fushë Arrëz, situated in the North West of the country, has a surface area of 540.77 km2 and a population of 7405 inhabitants. It comprises of 5 administrative units and has an overall agricultural profile, with signature cultivations such as grains, fruit trees, vegetables, and medicinal plants. In terms of touristic resources, Fushë Arrëz has 4 cultural monuments and 6 natural monuments.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 109 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 143 km away from the port of Durrës, 262 km away from the port of Vlora and 388 km

away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 120 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to the European Route E851. The General Local Plan of this municipality is yet to be approved, therefore no details are available on whether it considers tourism as a priority. What is of interest to note for the Qark of Shkodër, is that 4 out of 5 municipalities consider tourism a development priority, which given the cultural heritage, natural resources and high access to cross border regions, has the potential to develop: cultural and natural tourism on a domestic and international level.

4.2.2 Qark of Lezhë.

The qark of Lezhë comprises three municipalities, including Lezha, Mirdita and Kurbin. In the qark of Lezhë there are 4 environmentally protected areas. The most important one is the Natural Monument Kune Vain Tal, a coastal area with a unique wetland and enormous biodiversity. It ranks last in terms of inventory of monuments of culture with a total of 32 in the entire qark. The qark of Lezhë is an important travel hub connecting the capital and the whole of Albania to Montenegro and Kosovo. The infrastructural networks count 614 km of roads in only 1625 km2. The accessibility is partially increased due to the small distance from the closest airport, Tirana airport, at 1 hour. The qark of Lezhë hosts the Port of Shëngjin, the third in the country in terms of importance. From a touristic service point of view, the qark of Lezhë has an average number of accommodations registered, touristic restaurants and info points. Similar to Shkodër, it is increasingly turning into a culinary attraction, through the development of small agricultural farms/ agro Blinisht). In addition, local travel agencies organis

4.2.2.1

Municipality of Lezhë

The municipality of Lezhë, situated in the North of the country, has a surface area of 509.09 km2 and a population of 65633 inhabitants. It comprises 10 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. 40% of its total area is agricultural land, with the signature cultivation being viniculture.

In terms of touristic resources, Lezhë has 11 natural monuments, 16 cultural monuments, 2 regional national parks, 5 protected areas, 2 beaches, 7 cultural attractions, and 1 typological festival (Festival of Rhapsodies and Instrumentalists).

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 7.6 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 71 km away from the port of Durrës, 189 km away from the port of Vlora and 315 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 55 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to the Green corridor (which executes the

Figure 24 Qark of Lezhë protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity.

connection between Montenegro and Greece from Hani i Hotit in Shkodra and Gjirokastra through the border point Kakavija) and to the Nation's Highway (Durrës Kukës Prishtinë Nish).

Tourism development is not directly linked to the development vision of the municipality, but it is implied, further detailed with direct reference in the strategic objectives and priority projects presented in the General Local Plan.

4.2.2.2 Municipality of Mirditë

The municipality of Mirditë, situated in the North of the country, has a surface area of 869.71 km2 and a population of 22103 inhabitants. It comprises 7 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile.

Its agricultural land covers 48% of its total area, with signature cultivations such as fruit trees, grains, potatoes, and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Mirditë has 11 cultural monuments, 8 natural monuments, 4 protected areas, and 9 cultural attractions.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 56 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 88 km away from the port of Durrës, 209 km away from the port of Vlora and 335 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 72.8 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is near the North South Corridor (Shkodër Gjirokastër).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.2.3 Municipality of Kurbin

The municipality of Kurbin, situated in the north-west of the country, has a surface area of 269.02 km2 and a population of 46291 inhabitants. It comprises 4 administrative units and has an agricultural profile. 25 % of its total area is dedicated to agriculture, with signature cultivations like fodder and grains. In terms of touristic resources, Kurbin has 5 cultural monuments, 12 natural monuments, 1 regional natural park, and 1 protected area.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 20 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 65 km away from the port of Durrës, 174 km away from the port of Vlora and 299 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 40 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë.

Similarly to the Municipality of Lezhë, tourism development is not directly linked to the development vision of the municipality, but it is implied, further detailed with direct reference in the strategic objectives and priority projects presented in the General Local Plan.

In conclusion, when compared to the other 11 qarks, the evaluation of the Qark of Lezhë in terms of touristic potential on the basis of local resources and potential in services and infrastructure is comparatively low.

5.2.3 Qark of Kukës

The qark of Kukës comprises three municipalities: Kukës, Has and Tropojë. It contains part of the famous Albanian Alps and counts three more protected areas for a total surface of 720 km2 (25% of the qark surface). The qark registers 42 monuments of culture. Due to its proximity to the border, the qark of Kukës is considered the gate to Kosovo for travellers coming from Albania and Montenegro. But the only strong connection is represented by the axis that connects Tirana to Prishtina, while the rest of the qark is not easily accessible. The qark of Kukës is home to Kukës International Airport Zayed North Wings, and is approximately 90 mins away from Tirana and Prishtina airports. From a touristic service point of view, the qark of Kukës has few

accommodations and touristic points and travel agencies.

Figure

4.2.3.1

Municipality of Kukës

The municipality of Kukës, situated in the north east of the country, has a surface area of 933.86 km2 and a population of 47985 inhabitants. It comprises of 15 administrative units and has an agricultural profile. 16% of its total area is agricultural land, with the signature cultivations being orchards, medicinal plants, and blueberries. In terms of touristic resources, Kukës has 11 cultural monuments, 15 natural monuments, 1 regional natural park, 1 protected area, and 3 natural attractions.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 116 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 152 km away from the port of Durrës, 271 km away from the port of Vlora and 396 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, in addition to the international airport it is home to, it is 127 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to the Durrës Tiranë Kosovë highway and is bounded by/shares a border with Kosovo and Montenegro.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision indirectly implies ‘tourism’ development, whereas the strategic objectives and priority projects include make direct reference to it.

4.2.3.2

Municipality of Has

The municipality of Has, situated in the north-east of the country, has a surface area of 400.01 km2 and a population of 16790 inhabitants. It comprises of 4 administrative units and has an agricultural profile. 16.5% of its total area consists of agricultural lands, with signature cultivations such as orchards, viniculture, fruit trees, grains, fodder, and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Has has 13 cultural monuments, 8 natural monuments, 1 regional natural park, and 4 natural attractions.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 149 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 183 km away from the port of Durrës, 302 km away from the port of Vlora and 429 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 160 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is near the Durrës Tiranë Kosovë Highway.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects make direct reference to tourism development.

4.2.3.3. Municipality of Tropojë

The municipality of Tropojë, situated in the north east of the country, has a surface area of 1,058.04 km2 and a population of 20517 inhabitants. It comprises of 8 administrative

units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. It has 7300 ha of agricultural land area, with the signature cultivation being chestnuts. In terms of touristic resources, Tropoja has 18 cultural monuments, 26 natural monuments, 1 national park, 2 nature reserves, 1 protected area, and 2 natural attractions.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 211 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 246 km away from the port of Durrës, 364 km away from the port of Vlora and 490 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 229 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also bounded by Montenegro.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision does not explicitly make reference to tourism development, unlike the strategic objectives and priority projects which include it directly.

The qark of Kukës is a potential touristic destination primarily because of its natural resources, and good cross-border access and proximity. When compared to the other 11 qarks, the evaluation of the Qark of Kukës in terms of touristic potential based on local resources and potential in services and infrastructure is comparatively low.

4.2.4 Qark of Tiranë

The qark of Tiranë comprises five municipalities: including Tiranë, Kamëz, Kavajë, Rrogozhinë, and Vorë, with a population of 919511 inhabitants. It belongs to a region where 25% of the territory is environmentally protected by legislation due to the presence of two big parks: the Dajti Mountain National Reserve (shared with Durrës) and the Gropa Bizë Martanesh Mountains National Park (shared with Dibër). It ranks 3rd in the country in terms of inventory of monuments of culture with a total of 284 sites In addition to natural attractions, the qark of Tiranë is home to a number of museums, including the National Gallery, the Historical Museum, the Archaeological Museum, and more new initiatives related to the valorisation of the Albanian culture and history (e.g. the BunkArt 1 and 2, House of Leaves, etc.). Due to its political role as a capital, the qark of Tiranë has registered a high number of accesses both by foreigners and Albanian visitors. The qark is the international access gate to the country. While the main connection i.e. the Tirana International Airport is officially under the qark of Durrës since 2015, the distance from the city centre is around 15-20 minutes. The infrastructural network is in good conditions and outperforms the national average in terms of kilometres of roads and quality. The presence of old railways in the territory is an added value but it needs to be restored (for both goods and passengers). From a touristic service point of view,

Figure 26 Qark of Tirana protected areas, hydrography, accessibility and economic activity.

4.2.4.1 Municipality of Tiranë

The municipality of Tiranë, situated in central Albania, has a surface area of 1,110.68 km2and a population of 850,530 inhabitants. It comprises of 14 administrative units and has a touristic, agricultural, industrial, commerce, and student city profile. It has an agricultural land area of 56609 ha, with signature cultivations such as grains, fruits and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Tirana has 266 cultural monuments, 13 natural monuments, 2 national parks, 1 protected landscape, 18 protected areas, and 6 natural attractions.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 63 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 39 km away from the port of Durrës, 157 km away from the port of Vlora and 284 km away from the port of Sarandë Regarding its airport proximity, it is 18 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has a strong communication node with the farthest corners of the country, countries in the region and, more generally, the outside world.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects all make direct reference to tourism development.

4.2.4.2

Municipality of Kamëz

The municipality of Kamëz, also situated in central Albania, has a surface area of 37.2 km! and a population of 104190 inhabitants. It comprises of 2 administrative units and has an agricultural and industrial profile. It has 1394.03 ha of agricultural land area, with signature cultivations like fodder, vegetables, grains, and fruit trees. In terms of touristic resources, it does not include any.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 54 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 38 km away from the port of Durrës, 157 km away from the port of Vlora and 283 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 13 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is in proximity to European Route E762, as a core corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development indirectly.

4.2.4.3 Municipality of Kavajë

The municipality of Kavajë, situated in central Albania, has a surface area of 198.81 km2 and a population of 40094 inhabitants. It comprises of 5 administrative units and has touristic profile. Regarding the agricultural profile, it has an agricultural land area of 10475 ha, with signature cultivations such as orchard, viniculture, olive groves, and beans. In terms of touristic resources, it includes 14 cultural monuments, 8 natural monuments, 2 protected areas, and 2 beaches.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 91 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 17 km away from the port of Durrës, 102 km away from the port of Vlora and 229 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 47 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is positioned between the two largest ports, i.e.Vlora and Durrës, crossing the VII Pan European Corridor and the Blue Axis, and near the Adriatic Sea.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.4.4 Municipality of Rrogozhinë

The municipality of Rrogozhinë, situated in the west of the country, has a surface area of 223.73 km2 and a population of 22148 inhabitants. It comprises of 5 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. Regarding the agricultural profile, it has 9442 ha of agricultural land area, with signature cultivations like olive groves, viniculture and orchards.

In terms of touristic resources, it includes 2 cultural monuments, 2 natural monuments, 1 beach and 2 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 109 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 41 km away from the port of Durrës, 92 km away from the port of Vlora and 218 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 72.3 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is situated near the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

5.2.4.5 Municipality of Vorë

The municipality of Vorë, situated in the central part of Albania, has a surface area of 82.72 km2 and a population of 14610 inhabitants. It comprises of 3 administrative units and has an agricultural and industrial profile. Regarding the agricultural profile, it has an agricultural land area of 25488 ha, with signature cultivations such as grains, fruits and vegetables.

In terms of touristic resources, it includes 2 cultural monuments and 1 protected area.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 54 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 23 km away from the port of Durrës, 142 km away from the port of Vlora and 268 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 11 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It is located on the SH2 highway that connects Tirana and Durrës.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision makes no direct reference to tourism development. The strategic objectives and priority projects however make direct reference to it.

This qark, has an inevitable connection to tourism for it is home to the capital, and boasts a large number of attractions of high tourism interest. It is also very well connected to the rest of Albania.

4.2.5 Qark of Durrës

The qark of Durrës comprises three municipalities: Durrës, Krujë and Shijak. The qark of Durrës has the lowest surface of protected areas, not least because of its overall small size of approximately 767 km2.The most important one is Dajti Mountain shared with the qark of Tiranë. The qark counts 58 monuments of culture, mainly concentrated in the city of Durrës, which is well known for its archaeological heritage. The qark of Durrës is an important trade and touristic hub given the presence of the biggest port in the country. It is considered an important access gate to/from Italy, as well as to/from North Macedonia and Kosovo. The infrastructural network is the largest/most developed in the country with around 850 km of roads on a small surface. The qark is a mandatory step/transit point to access the capital qark of Tirana. The qark of Durrës is well connected also by air thanks to its proximity to the airport of Tirana, approximately 25 minutes away on its territory.

The qark offers a diverse tourist product, particularly in the case of the Municipality of Kruja and that of Durrës, enriched by a number of Museums (Archaeological Museum in Durrës, and the Historical Museum in Kruja, as well as handicrafts and souvenirs (mainly imported, with the exception of Kruja bazar local offerings). The city of Kruja is considered as one of the most visited cities in the country. In addition, the city of Durrës boasts a culinary offer that finely merges local and Italian cuisine.

Figure

4.2.5.1

Municipality of Durrës

The municipality of Durrës, situated in central Albania, has a surface area of 338.96 km2 and a population of 175110 inhabitants. It comprises of 6 administrative units and has a touristic, agricultural, industrial, commerce, and student city profile. 70% of its total area is agricultural land, with signature cultivations such as viniculture, olive groves, fruit trees, and orchards. In terms of touristic resources, Durrës has 28 cultural monuments, 5 natural monuments, 5 beaches, 8 protected areas, and 1 regional national park and natural attraction.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, in addition to being the biggest port in the country, it is 75 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 124 km away from the port of Vlora and 250 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 29 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to the Blue Corridor (Velipojë Shëngjin Patok Durrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint) and the VIII Corridor.

The General Local Plan of this municipality makes direct reference to tourism development.

4.2.5.2

Municipality of Krujë

The municipality of Krujë, situated in central Albania, has a surface area of 339.01 and a population of 59814 inhabitants. It comprises 6 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. It has 16354 ha of agricultural land area , with signature cultivations like fodder and grains. In terms of touristic resources, Krujë has 29 cultural monuments, 10 natural monuments, 1 national park, 4 protected areas, and 1 natural attraction.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 50 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 43 km away from the port of Durrës, 162 km away from the port of Vlora and 287 km away from the port of Sarandë Regarding its airport proximity, it is 20 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also near the European Route E762.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.5.3 Municipality of Shijak

The municipality of Shijak, situated in the Center of the country, has a surface area of 92.24 km2 and a population of 34513 inhabitants. It comprises 4 administrative units and has an agricultural profile. In terms of touristic resources, Shijak has 1 cultural monument, 1 natural monument and 2 natural attractions.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 68 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 14 km away from the port of Durrës, 128 km away from the port of Vlora and 255 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 21 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also located on the SH2 highway that connects Tirana and Durrës.

The General Local Plan of this municipality is currently being drafted, therefore no details on the priority of tourism are available yet.

4.2.6 Qark of Dibër

The qark of Dibër comprises four municipalities: Bulqizë, Dibër, Klos, and Mat. The qark of Dibër includes six protected areas. The Shebenik Jabllanicë National Park is one of the biggest of the country, with a surface of 330 km2, and it is shared with North Macedonia. Recently created, the park hosts endangered species. Concerning the monuments of culture, the qark is in the national average, with 73 sites. Despite its proximity to the border, the qark of Dibër is not considered an important access gate for North Macedonia due to its poor infrastructure. The qark of Dibër used to be poorly connected by air, until Kukës International Airport Zayed North Wings was built, 104 km/ 3.5 hours away because of poor infrastructure.

From a touristic service point of view, in the qark of Dibër there are few accommodations and touristic restaurants registered. According to the territorial indicators, the qark of Dibër is in the average concerning touristic resources, both natural and cultural. Despite this, touristic services and accessibility data show low quality. In conclusion, when compared to the other 11 qarks, the evaluation of the Qark of Dibër in terms touristic potential based on local resources and potential in services and infrastructure is comparatively low

Figure

4.2.6.1

Municipality of Dibër

The municipality of Dibër, situated in the north east of the country, has a surface area of 937.88 km2 and a population of 61619 inhabitants. It comprises 15 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. 25 % of its total area is dedicated to agriculture, with signature crops such as grains, fodder, orchard, viniculture, vegetables, and potatoes.

In terms of touristic resources, Dibër has 24 cultural monuments, 38 natural monuments, 3 cultural attractions, 2 protected areas, 1 protected landscape, 1 regional natural park, and 1 national park.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 122 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 140 km away from the port of Durrës, 275 km away from the port of Vlora and 403 km

away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 140 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It also has access to the Arbër Highway.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.6.2 Municipality of Bulqizë

The municipality of Bulqizë, situated in the north-east of the country, has a surface area of 678.73 km2 and a population of 31210 inhabitants. It comprises 8 administrative units and has an agricultural and industrial profile. It has an agricultural land area of 8750 ha, with signature cultivations like fruit trees, fodder and viniculture. In terms of touristic resources, Bulqizë has 20 cultural monuments, 17 natural monuments, 1 national park, and 1 protected landscape.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 102 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 137 km away from the port of Durrës, 256 km away from the port of Vlora and 382 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 113 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to the Arbër Highway and is also close to Bllatë border point.

The General Local Plan of this municipality is yet to be approved, therefore no details on the priority of tourism are available.

4.2.6.3 Municipality of Klos

The municipality of Klos, situated in the North-Center of the country, has a surface area of 357.5 km2 and a population of 16618 inhabitants. It comprises 4 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. It has 7897 ha of agricultural land area , with signature cultivations such as viniculture, vegetables and potatoes. In terms of touristic resources, Klos has 23 cultural monuments and 6 natural monuments.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 85 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 120 km away from the port of Durrës, 239 km away from the port of Vlora and 364 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 51 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to the Arbër Highway and the Tiranë Peshkopi road.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision has no direct references to tourism development, but it becomes more explicit in the strategic objectives and priority projects.

4.2.6.4 Municipality of Mat

The municipality of Mat, situated in the north center of the country, has a surface area of 493.5 km2 and a population of 27600 inhabitants. It comprises 8 administrative units and has an agricultural profile. Regarding its agricultural profile, it has 5967 ha of agricultural land area, with signature cultivations including fruit trees and viniculture. Mat has 6 cultural monuments, 25 natural monuments, 1 national park, 1 natural reserve, and 1 cultural attraction.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 66 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 111 km away from the port of Durrës, 222 km away from the port of Vlora and 348 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 88 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to the Tiranë Durrës road.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, reference to tourism development is not explicit in the vision, as it is in the strategic objectives and priority projects.

4.2.7 Qark of Korçë

The qark of Korçë consists of four municipalities: Korçë, Devoll, Kolonjë, and Pogradec. The qark of Korçë has the highest number of protected areas in the country, with around 650 km2 of surface. It includes two of the three lakes in the country, i.e. Ohrid and Prespa (shared with Macedonia and Greece). The qark registers 141 monuments of culture, distributed across/throughout its territory, including Voskopoja. Due to its proximity to the border, the qark of Korçë is considered a key gateway for both North Macedonia and Greece. The qark territory is entirely crossed by the Corridor VIII, the Pan European corridor that connects the Adriatic to the Black Sea. Despite this important infrastructural connection with the north of the country, the region is poorly linked to the Gjirokasëer and Vlorë qarks. The number of flight connections is low due to the big distance from the closest airports, i.e. approximately 3 hours away from both Tirana and Thessaloniki (GR) airport, and relaltively less to the Ohrid St. Paul The Apostl (app. 1.5 hours). Over the years, the qark of Korçë has perfected its culinary offer and has become particularly famous for its pastry and lake year

Figure

4.2.7.1 Municipality of Korçë

The municipality of Korçë, situated in the South East of the country, has a surface area of 805.99 km2 and a population of 75994 inhabitants. It comprises 8 administrative units and has a touristic, agricultural, commerce and student city profile. The Municipality of Korcë has an agricultural land area of 172478 ha, with signature cultivations like orchards, viniculture, grains and apples. In terms of touristic resources, Korçë has 78 cultural monuments, 11 natural monuments, 1 national park, 17 protected areas, and 1 typological festival.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 232 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 199 km away from the port of Durrës, 257 km away from the port of Vlora and 245 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 88km from Ohrid St. Paul The Apostle Airport in North Macedonia, 181 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to part of the VIII Pan-European Corridor and is bounded by/shares a border with Greece. In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.7.2

Municipality of Devoll

The municipality of Devoll, situated in the South East of the country, has a surface area of 458.01 km2 and a population of 26716 inhabitants. It comprises 5 administrative units and has a touristic, agricultural and industrial profile. It has an agricultural land area of 12633 ha, with the signature cultivation being fruit trees.

In terms of touristic resources, Devoll has 13 cultural monuments, 10 natural monuments, 1 regional natural park, 1 protected landscape, and 2 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 245 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 214 km away from the port of Durrës, 271 km away from the port of Vlora and 231 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 194 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë, and 105km from Ohrid St. Paul The Apostle Airport. It is near the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.7.3 Municipality of Kolonjë

The municipality of Kolonjë, situated in the South East of the country, has a surface area of 864.74 km2 and a population of 11070 inhabitants. It comprises 8 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. The municipality has 11507.4 ha of agricultural land area , with the signature cultivation being apples. In terms of touristic resources, Kolonjë has 22 cultural monuments, 22 natural monuments, 1 natural attraction, 1 national park, 1 regional natural park, and 4 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 138 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 244 km away from the port of Durrës, 301 km away from the port of Vlora and 201 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 204 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is near the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.7.4 Municipality of Pogradec

The municipality of Pogradec, situated in the South East of the country, has a surface area of 703.37 km! and a population of 61530 inhabitants. It comprises 8 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. Regarding its agricultural profile, 17% of its total area is agricultural land, with signature cultivations including fodder, grains and potatoes. In terms of touristic resources, Pogradec has 28 cultural monuments, 16 natural monuments, 1 protected landscape, 1 beach, and 7 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 192 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 161 km away from the port of Durrës, 218 km away from the port of Vlora and 344 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 141 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It has access to part of the VIII Pan-European Corridor. In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

The qark of Korçe has a strong touristic potential to consolidate its profile as an all year round touristic destination and a platform for development slow, sustainable forms of tourism, due to its unique natural resources and climate.

4.2.8 Qark of Elbasan

The qark of Elbasan consists of seven municipalities: Belsh, Cërrik, Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin, and Prrenjas. The qark of Elbasan has a high number of protected areas, around 730 km2. The qark registers 127 monuments of culture distributed throughout its territory, including remains of the Via Egnatia an ancient road constructed by the Romans during the 2nd century (a.d.). The qark is also rich in natural resources, potential tourist attractions, located mainly within the municipalities of Elbasan, Belsh and Gramsh.

Due to its proximity to the border, the qark of Elbasan is considered the gateway to North Macedonia. The qark territory is entirely crossed by the Corridor VIII, the Pan-European

corridor that connects the Adriatic to the Black Sea. The infrastructural connection both for dimension and quality are in line with the national average. F average, with one hour of distance from Tirana airport.

Figure

4.2.8.1

Municipality of Elbasan

The municipality of Elbasan, situated in the Center of the country, has a surface area of 872 km2 and a population of 141714 inhabitants. It comprises 13 administrative units and has a touristic, agricultural, industrial, commerce and student city profile. The municipality has an agricultural land area of 17670 ha, with the signature cultivation being fodder. In terms of touristic resources, Elbasan has 80 cultural monuments, 17 natural monuments, 1 regional natural park, 8 protected areas, 1 typological festival, and 10 natural attractions.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 101 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 83 km away from the port of Durrës, 134 km away from the port of Vlora and 260 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 62.5 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It is also part of the part of the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision explicitly makes reference to tourism development, including the strategic objectives and priority projects.

4.2.8.2

Municipality of Belsh

The municipality of Belsh, situated in the Center of the country, has a surface area of 196.44 km2 and a population of 19503 inhabitants. It comprises 5 administrative units and has an agricultural profile, with 13181.26 ha of agricultural land, and signature cultivations such as tobacco, viniculture and olive groves. In terms of touristic resources, Belsh has 1 natural attraction, 3 cultural monuments and 4 natural monuments.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 128 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 72.9 km away from the port of Durrës, 88 km away from the port of Vlora and 222 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 63.3 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also 25 minutes away (14 km) from the Pan Europian VIII corridor (Paper) and 40 min (26.7 km) from the Blue corridor (Lushnje).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.8.3 Municipality of Cërrik

The municipality of Cërrik, situated in the Center of the country, has a surface area of 189.66 km! and a population of 27445 inhabitants. It comprises 5 administrative units and has an agricultural profile, with 858.84 ha of agricultural land, and the signature

cultivations being grains and olive groves. In terms of touristic resources, Cërrik has 5 cultural monuments.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 119 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 69 km away from the port of Durrës, 98 km away from the port of Vlora and 233 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 53 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also near the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.8.4 Municipality of Gramsh

The municipality of Gramsh, situated in the Center of the country, has a surface area of 739.75 km2 and a population of 24231 inhabitants. It comprises 10 administrative units and has a touristic, agricultural and industrial profile. Regarding its agricultural profile, it has an agricultural land area of 10330 ha, with signature cultivations like vinicuture, olive groves and fruit trees. In terms of touristic resources, Gramsh has 1 natural attraction, 14 cultural monuments, 19 natural monuments, 1 national park, and 1 protected area.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 147 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 99 km away from the port of Durrës, 135 km away from the port of Vlora and 261 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 95 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is near the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.8.5 Municipality of Librazhd

The municipality of Librazhd, situated in the North Center of the country, has a surface area of 793.99 km2 and a population of 31892 inhabitants. It comprises 7 administrative units and has an agricultural and industrial profile.

Regarding its agricultural profile, it has an agricultural land area of 9500 ha, with signature cultivations such as viniculture and fruit trees.

In terms of touristic resources, Librazhd has 5 natural attractions, 9 cultural monuments, 15 natural monuments, 1 national park, and 3 regional natural parks.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 133 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 102 km away from the port of Durrës, 159 km away from the port of Vlora and 285 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 71.6 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also near the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision makes no explicit reference to tourism development, whereas the strategic objectives and priority projects include it directly.

4.2.8.6 Municipality of Peqin

The municipality of Peqin, situated in the central part of the country, has a surface area of 197.9 km2 and a population of 26136 inhabitants. It comprises 6 administrative units and has an agricultural and industrial profile.

Regarding its agricultural profile, it has an agricultural land area of 10411 ha, with the signature cultivation being olive groves.

In terms of touristic resources, Peqin has 10 natural monuments, 8 cultural monuments and 2 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 116 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 48 km away from the port of Durrës, 99 km away from the port of Vlora and 225 km away

from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 72 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is near the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision does not make explicit reference to tourism development, whereas the strategic objectives and priority projects are more explicitly related to it.

4.2.8.7 Municipality of Prrenjas

The municipality of Prrenjas, situated in the South Center of the country, has a surface area of 322.95 km2 and a population of 24906 inhabitants. It comprises 4 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. It has an agricultural land area of 8397 ha, with the signature cultivation being vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Prrenjas has 8 cultural monuments, 5 natural monuments and 2 regional natural parks.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 162 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 128 km away from the port of Durrës, 187 km away from the port of Vlora and 312 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 99 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also near the VIII Pan European Corridor.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects make explicit reference to tourism development ambitions. The potential for tourism development, particularly sustainable forms of tourism development, in this qark is particularly high.

4.2.9 Qark of Berat

The qark of Berat comprises five municipalities: Berat, Kuçovë, Poliçan, Skrapar, and Dimal. The qark of Berat has an average number of protected areas, covering about 450 km2 of its surface (around one fourth of the qark). The most important ones are the Mountain of Tomorr Natural Reserve and the Osum Canyon, considered one of the best natural resources of the country. In addition, the qark counts a high number of monuments of culture, 481 The old city of Berat was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Due to it yet the quality of the infrastructure is slightly under average.

Figure 4

The municipality of Berat, situated in the southern central part of the country, has a surface area of 379.99 km2 and a population of 60031 inhabitants. It comprises 5 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile.

Regarding its agricultural profile, it has 17080 ha of agricultural land area, with signature cultivations like fruit trees and olive groves. In terms of touristic resources, Berat has 449

cultural monuments, 6 natural monuments, 1 national park, 8 protected areas, and 1 natural attraction.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 166 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 92 km away from the port of Durrës, 106 km away from the port of Vlora and 238 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 125 km away from the Tirana International Airport.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.9.2 Municipality of Kuçovë

The municipality of Kuçovë, situated in the South Center of the country, has a surface area of 160.33 km2 and a population of 31262 inhabitants. It comprises 4 administrative units and has an industrial and agricultural profile, measuring 52% of agricultural land, with signature cultivations such as olive groves and viniculture. In terms of touristic resources, Kuçovë has 2 cultural monuments and 8 natural monuments.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 151 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 82 km away from the port of Durrës, 97 km away from the port of Vlora and 223 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 82 km away from the Tirana International Airport.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision makes no explicit reference to tourism development, whereas strategic objectives and priority projects make direct reference to tourism development.

4.2.9.3 Municipality of Poliçan

The municipality of Poliçan, situated in the South Center of the country, has a surface area of 272.2 km2 and a population of 10953 inhabitants. It comprises 3 administrative units and has an agricultural profile with 23.6% of its total area agricultural land, and signature cultivations including fruit trees, vegetables and viniculture. In terms of touristic resources, Poliçan has 7 cultural monuments, 3 natural monuments and 1 regional natural park.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 183 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 115 km away from the port of Durrës, 129 km away from the port of Vlora and 255 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 146 km away from the Tirana International Airport.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.9.4

Municipality of Skrapar

The municipality of Skrapar, situated in the South East of the country, has a surface area of 832.04 km2 and a population of 12403 inhabitants. It comprises 9 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. Regarding its agricultural profile, it has 13% of agricultural land, with signature cultivations such as fruit trees and grains. In terms of touristic resources, Skrapar has 17 cultural monuments, 43 natural monuments, 1 national park, 1 protected area, and 1 regional natural park.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 223 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 154 km away from the port of Durrës, 169 km away from the port of Vlora and 153 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 178 km away from the Tirana International Airport.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.9.5 Municipality of Dimal

The municipality of Dimal, situated in the South Center of the country, has a surface area of 156.65 km2 and a population of 27295 inhabitants. It comprises 5 administrative units and has an agricultural profile, with 62.87% of agricultural land, and signature cultivations such as fodder, vegetables and olive groves. In terms of touristic resources, Dimal has 6 cultural monuments, 1 natural monument and 1 protected area.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 148 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 80 km away from the port of Durrës, 94 km away from the port of Vlora and 220 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 104 km away from the Tirana International Airport. In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects do not include tourism development.

4.2.10 Qark of Fier

The qark of Fier comprises six municipalities: Divjakë, Fier, Lushnjë, Mallakastër, Patos, and Roskovec. In the qark of Fier there are three environmentally protected areas that cover 25% of its territory. The Divjakë Karavasta National Park is the most extended and includes also the lagoon, which protected by the Wetland Convention (RAMSAR) for its biodiversity. The qark hosts important archaeological sites such as the site of Apollonia, which is also in the process of being acknowledged by UNESCO as world heritage site. In terms of monuments of culture, the qark is in the national average with a total of 37 across its territory.

The qark of Fier is an important industrial hub, but it is only connected through a main infrastructure that crosses the territory vertically. This axe will be further developed as the EU Adriatic Corridor, which will connect all the Adriatic coast (from Slovenia to Greece). Overall, the infrastructural network is poor and counts only around 200km of roads. Concerning air connections, access the Tirana International Airport. Sea connections are not exploited due to the absence of maritime infrastructures, heavily relying on the Port of Durrës for trade related transports.

Figure

4.2.10.1 Municipality of Fier

The municipality of Fier, situated in the West of the country, has a surface area of 620 km2 and a population of 122475 inhabitants. It comprises 10 administrative units and has a touristic, industrial and agricultural profile, with 43580 ha, and the signature cultivation being fodder. In terms of touristic resources, Fier has 18 cultural monuments, 5 natural monuments, 1 national park, 2 regional natural parks, 1 beach, and 3 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 150 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 82 km away from the port of Durrës, 37 km away from the port of Vlora and 163 km away

from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 124 km away from the Tirana International Airport It is bounded by Seman river in the north and Vjosa river in the south. It isalso close to the Blue Corridor (Velipojë Shëngjin Patok Durrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision makes implicit reference to tourism development and more direct references to the strategic objectives and priority projects include it directly.

4.2.10.2 Municipality of Divjakë

The municipality of Divjakë, situated in the South-West of the country, has a surface area of 309.57 km2 and a population of 34254 inhabitants. It comprises 5 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile measuring 19940 ha, with signature cultivations such as olive groves, viniculture, fruits, and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Divjakë has 3 cultural monuments, 9 natural monuments and 1 national park.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 123 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 53 km away from the port of Durrës, 82 km away from the port of Vlora and 204 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 83 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It also has access to the Blue Corridor (Velipojë Shëngjin Patok Durrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.10.3 Municipality of Lushnje

The municipality of Lushnje, situated in the South West of the country, has a surface area of 372 km2 and a population of 83659 inhabitants. It comprises 11 administrative units and has an agricultural profile, with 77.27% of its total area in agricultural lands, with signature cultivations like fruits, vegetables and viniculture. In terms of touristic resources, Lushnje has 9 cultural monuments, 5 natural monuments, 2 protected areas, and 1 typological festival.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 121 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 53 km away from the port of Durrës, 73 km away from the port of Vlora and 199 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 77.7 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It is also close to the Blue Corridor (Velipojë Shëngjin Patok Durrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

4.2.10.4 Municipality of Mallakastër

The municipality of Mallakastër, situated in the South West of the country, has a surface area of 329.37 km2 and a population of 27062 inhabitants. It comprises 9 administrative units and has an agricultural profile, with app. 17036 agricultural land, with the signature cultivation being olive groves. In terms of touristic resources, Mallakastër has 8 cultural monuments, 15 natural monuments and 4 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 200 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 132 km away from the port of Durrës, 63 km away from the port of Vlora and 124 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 156 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also close to the Blue Corridor (VelipojëShëngjin-Patok-Durrës- Divjakë-Seman-Vlorë-Dhërmi-Sarandë-Butrint).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision does not make explicit reference to tourism development. The strategic objectives and priority projects contain tourism development considerations.

4.2.10.5 Municipality of Patos

The municipality of Patos, situated in the South West of the country, has a surface area of 82.59 km2 and a population of 22959 inhabitants. It comprises 3 administrative units and has an agricultural and industrial profile. Its agricultural land area measures 6884.66 ha, with signature cultivations such as fruits and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Patos has 1 cultural monument and 1 protected area.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 157 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 89 km away from the port of Durrës, 46 km away from the port of Vlora and 172 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 113 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It is also near the Blue Corridor (Velipojë-Shëngjin-PatokDurrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, similarly to the case of the vision does not make explicit reference to tourism development. The strategic objectives and priority projects contain tourism development considerations.

4.2.10.6 Municipality of Roskovec

The municipality of Roskovec, situated in the South Center of the country, has a surface area of 118.08 km2 and a population of 21742 inhabitants. It comprises 4 administrative units and has an agricultural profile. It has an agricultural land area of 9897.26 ha, with signature cultivations including fruits and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Roskovec has 1 cultural monument. As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 165 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 97 km away from the port of Durrës, 54 km away from the port of Vlora and 180 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 121 km away from the Tirana International Airport.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects feature tourism development explicitly.

5.2.11 Qark of Vlorë

The qark of Vlorë comprises seven municipalities: including Delvinë, Finiq, Himarë, Konispol, Sarandë, Selenicë, and Vlorë. The qark of Vlorë counts the second highest number of protected areas, with seven sites that cover around 15% of the territory. The Karaburun peninsula is one of the most fascinating natural resources, also due to its historical value. The qark is famous for the Albanian Riviera, one of the most touristic attractions in the country, hosting a unique cultural and natural heritage. The road drives from the Llogara National Park to the archaeological site of Butrinti, recognised as UNESCO World Heritage since 1992. Concerning the number of monuments of culture, the qark ranks second with 206 sites.

Despite its proximity to the border, the qark of Vlorë is not considered an access gate to Greece due to the poor infrastructure. Except for the connection from Vlorë to Tiranë, the infrastructural network is really poor. Concerning air connections, accessibility is low, with around four hours of distance from the airport of Tirana and the international airport of Corfù (GR). The latter is only reachable via ferry. From the city of Vlorë, the distance is smaller, with 2.5 hours to reach Tirana airport. Sea connections are slightly over the average, due to the presence of the ports of Vlorë (mainly connected to Italy) and Sarandë (mainly connected to Greece).

Figure

5.2.11.1 Municipality of Vlorë

The municipality of Vlorë, situated in the south-west of the country, has a surface area of 647.94 km2 and a population of 104827 inhabitants. It comprises 5 administrative units and has a touristic profile.It has an agricultural land area of 19600 ha, with the signature cultivation being fruit trees. In terms of touristic resources, Vlora has 28 cultural monuments, 14 natural monuments, 1 national park, 1 regional natural park, 1 protected landscape, 4 beaches, 31 protected areas, and 1 typological festival.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, in addition to it being a sea port, it is 192 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 124 km away from the port of Durrës and 181 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, this Municipality will soon have an airport in its territory. It is 151 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It is also close to the VIII Pan European Corridor and has access to the Blue Corridor (Velipojë Shëngjin Patok Durrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

5.2.11.2

Municipality of Delvinë

The municipality of Delvinë, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 183.77 km2 and a population of 7598 inhabitants. It comprises 2 administrative units and has an agricultural profile, measuring 2750 ha in agricultural land area, with signature cultivations like fruit trees and olive groves. In terms of touristic resources, Delvina has 22 cultural monuments, 12 natural monuments and 1 regional natural park.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 309 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 240 km away from the port of Durrës, 172 km away from the port of Vlora and 17 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 265 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It is also near Igumenicë Gjirokastër Sarandë Janinë.

The General Local Plan of this municipality is yet to be approved, thus no details are available on whether tourism is a priority.

5.2.11.3 Municipality of Finiq

The municipality of Finiq, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 444.28 km2 and a population of 11862 inhabitants. It comprises 5 administrative units and has an agricultural profile, measuring 12392.84 ha of agricultural land, with signature cultivations such as fruit trees, grains and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Finiq has 44 cultural monuments, 8 natural monuments and 8 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 311 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 243 km away from the port of Durrës, 175 km away from the port of Vlora and 11 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 268 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It is also near Igumenicë Gjirokastër Sarandë Janinë.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality there is no explicit reference to tourism development. Tourism considerations are however included in the strategic objectives and priority projects of the strategy.

5.2.11.4

Municipality of Himarë

The municipality of Himarë, situated in the South West of the country, has a surface area of 572.22 km! and a population of 7818 inhabitants. It comprises 3 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. It has an agricultural land area of 7461.04 ha, with signature cultivations including olive groves, orchards, viniculture and medicinal plants. In terms of touristic resources, Himarë has 42 cultural monuments, 30 natural monuments, 1 national park, 12 beaches, 6 protected areas and 1 natural attraction.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 273 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 205 km away from the port of Durrës, 71 km away from the port of Vlora and 54 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 229 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It also has access to the Adriatic Janinë Highway (Shkodër Gjirokastër-Kakavijë) and the landscape coastal road (Velipojë-Shëngjin-Vlorë-DhërmiSarandë Butrint).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality there is explicit reference to tourism development, further detailed in the strategic objectives and priority projects of the strategy.

5.2.11.5 Municipality of Konispol

The municipality of Konispol, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 226.26 km2 and a population of 8245 inhabitants. It comprises 3 administrative units and has an agricultural profile, with 4779.82 ha of agricultural land area, and signature cultivations such as olive groves, viniculture and citrus. In terms of touristic resources, Konispol has 22 cultural monuments, 4 natural monuments and 3 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 344 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 276 km away from the port of Durrës, 207 km away from the port of Vlora and 39 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 300 km away from Tirana International Airport. The Xarrë Murësi road is known as the economic axis of the municipality. Konispol also has access to Igumenicë Gjirokastër Sarandë Janinë.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, tourism development is not included explicitly in the vision, but it is articulated in the form of strategic objectives and priority projects.

5.2.11.6 Municipality of Sarandë

The municipality of Sarandë, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 70.13 km! and a population of 20227 inhabitants. It comprises 2 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile, with 1264.15 ha of agricultural land, and with signature cultivations like olive groves and citrus.

In terms of touristic resources, Sarandë has 21 cultural monuments, 5 natural monuments, 1 national park, 1 beach, 1 cultural attraction, and 1 protected area.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 320 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 251 km away from the port of Durrës and 183 km away from the port of Vlora. Regarding

its airport proximity, it is 276 km away from Tirana International Airport. It also has access to Igumenicë Gjirokastër Sarandë Janinë, the Blue Corridor (Velipojë Shëngjin Patok Durrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint) and is bounded by Greece.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

5.2.11.7 Municipality of Selenicë

The municipality of Selenicë, situated in the South West of the country, has a surface area of 561.52 km2 and a population of 18476 inhabitants. It comprises 6 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. In terms of touristic resources, Selenicë has 27 cultural monuments and 11 natural monuments.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 218 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 150 km away from the port of Durrës, 29 km away from the port of Vlora and 122 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 174 km away from the Mother Theresa Airport in Tiranë. It is also near the Blue Corridor (Velipojë Shëngjin Patok Durrës Divjakë Seman Vlorë Dhërmi Sarandë Butrint).

The General Local Plan of this municipality is currently being drafted, therefore no details are available on whether tourism is a priority.

5.2.12 Qark of Gjirokastër

The qark of Gjirokastër comprises seven municipalities: including Dropull, Gjirokastër, Këlcyrë, Libohovë, Memaliaj, Përmet, and Tepelenë. The qark of Gjirokastër is fourth in size and counts six protected areas that cover 15% of the territory. The thermal water spring in the Municipality of Përmet attracts tourists from all over the world. The city of Gjirokastër is the third UNESCO World Heritage site in Albania and an outstanding example of Ottoman merchant town. The qark of Gjirokastër ranks first for the number of monuments of culture, with around 553 sites spread throughout its territory. It is the hometown of a number of figures who have featured prominently in politics, art, and so on and who have attracted tourist attention over the years, such as the house of the world famous writer Ismail Kadare and the house of communist leader Enver Hoxha. Përmet is home to Vjosa, one of the few free flowing rivers in Europe, a true gem in terms of natural (outdoor) tourism activities. Due to its proximity to the border, the qark of Gjirokastër is considered the gateway to Greece for travellers coming from north and south. The qark of Gjirokastër will also be crossed by the EU Adriatic Corridor, which will connect all the Adriatic coast (from Slovenia to Greece). Yet the current infrastructural network is poor. Concerning air connections, accessibility is considered low given that it is more than three hours away from Tirana International Airport, and the international airport of Corfù (GR). The latter is only reachable by ferry.

5.2.12.1 Municipality of Gjirokastër

The municipality of Gjirokastër, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 469.24 km2 and a population of 28673 inhabitants. It comprises 7 administrative units and has a touristic and student city profile.

Regarding an agricultural profile, 27% of its surface is agricultural land, with signature cultivations like viniculture and orchards. In terms of touristic resources, Gjirokastër has 443 cultural monuments, 14 natural monuments, 1 strict natural reserve, and 8 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 269 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 199 km away from the port of Durrës, 130 km away from the port of Vlora and 55.4 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 228 km away from Tirana International Airport. It is located near the southern national border and is crossed by the Sh4 highway, which is the main axis of connection with Greece through Kakavija border point.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects make explicit reference to tourism development.

5.2.12.2 Municipality of Dropull

The municipality of Dropull, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 448.45 km2 and a population of 3503 inhabitants. It comprises 3 administrative units and has an agricultural and industrial profile. It has an agricultural land area of 7000 ha, with signature cultivations including fodder, grains, fruits and vegetables. In terms of touristic resources, Dropull has 40 cultural monuments, 13 natural monuments and 4 protected areas.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 287 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 216 km away from the port of Durrës, 150 km away from the port of Vlora and 35 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 243 km away from Tirana International Airport. It has access to the Green Corridor (connecting Montenegro and Greece from Hani i Hotit in Shkodra and Gjirokastra, through the border point Kakavija).

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects include tourism development.

5.2.12.3 Municipality of Këlcyrë

The municipality of Këlcyrë, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 304.86 km2 and a population of 6113 inhabitants. It comprises 4 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. It 3464 ha of agricultural land, with signature cultivations such as grains, fodder, potatoes, beans, and viniculture.

In terms of touristic resources, Këlcyrë has 7 cultural monuments, 4 natural monuments and 1 protected area.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 261 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 192 km away from the port of Durrës, 124 km away from the port of Vlora and 95 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 216 km away from the Tirana International Airport. It is also close to the European Route E853.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

5.2.12.4 Municipality of Libohovë

The municipality of Libohovë, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 248.42 km2 and a population of 3667 inhabitants. It comprises 3 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. Regarding its agricultural profile, it has an agricultural land area of 5217.66 ha, with the signature cultivation being medicinal plants.

In terms of touristic resources, Libohovë has 18 cultural monuments, 17 natural monuments, 5 protected areas, 5 cultural attractions, and 5 natural attractions.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 285 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 216 km away from the port of Durrës, 148 km away from the port of Vlora and 49 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 240 km away from Tirana International Airport. It is also near Igumenicë Gjirokastër Sarandë Ioannina.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, and priority projects include tourism development.

5.2.12.5 Municipality of Memaliaj

The municipality of Memaliaj, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 372.3 km2 and a population of 10657 inhabitants. It comprises 7 administrative units and has an agricultural profile. It has an agricultural land area of 8700 ha, with signature cultivations like grains, olive groves and viniculture.

In terms of touristic resources, Memaliaj has 2 cultural monuments and 5 natural monuments.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 230 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 162 km away from the port of Durrës, 93 km away from the port of Vlora and 90 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 186 km away from Tirana International Airport. It has access to the Green Corridor.

The General Local Plan of this municipality is currently being drafted, therefore no details are available on whether tourism being a priority.

5.2.12.6 Municipality of Përmet

The municipality of Përmet, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 602.47 km2 and a population of 10614 inhabitants. It comprises 6 administrative units and has a touristic and agricultural profile. It has an agricultural land area of 5983.9 ha, with signature cultivations such as viniculture and fruit trees.

In terms of touristic resources, Përmet has 23 cultural monuments, 26 natural monuments, 1 national park, 6 protected areas, and 1 cultural attraction.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 279 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 211 km away from the port of Durrës, 142 km away from the port of Vlora and 113 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 235 km away from Tirana International Airport. It is also near Igumenicë Gjirokastër Sarandë Janinë.

In the General Local Plan of this municipality, the vision, strategic objectives, as well as priority projects include tourism development.

5.2.12.7 Municipality of Tepelenë

The municipality of Tepelenë, situated in the South of the country, has a surface area of 431.5 km2 and a population of 8949 inhabitants. It comprises 4 administrative units and has an agricultural profile.

Regarding its agricultural profile, it has an agricultural land area of 6594 ha, with signature cultivations such as olive groves and viniculture.

In terms of touristic resources, Tepelenë has 20 cultural monuments, 19 natural monuments, 6 protected areas and 1 typological festival.

As for the connectivity of this municipality, it is 238 km away from the port of Shëngjin, 170 km away from the port of Durrës, 101 km away from the port of Vlora and 83 km away from the port of Sarandë. Regarding its airport proximity, it is 194 km away from the Tirana International Airport. The municipality is located on the left bank of the Vjosa River, about 3 km downstream from its union with the Drin.

The General Local Plan of this municipality is currently being drafted, therefore no details are available on whether tourism is a priority.

Agritourism sector

Agritourism is a growing sector in Albania, with at least 180 such entities adopting one or more of the agritourism principles. According to the newly formed representative body called ‘Association of Agritourism’ this community is growing, and as such, it constitutes an interesting starting point for the study of place-based sustainable tourism practices in Albania. Of the reportedly growing 180 entities, app. 13.5% have received the certification of their agritourism activity in line with the Decision of Council of Ministers no.22, dated 12.1.2018 ‘On Approval of Criteria for the Certification of Agritourism

Figure 35 Tourism as a strategic development priority locally.

Activity’. For the purposes of this research, the pool of certified agritourism entities were observed and interviewed.

1. Enol Agrotourism

ENOL Agrotourism is located in the historical Prezë, Tiranë, and was founded in 2002. It started as a winery driven by the passion of its founder. In the years that followed it expanded to include a restaurant and a guesthouse. Today, the establishment works throughout the year, with the main activity focused on wine production, restaurant, and a modest accommodation with four rooms. The serving capacity of the restaurant is 60 tables.

Customer base/ profiling: In the owner’s view, customers visit this agrotourism because of the surrounding environment. The main age group is 30 40 year olds, from which 40% are foreigners (mostly from France, Germany, The Netherlands, and Poland) and the remaining are Albanian clients/customers, mostly from the surrounding areas of Tiranë, Durrës, Krujë, and Laç.

Territorial profiling: ENOL includes 3 hectares of cultivated land and 1000 �! of built environment. Some of its advantages are subtle climate and the presence of attractive sites, namely (a) Prezë castle (1.6 km away); (b) Kruja Castle (21 km away); (c) Dajti Mountain National Park (36 km away), (d) the Tirana River, (e) artificial lake of Shargë (6.6 km away), (f) Bubqi lake (9.4 km away). In addition, it is also on the foot of the Krujë Dajt mountain range and surrounded by hills. Access to this destination is provided by the national road Vorë Fushë-Krujë, 4.2 km away, and the rural road which begins from the turn towards the Prezë castle onto the village.

The main challenge encountered during the opening and development of the business was lack of support from the local community, which could be an indication for the low degree with interaction and relations with the locals. Over the years, as relations grew, with all employees being local, the attitude of the local community has changed. In addition to sourcing its employer base, this agritourism cooperates with other local businesses for the purchase of local produce and artisanal products. During COVID 19, this collaboration was obstructed because of overproduction, absence of ingredients, movement restrictions, and a lack of capital.

As for institutional relations, there has not been any relieving schemes/packages or fiscal facilities, however the municipality has not hindered the business in any way. The business is not part of a specific representative or networking entity, such as an association or union, which would protect its interests or facilitate interactions with similar enterprises from the sector.

This establishment classifies itself as sustainable as it produces its own food products, such as wine, raki, jam, fruits (e.g. cherries, figs, and pomegranates). It also uses organic waste from animals in farming and solar panels as a renewable energy resource. 40% of the business needs are met from its own produce and 100 % of its earnings are reinvested locally.

Comments and feedback from visitors and locals are documented. However, they have yet to be implemented. New products, services and practices are rarely put into practice. If/when they are, it is mainly in the form of new products, such as new types of raki, like rukomeli, which is raki with honey, cinnamon and cloves.

2. Gjepali Agrotourism

Gjepali agrotourism is located in Shijak and was founded in 2019. The founder wanted to build on his previous experience in the hospitality sector and stay close to his family, which is from that rural area. The agritourism offers accommodation (8 rooms) and has a serving capacity of 40 tables in its restaurant.

Gjepali relies on 10 hectares of cultivated land, 50% of which is owned by the founder and the rest is rented. Its advantage is the climate, natural resources, as well as the surrounding environment, such as the River Erzen at only 150 m, the Pjezës Lake 4 km and the Adriatic sea at 8 km away. There are no nearby historical sites or national parks. The main disadvantage is access, since this destination can only be reached via an unpaved rural road of 2.5 km from the national road.

The business reports an average of 2300 2500 customers/ month. The foreign clientele is usually from the Balkans and Nordic countries, whereas Albanian customers come from Tiranë and Durrës. The selling points of this establishment include in an equal measure: the nature, food, horse riding, history and the experience offered.

The establishment developed contacts with local businesses to purchase food/ingredients and artisanal products. This relationship took time to develop due to initial scepticism of the local community about the business and was again hindered due to overproduction during COVID-19. 100% of the employees are local residents from Gjipalaj and the Shijak Municipality. In addition to income through employment, the founder states that 100 % of its earnings are reinvested locally. Cooperation or sharing with other similar entities is not formalised in the form of membership in any associations or networks.

According to the founder, there has not been any additional support from the local community or Municipality regarding business development. Yet, they also did not obstruct it in any way. Fiscal facilities have been offered in the form of lower taxes and subsidies.

This establishment classifies itself as sustainable, innovative and focused on the community. Concerning sustainability, it uses organic waste from animals in farming and composts any other organic waste. Regarding innovation, it regularly brings in new ideas in gastronomy (new dishes), agronomy (cultivating different types of local agriculture cultures) and in infrastructure (buying old rural houses to allow foreign visitors to experience the way of life in the area). Clients are reportedly willing to pay more for products and services which respect natural resources and the environment.

3. UKA Farm

UKA Farm was founded in 1996 with a scientific purpose, i.e. to study insects as an option for fertilizer and thus increase the number of crops. As such, UKA Farm became a natural laboratory and developed into a business in 2011. To make use of its produce, it also opened a restaurant in 2014. The owners classify it as a farm to table experimental centre/restaurant. The serving capacity of the restaurant is app. 45 tables, amounting to a daily average of 50 70 people/day., of which 30% are foreign visitors or tourists and the rest local, usually from Tirana. The main points of attraction of the establishment include in descending order: wine, organic production, nature, and the service.

UKA farm includes 19000 �! of cultivated land and 700 �! of built environment. A total area of 19700 �! is offered for recreational purposes. Unlike other establishments, the driving factors for the establishment of the farm were not related to the presence of cultural or natural monuments. There are no reported prominent natural or historical elements in the area.

Its reported challenges include unqualified staff, lack of staff, climate and a lack of subsidies. This business is not part of a specific group/union/tourism organisation which would protect its interests or facilitate its interaction with similar businesses from the tourism sector.

UKA Farm collaborates with local businesses to purchase food products, 20% of which are local. In the beginning, this collaboration had issues regarding informality and receipt

declaration for the purchase of food. Now, the local community plays an important role in the development of the business. 40% of earnings are reinvested locally.

This establishment classifies itself as sustainable, innovative and focused on the community. It uses organic waste from animals; it regularly generates new products, services and practices. but their main focus is the farm and canteen (where they have also opened a wine canteen museum). Yet, in practice, they are not, since they visit in the hope to consume products for cheap prices.

4. Pema e Jetës (Tree of Life)

Pema e Jetës, was established in 2018 in Arapaj, a rural area in Durrës. Work to set it up began in 2015 and in 2018 it was established as a restaurant. The establishment today has a serving capacity of 35 tables and a maximum of 250 people/day.

Pema e Jetës has 7.5 hectares of cultivated land and 2700 m as a recreational area. It is 3.5 km away from the Adriatic Sea and 100 m from the nearest hill. A natural monument close by is the Maskullisë Basin. One of the main advantages of this establishment is its easy access, as it is only 2 km away from the national road. One of the obstacles to its development is the surrounding poor infrastructure.

At present, Pema e Jetës cooperates with local businesses for the supply of local ingredients and food, and all the employees of the business are from the area. The owner classifies it as a farm and organic restaurant. Some of the main challenges encountered by this business include lack of staff and infrastructure (there is no water supply, water is obtained manually via trucks).

This establishment classifies itself as an innovative business that regularly focuses on developing and introducing new products. 70% of earnings are reinvested locally. In the environmental sector, this establishment is environmentally friendly by using organic waste from animals and by composting all the remaining organic waste.

When asked on the clientele’s readiness to pay more for local products and services that respect their sources and nature, he explained that, theoretically, they are all 100% willing to do so, but only about 40% actually follow suit in practice.

5. Kodra e Kuajve (Horses Hill)

Horses Hill was founded in 2017 as a small establishment in Dedej Hill, in a rural part of Durrës Municipality. It was inspired by the owner’s love of horses and was built on family land. It is classified by the owner as an agrotourism establishment, with a maximum serving capacity of 70 tables, and 300 people. It also offers 18 rooms. It is 0.5 km away from the nearest lake, 200 m away from the nearest hill and 1 km away from the Adriatic Sea. It has no natural or historical monuments nearby. Access to the establishment is provided via a 0.9 km urban road; it is 1 km away from a national road. Its main advantages are the clean environment, climate, views, and the horses. The main disadvantage was the initial infrastructure, as the road had to be paved through private funds.

According to the manager, 50% of visitors are foreigners (mostly from Poland, Switzerland, Germany, and France) and the rest come from across Albania.

Initially, the local community was not very supportive and raised concerns about the land. However, this relationship has improved, as the establishment cooperates with local businesses to purchase local produce. 40% of employees (25 people) are locals.

This agrotourism classifies itself as sustainable. Its environmentally friendly approach includes the purification/decontamination of the polluted water produced from its activity. When asking the manager for the clientele’s readiness to pay more for local products

and services that respect their sources and nature, he said that 70% were willing to do so.

6. Huqi Agritourism

Huqi Agrotourism categorises itself as an agrotourism establishment, located in Radë, a rural area in the vicinity of urban Durrës. It is by the side of the Huqi lake and relies significantly on this natural element. Some other nearby prominent cultural and natural monuments are Cape of Rodon and The Castle of Skanderbeg. Its main advantages are the clean environment, subtle climate and the presence of several natural resources. The main challenge to its development is the difficult access in terms of quality of connecting roads.

This agritourism offers accommodation (7 rooms), and a restaurant, 50 tables with a maximum serving capacity of 600 people. In the manager’s view, customers visit this agrotourism mainly because of the nature. App. 10% of the clientele are reportedly foreign and the rest Albanians from Tiranë, Durrës, Krujë, Elbasan and Lushnje. It collaborates with local businesses to purchase local ingredients/food.

Some of the main challenges experienced during its development were a non supportive community, unqualified staff and lack of staff. This business is not part of a specific group/union/tourism organisation, which would protect its interests or facilitate its interaction with similar businesses from the tourism sector.

Huqi classifies itself as a sustainable business, that adopts environmentally friendly practices such as composting.

7. Gramozi BR (Castle)

Agritourism Gramozi is situated in Poshnje, Berat, and was initially established in the ‘90s. The idea to establish this family business was inspired by work and experiences abroad. Gramozi BR includes 800 m2 of built environment, 6 7 hectares of cultivated land.. The nearby prominent natural elements are Osum river (10 minutes away and 1 hour and 30 minutes away from its source) and the Shpirag Mountain (5 minutes away). Some of the main cultural monuments nearby are the Ilirian city of Dimal (30 minutes away by car), Vokopole church (10 minutes away), Kauri bridge and the Castle of Berat. 100% of employees are locals and specifically from Poshje Dimal.

In terms of capacity, this agritourism is one of the biggest, with 40 rooms, and a restaurant serving capacity of over 100 tables. An average of 100 people/day visit this establishment, with app. 20% of clients being foreig (usually from Greece, Italy, Sweden, Denmark and Germany) and the rest Albanian (usually from Berat, Sarandë, Lushnje and Tiranë).

Gramozi BR does not collaborate with local businessesExcept for rice, coffee and sugar, all food is produced by the establishment covering 90 100% of its needs, and in the case of vegetables, also exporting.

When it comes to cooperation with local communities, there is no perceived need for the community to contribute in any way to the development of the business, and no reported membership or affiliation in any associations.

This establishment classifies itself as sustainable as it composts all organic waste, reuses animal organic waste in agriculture and purifies the contaminated water which it produces. In addition, In terms of innovation, it regularly brings in new products and services in a variety of elements such as production, products, management, and logistics. Notable examples include yearly constructions and investments, as well as plans for a pool. Feedback provided by customers has been accepted. The co owner believes that the clientele is willing to pay more for local products and services that respect their sources and nature. 100% of earnings are reinvested locally.

8. Kantina Nurellari (Nuellarri Winery)

Nurellari Canteen is situated in Peshtan, Poliçan, and was established in 2006. It is the undertaking of a couple who had studied Agronomy and at the time had been made redundant. In 1997, they planted the first vineyard. In 2017, they obtained a significant grant from the Agriculture and Rural Development Agency of Albania and expanded the vineyard into an agrotourism in 2019. The founder views the business as a winery.

Nurellari Canteen offers 400m2 of built environment, 4 hectares of cultivated land and 800m2 recreational area. The nearest prominent natural attractions are the Osumi river (500m away) and the surrounding hills (1 km away). The closest natural monument is the Castle of Gradishta. Access to the establishment is convenient; it is only 1 km away from a national road. Apart from accessibility, its other advantages include a clean environment and a suitable climate. There are no territorial challenges affecting the development of the business.

In terms of services, the establishment offers accommodation (6 rooms), and a restaurant with a serving capacity of 13 tables (70 people). The average number of customers is 5 per week, of which 1 2 also use the accommodation services in the establishment’s accommodation. 50% of customers are foreigners (e.g. Polish, German, English, and French) and the rest Albanian (typically from Fieri, Vlora, Durrës, Tiranë, Përmet, and Skrapar).

The establishment collaborates with local businesses, especially for the preparation of traditional dishes for customers. These relations have been supportive since the beginning. The local community play an important role in the development of the business, helping with harvesting of grapes and sourcing employment, as 100% of the workers are locals, specifically from the Fushë Peshtan village (Peshtan field).

The establishment classifies itself as sustainable and community-focused. It produces its own products, specifically 300 hectoliters of wine, 2 hectoliters of oil, 50 kgs of jam and 50 kg of compote which are derived from vineyards and 200 olive roots. This production covers 30-40% of their needs. In terms of innovation, they rarely bring out new products, practices or services. However, when it does happen, they are predominantly in the production, produce and management levels (e.g. the irrigation and fertilization system).100% of earnings are reinvested in the area. In terms of sustainability, the business composts all organic waste, including from vineyards, and purifies contaminated water produced from its activity (septic tanks). This business is part of the Wine Canteen Association.

9. Rroshnik Guesthouse

Situated in the historical area of Roshnik (Berat), this establishment began as a canteen in 1993 1994 and expanded into a business at the recommendation of its wine testing clients. As such, a restaurant was opened and later a guesthouse, which includes 275 m2 of built environment, 5 6 hectares of cultivated land and 150 m2 recreational area. Its strongest natural attractions are the Gradishta hill, Rroshnik river (15 20 minutes away by car), Rroshnik lake (15 minutes away by foot), Tomorri mountain (30 40 minutes away by car), and the Mangalemi houses.

This establishment works throughout the year, however its busiest seasons are spring, summer and autumn. It has a hosting capacity of 8 rooms, and a serving capacity of 20 tables (50 70 persons). The average number of clients is 150 per week, of which 15 20 also use accommodation. 80% are foreigners (e.g. Dutch, German, Australian, and Irish) and the rest Albanian (mainly from Tirana, Fier, Lushnje, and Berat).

As for sustainability, this establishment produces its own food, which covers 60% of its needs. Some of the outputs are wine and raki, as well as vegetables and olive oil, which

will also be produced during 2020. In addition, this establishment recycles cans and composts all organic waste. 100% of earnings are reinvested locally.

The local community plays an important role in the development of the establishment by supporting it. 100 % of the employees are locals, specifically from Rroshnik. This business is not part of a specific group/union/tourism organisation, which would protect its interests or facilitate its interaction with similar businesses from the tourism sector.

10. Grand Albanik Farm

Grand Albanik Farm is located in Ballaban, Gjirokastër. It was founded five years ago in the owner’s childhood village, at a suitable distance between the Vjosa and Osumi river and along a historic road that connects the city of Këlcyra with Berati. The owners wanted to respond to the consumers’ need for nature based and recreational services and drew on their work and culinary experience in Tiranë and Elbasan to set up Grand Albanik Farm. The intention is to convert it in the future into a rural agrotourism/eco tourism location.

Grand Albanik Farm offers 300 400 m2 of cultivated land, 150 m2 of built environment and 9000 m2 of recreational area. The nearest prominent natural attractions are the Osumi and Vjosa river (17 km away) and Trebeshina Mountain. There are no cultural monuments close by. Access to the establishment is via an urban road and the nearest national road is 17 km away. This is considered as one of its territorial challenges along with the difficult territory and the presence of waste/trash/garbage, which is not regularly removed. The territorial advantages include a clean environment, suitable climate, the presence of numerous natural resources and several cultural activities which occur in the surrounding area, such as the wine festival in Përmet and the festival of the villages (Teqe festival).

This establishment works daily during May-October and functions only during weekends and on the basis of reservations between October May. The busiest periods are weekends during May October. The hosting capacity is 3 rooms, and serving capacity is 5-6 tables (up to 30 persons). The average number of customers is 100 per month, of which 50 are also accommodated. 90% of them are foreigners (e.g. French, German, Belgian, and Dutch) and the rest of 10% Albanian (usually from Tiranë, Gjirokastër, Vlorë, Fier, and Sarandë).

According to the onwer, the establishment collaborates with local businesses to purchase local ingredients/food (meat, vegetables) and to offer specialized services, such as alternative guesthouses and renting horses from the community. These relations were difficult to initiate but over time managed to increase the production capacity of the business.

The establishment classifies itself as innovative. sustainable and community focused. Regarding innovation, it regularly brings in new products and productions, as well as combining traditional and natural elements. In terms of sustainability, it produces 30% of its own food, all organic waste is composted and a geothermal well is used for energy efficiency. Concerning the community, 90% of its earnings are reinvested in the area. Feedback is regularly obtained from each customer. The owner thinks that clients are willing to pay more for local products and services that respect their sources and nature. This business is also part of the organizations ‘Visit Gjirokastra’, ‘Slow food Përmet’ and ‘ISO center’.

11. Zerja Agritourism

Zerja agritourism, situated along the Peshkopi-Tiranë segment, started in 2008 with the owner simply providing traditional food to customers. Growing demand, together financial support from the family, helped to expand the activity of the enterprise in the cultivation sector. In time, it developed into an agrotourism establishment and it now operates as such.

Zerja Agritourism contains 270 m2 of built environment, 2 hectares of cultivated land and 200 m2 of recreational space. The nearest prominent natural elements are the Drin river (7.7 km away), the Lake Ohrid (75 km away), the Adriatic sea (140 km away), the Korab Deshat mountain range (12 km away), the Begjunec Hill (5 km away), the National park of Lura (56 km away) and the Peshkopi spas (4 km away). The closest cultural monument is the Castle of Grezhani (10 km away).

Access is provided by the national road Peshkopi Tiranë, the urban road of the Peshkopi city, the rural road ‘Zonave e Ravnave/Ravnave area’ and by hiking through the Sherimi valley and Ilnica Mountain. Its hosting capacity is 8 rooms, and catering capacity is 15 tables (90 persons). The average number of clients per week is 500, per month 1500 and per year 20000, of which 500 use accommodation. 5% of the customer base are reportedly are foreigners (e.g. from Poland, the Czech Republic, North Macedonia, United States, Italy, and France) and the rest Albanian (mostly from Tirane, Durrës and Shkodra). In the owner’s view, customers visit because of the traditional products produced by artisanal methods (e.g. Jufka, tarhana, compost, and jam.), the traditional guesthouse and the food from Dibër.

The establishment collaborates with local businesses to purchase food and artisanal products, offering tour guides, a transport service and specialised services. This partnership has not had any issues and Zerja Agritourism also serves as a collection point of local farmers’ produce on the condition that their harvest is organic. For this reason, their role is crucial as the harvest directly affects the quality of products. 5 employees are locals, specifically from Melani, Tomini and Peshkopia.

This agrotourism classifies itself as a sustainable business, as it produces its own products (30000 units a year of Jufka, jam, raki, spices, and so on) which cover 75% of its needs. In addition, it recycles water bottles, reuses organic waste from animals in agriculture and 70% of its earnings are reinvested locally.

This business is not part of a specific group/union/tourism organisation, which would protect its interests or facilitate its interaction with similar businesses in the tourism sector.

In terms of innovation, new products, services and practices are rarely implemented. However, when they are, it is mainly in the form of new products or productions. A new element which was introduced was digital marketing, which helps the owner keep track of all feedback regarding the business.

12. Mrizi i Zanave

Mrizi I Zanave was founded in 2010 in Fishtë, Lezhë. The founders were keen on opening a business in their home country and focusing on what the respective area had to offer. Their foreign culinary experience played an instrumental role. The owner categorises the business as an agrotourism and the main challenges encountered in its development are poor road infrastructure and limited water and electricity supply.

Mrizi I zanave includes 454 m2 of built environment and 10 hectares of cultivated land. The nearest prominent natural element is the Adriatic Sea (25 km away) and the nearest cultural monument is the house of Gjergj Fishta (1 km away). Access is ensured by the national highway Lezhë Shkodër (7 km away) and a rural road.

This establishment works throughout the year, but its busiest period is June-September. In terms of hosting capacity, it offers 9 rooms which lodge 25 people, whereas in terms of catering capacity it offers 25 tables and a maximum capacity of 180 people. The average number of customers is 100 000 a year, of which 6 000 use accommodation. 50% of the clientele is foreign and the remaining is local.

Since the beginning, the business established a good relationship with the local community, which produces the majority of the food and artisanal products used by the business. With the growth of the establishment, the collaboration with the community has also matured. 100% of the employees are locals and specifically from Zadrima.

Mrizi i Zanave classifies itself as a community based business. Concerning sustainability, all organic waste is composted, organic waste from animals is reused in agriculture and the establishment produces its own products (such as wine, cheese, jam, and sausages), which cover 70% of their needs. Regarding innovation, they constantly present new products or changes in management, such as offering delivery services during the COVID 19 pandemic and increasing partnerships with local businesses to support them.

13. Shkreli Resort

This business was the idea of the manager's father, who wanted to turn an old governmental camp in the Qafështama National Park into a 4+ star hotel complex that functions all year round. In 2018, Shkreli Resort was established in Qafështamë, with a primary focus on accommodation and a restaurant with local cuisine. The closest prominent natural elements are the Bovilla lake (10 km away), the artificial lakes of Skenderbeg (3 km away), the Drojë Canyon (10 km away), the Red Mountain (2 km away), and the Skenderbeg Mountain (3 km away). In addition, the closest natural monument is The National Park of Qafështama.

The agritourism has a hosting capacity of 25 rooms (100 beds), a serving capacity of 33 tables, and it operates daily from May to December. Between January May, it only works during the weekend on the basis of reservations. A reported 300 people/day visit the agritourism during the period May December, of which 45% are foreign. In the manager’s view, people visit because of the numerous activities available in the area, the benefits of the National Qafështama Park (water rich in magnesium) and because they have an interest in this type of hotel structure and its area/territory.

This establishment collaborates with local businesses for the purchase of food/ingredients, offering tour guides and different cultural activities. This relation has grown yearly and is crucial for the activity of the business as all food products are provided by the locals and most clients visit to take advantage of the fresh produce.

The agrotourism classifies itself as innovative, sustainable and community-focused. In terms of innovation, it regularly brings in new elements, especially products and logistics (e.g. recreational activities were introduced in the Shkreli camp, including camping, survivor guides, sporting games, and sporting championships). Regarding sustainability, Shkreli resort produces its own vegetables and products from different fruit trees and these cover 30% of the business needs. In addition, organic waste is composted, animal waste is reused in agriculture, renewable energy resources (solar panels) are used and 90 95% of earnings are reinvested locally

14.

Nano Bio Food Agrotourism

Nano Bio Food Agritourism was established in 2014 in Daias, close to urban Tirana. This business was inspired by the owner’s passion for nature and the demand of the market for organic products. Its administrator categorises it as an Agrotourism. This establishment offers 1600m2 of built environment, 10000m2 of cultivated land and 5000m2 recreational area. The nearest prominent natural element is the Gurrë lake (10 minutes away) and there are no cultural or natural monuments nearby.

The hosting capacity of the establishment is 12 rooms, whereas the catering capacity is 100 tables, as well as a maximum and serving capacity of 400 people. 10% of the clients are foreigners, and the remaining clientele comes from Tirana.

The establishment does not collaborate with local businesses. However, the local community has played a role in the development of the business since 99% of its employees are locals, mostly from Daias, Sauk and Gurrë. The relationship of this agrotourism with its associates has been well maintained throughout the years.

This agrotourism classifies itself as a sustainable business as it produces its own produce (such as milk and its by products, fruits, olives, olive oil, and honey), which cover 100% of the restaurant’s needs. In addition, animal waste is also reused in agriculture and almost all earnings are reinvested locally.

This business is part of the Albanian Tourism Union.

15. Dini Guesthouse

Dini Guesthouse was established in Katund i Vjetër, Mirditë in 2019, and is categorised as an agrotourism. It was established when the owner noticed a rise in business activity in the area and decided to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant and guesthouse in his grandfather’s house.

The closest prominent natural elements are the Mat River, the Shkopet Lake (20 km away) and the hills and mountains surrounding the establishment; the Buna Velipoja protected landscape (76 km away), the Kunë Vain Tale Nature Park (38 km), the Ulza Regional Nature Park (31 km away), the Castle of Lezhë (32 km away) and the Church of Shëllbumi (4.9 km away). The guesthouse offers 428m2 of built environment and 3000 4000m2 of cultivated land.

The hosting capacity is 6 rooms and the catering capacity is up to 70 tables, depending on the season. The establishment collaborates well with local businesses for the purchase of food and ingredients. This partnership allows the establishment to cover its produce needs and there is an ongoing exchange of tourists and food among them. All employees are local and specifically from Mirdita.

This agrotourism classifies itself as a sustainable and community-based business. In terms of sustainability, it produces its own food (such as vegetables, fruits, meat, and milk byproducts, which cover 40% of its needs. In addition, animal waste is reused in agriculture and renewable energy is obtained from solar panels. As a community focused enterprise, 100% of its earnings are reinvested locally.

16. Xhebro Guesthouse

Xhebro Guesthouse, situated in Kurvelesh, Gjirorkaster, started as a diary farm in 2000, which thanks to a grant in 2018, developed into an agritourism.

The establishment offers 250m2 of built environment and 1.5 hectares of cultivated land. The nearest prominent natural elements are the Vjosa river, the Ionian Sea and the Këndrevica Mountain. Some nearby cultural and natural monuments are the Ali Pasha’s Castle (159 km away), Himara Castle (169 km away), Kuzum Baba Shrine (137 km away), Nivica Canyon (6.8 km away), Peshtura Waterfall (18 km away), Cold Water in Tepelenë (45 km away) and Vjosë Nartë protected landscape.

The hosting capacity of the agritourism is 6 rooms, and its catering capacity in the restaurant is 6 tables. Xhebro Guesthouse works throughout the year but its busiest seasons are in summer and autumn This agrotourism classifies itself as a sustainable business, as it produces its own products (such as dairy products, seasonal fruits and vegetables) in addition to reusing animal waste in agriculture and producing renewable energy from solar panels. Concerning innovation, new elements are rarely implemented.

There is no direct collaboration between this agrotourism and local businesses, except for some instances when dairy is purchased from the locals, to be further processed into

by products. Yet, some form of collaboration/networking is conducted through ‘Visit Gjirokastra’, a Destination Management Organisation operating in Gjirokastër. All the employees are locals from Tepelena.

This business is a member of the ‘Visit Gjirokastra’ platform.

17. Tomadhe Guesthouse

Tomadhe Guesthouse was established in 2018 in Shëngjergj, a mountainous area close to Tirana. The idea for this business emerged when Shëngjergj became one of the 100 touristic villages.

Tomadhe Guesthouse includes 2000m2 of built environment and 1300m2 recreational area. The nearest prominent natural elements are the Erzeni River, the Lepuri lake (4.8 km away), and the Dajti Mountain. The hosting capacity of the establishment is 7 rooms and a catering capacity of up to 14 persons. It works throughout the year, and the influx of visitors remains roughly the same over time, app. 130 guests/month. 80% of visitors are foreigners (e.g. from the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Poland) and the rest Albanian (usually from Tirana).

The local community has been very welcoming towards this business and local businesses help to provide ingredients and food. All employees are local and specifically from Shëngjergji.

This guesthouse classifies itself as sustainable and focused on the community. Yet, it does not consider itself as environmental. It does not produce its own food but regularly introduces new business elements, mainly in the form of management and logistics

18. Sotira Farm

Sotira Farm, situated in Leskovik, Korçë, began as a fish farm in 1997 but high customer demand led to the establishment of a restaurant, guesthouse and camping site. Sotira Farm includes 2 hectares of cultivated land and 20 hectares of a recreational environment. The nearest prominent natural elements are the Radani Lake (3.6 km away), the Sheleguri Lake (8.1 km away), the Dangëllisë Highland and the surrounding hills. The closest natural monuments include the Karst Cave of Podë (7.5 km away), the Shelegur Gërmenj Reservoir (8.4 km away), the Piskal Shqeri Forest (16.8 km away), the Langarica Canyon (71 km away), the Leskovik Maple (15.9 km away), and the Sarandopori Spas (28.3 km away). The nearest cultural monument is the Castle of Gradec (33.3 km away).

The hosting capacity is 27 beds organised into 9 vacation ‘homes’ (bungalows), and the serving capacity is 10 tables. This establishment works throughout the year, but its busiest season is in the summer. Most clients do not regularly stay in the accommodation structures, but during summer almost all vacation homes are rented out. Before COVID 19, almost 70% of the customers were foreigners (e.g. from Germany, The Netherlands, France, Italy, and Greece.) and the rest Albanian (usually from Korça, Tirana, and Gjirokastra). In the owner’s view, people visit this establishment to enjoy its unique surrounding nature, the quietness of the area and the food.

Local businesses initially viewed this establishment as competition, given the services it offered. However, after some time, they began to exchange tourists with each other. This allowed this relationship to better.

The local community plays an important role in the business development, as they provide some food products that Sotira Farm uses. In addition, two employees are from the area and specifically from Korça, Tirana and Çarçova.

This establishment classifies itself as sustainable as it produces 100% of its own food products, such as wine, raki, jam, dairy products, meat, and vegetables. In addition, it

uses organic waste from animals in farming, composts all other organic waste, recycles, and reinvests 100% of its earnings locally.

This business is part of the Agrotourism Association.

19. Hupi Tower

Hupi Tower was founded in 2016 in a 200 year old tower in rural Bulqizë as the owner’s grandfather wanted to use the land they owned in the area. Hupi Tower includes 200m2 of built environment and 7000 m2 of cultivated land. The nearest prominent natural elements are the Black Drin River (5 km away), the Lakes of Kanisë (84.1 km away), the Lake of Sopa (33.2 km away), the Black Lake (17.6 km away), the White Mountain (2 km away) and the Korabi Mountain (35 km away). Some nearby natural monuments are the Luzni Bulaç Nature Preserve (53 km away), the Ulza Regional Nature Park (72 km away) and the protected landscape of the Mountain with holes Bizë Martanesh (67.8 km).

Its hosting and serving capacity is 4 rooms (15 beds). The average number of customers is 400 per year, of which 30% of the clients are foreigners (e.g. German, Swiss and English), and the rest coming from Tirana.

Initially, the local businesses were unsupportive, but that changed once tourists started to visit. The establishment now cooperates with the local community for the purchase of ingredients and food. The establishment classifies itself as sustainable as it produces its own products (such as dairy products, meats, eggs, raki, and jams), which cover 70% of its needs. In addition, it reuses animal waste in agriculture.

20. Sofra Kolonjare

Sofra Kolonjare was established in 2011 in Ersekë, Korçë. The owner decided to set up the establishment in response to tourism demand for this area and given the lack of an agrotourism business in the area. This establishment contains 480m2 of built environment, 3 hectares of cultivated land and 0.5 hectares of a recreational area. The nearest prominent natural elements are the Mollasi Reservoir (800 m away) and the surrounding hills. Some nearby natural monuments include the Fir of Hotova National Park (145 km away), the Tomorri Mountain National Park (137 km away), the Nikolica Protected Landscape (45.1 km away) and the Piskal Sheqeri Protected Area (35.5 km away). A close by cultural monument is Kamenica Tumulus (12.2 km away).

In terms of hosting capacity, it offers 7 rooms (21 beds) and in terms of catering capacity it offers between 10 45 tables depending on the season. The busiest season is summer with as many as 400 daily customers. Sofra Kolonjare collaborates with local businesses to purchase ingredients and to offer tour guides to visitors. In the beginning, this relationship was difficult but it improved over time.

This establishment classifies itself as sustainable as it produces its own food products (such as vegetables, fruits and dairy) which covers 70% of its needs. In addition, it reuses organic waste from animals in agriculture and 60% of its earnings are reinvested locally. Regarding innovation, the administrator reports that they rarely bring in new elements. When they do, it is mainly new recipes and activities for clients.

21. ‘Xhufka’ Tavern

Xhufka Tavern was established in Boboshticë, Korçë in 1993. The owner opened this establishment in 1993 because he wanted to move to his grandfather’s village. It was built on family land and some additional purchased land.

‘Xhufka’ Tavern offers 500m2 of built environment, 2 hectares of cultivated land and 2 hectares of recreational area. Some prominent natural elements are the Morava

Mountain Range, the surrounding hills and the nearby water sources. Some of the surrounding natural monuments include the Fir of Drenova National Park (10 km away), the Black Pines (Borigat 6.2 km away), the National Park of Bozdovec (13 km away) and the Mulberries of Drenova (6.1 km away). A cultural monument is Kamenica Tumulus (6.3 km away).

The hosting capacity of the establishment is 22 rooms, and its catering capacity is 15 tables. It collaborates with local businesses to purchase local ingredients and food. This relationship has always been good. This business produces 90% of the products it uses and obtains the rest from local businesses. The local collaborators were affected by COVID-19 because of overproduction, movement restrictions and lack of capital.

22. Shelegur Farm

Shelegur Farm is situated in Leskovik, and it was established in 2019 driven by the touristic potential the area has to offer.

It offers 400 600 m2 of built environment and 8ha of cultivated land. The nearest prominent natural elements are the Sheleguri Lake (600 m away) and the Dangëllia Highland. Some close by natural monuments include the Karst Cave of Podë (7.5 km away), the Shelegur Gërmenj Reservoir (8.4 km away) and the Piskal Sheqeri Forest (16.8 km away). Cultural monuments are the Castle of Gradec (33.3 km away).

The hosting capacity of the establishment is 8 rooms, and the catering capacity of the restaurant is 12 tables with a maximum capacity of 100 customers. The farm is open throughout the year, and received an average of 40 50 customers/month, of which 30% are foreign.

This establishment classifies itself as sustainable, as it produces its own products (such as honey, milk, cheese, vegetables, and fruits), which cover 100 % of its needs. 100% of its earnings are reinvested locally. In addition, organic waste from animals is reused in agriculture and energy is produced via renewable sources.

Reflections

Based on the observation and in depth interviewing process of a sample of 22 agritourism entities some key conclusions can be drawn: 100% of the sampled establishments are situated in rural areas, as part of, or very close to local communities. In almost all cases, the relationship with the community had been challenging to start with. Given that the interviewing process only focused on the establishments and did not consider the views of the local community, it is not possible to cross check or examine in detail the nature of challenges. Based on the responses, such challenges may range from a non welcoming attitude to initial refusal to sell local produce to the newly established business.

App. 50% of the interviewed agritourism businesses relate basic11 ‘self sufficiency’ to the scale of relation they develop with the local community (or lack of); they state that they are able to sustain themselves through own produce (primarily vegetables, fruit, dairy, and meat produce), and as a result there is no need to cooperate with the locals. Employment of the locals is also viewed as a form of cooperation with the locals, in app. 40% of the cases.

- In 4 instances, 18% of the interviewees, the concept of cooperation goes beyond employment and purchase of food related products, including additional services that enrich the tourist experience, such as: cooperation with local tour guides, cooperation with local artisans, cooperation with other similar businesses by 11 Basic referring to a limited range of products required to produce food.

referring guests, and cooperation in case of leisure or sports related services such as: horse riding.

Cooperation with local institutions (i.e. municipality) results in minimal levels. 6 of the 22 interviewed establishments (27%) reported being members or affiliated to a representative entity i.e. a union, association, or DMO. The low rate could be related to a number of factors:

o The majority of these establishments are new, having been established in the past 3 4 years or less;

o In most cases, these are family run businesses, having received no particular training on the management aspects of such an enterprise;

o Similarly, by and large, the founders have no prior academic or professional qualifications related to aspects of tourism, management, economics, environment, etc., meaning that they will have to rely on ‘learning on the job’.

o Issues of effectiveness and impact related to membership in such organisations could also be a factor, but cannot be sustained by the findings of this research.

- App. 90% of the interviewees report lack of qualified staff as a challenge, and only in 2 instances they made reference to staff qualification trainings. All establishments have been set up in close proximity to natural and/or cultural monuments, but only a small percentage integrate this in their touristic offer through guided tours, i.e. Farma Sotira (Ersekë), or additional services/experiences, except for accommodation and food.

- 100% of the establishments state they are sustainable enterprises, relating it to:

o Self sustenance in terms of food produce;

o Particular environmental practices, i.e. composting, energy efficiency, and water treatment.

Inter related sustainability aspects such as social, and economic, or more elaborate environmental aspects were not observed or encountered in the responses of the interviewees. This could be an indication for a limited understanding of sustainability and ways it can be applied within a tourism context.

From a territorial perspective, the distribution of these entities is uneven; the northern and southern poles have very low or no presence of such entities, as shown in the map below. These two particular areas are characterised by low population density, low access and connectivity to surrounding urban areas, and a relatively high distance from medium and big size urban areas. What is interesting to note is that these areas have a high number of natural monuments and cultural monuments in their territory as shown by the maps By and large, the greatest number of agritourism enterprises gravitate towards medium sized and big urban centers. This could be interpreted in numerous ways:

o The link to a specific place is not as strong, meaning the decision to have an agritourism enterprise is driven more by practicality and economic sense than values and principles concerned with sustainability.

o The necessary resources and experience are often found in the proximity of urban centers which is where most economic activity takes place.

o The high number of tourists visiting big urban centers and the western part of Albania (primarily because of the beach), could be seen as potential demand for this type of business. Close proximity to the urban centers could be understood as higher chances to be integrated in their travel programs.

o Building in remote areas can result more expensive.

o The western part of Albania has benefited more from the promotion of attractions and services, and because of a ‘mass tourism’ approach adopted, its promotion has happened at a faster pace. Other parts of Albania have been slower to follow suit, also because such type of tourism

does generate smaller traffic demand and volume in comparison to mass tourism.

Figure 36 Territorial distribution of the agritourism entities in the northern and southern parts of Albania.

Figure 37 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to monuments of nature, emerald network, and protected areas.

Figure 38 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to urban areas.

Figure 39 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to infrastructural network.

Figure 40 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to hydrographic system.

Figure 41 Territorial distribution of the agritourism establishments in relation to water bodies.

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions and Recommendations

The aim of this research was to investigate how a place based approach can help advance sustainable tourism development. The research question at the centre of this scientific research is: In the face of an increasing need for sustainability practices in tourism, how does a place based approach help advance sustainable tourism development? The hypothesis posed is that ‘a place based approach adopted in the process of tourism planning and tourism development helps advance sustainability principles (social, economic, and environmental).

During the scientific research process, the concept of place based tourism development was analysed, arguing that it is essential to the development of sustainable tourism practices.

First, the research provided a thorough literature review examining important theoretical concepts such as geography, place and sustainability and their interconnectedness within a tourism development context. The literature review focused on important tourism development centric concepts such as ‘place, placelessness and non places’ examining elements that help shape sustainable tourism development practices. The investigation into the theoretical foundations, was followed by: A detailed insight into the state of play of the tourism sector in Albania, specifically focusing on the governance aspects;

A multifaceted analysis of tourism development practices in the country both from an offer and demand perspective through the application of numerous research methods including: Importance Performance Analysis, semi structured interviews, field observations, and content analysis of the municipal development strategies.

Based on the analysis of all data gathered, a number of conclusions and recommendations have been produced. It is the resolution of this research work to

contribute with recommendations on place based sustainable tourism development on a scientific and policy level. The findings have been thematically grouped.

In the case of Albania, tourism constitutes a development priority on a national level, primarily seen from the economic perspective. Other aspects to tourism development particularly those directly concerned with territory are understudied. This scientific research is concerned with tourism and place.

Tourism and Place tourism and place are directly related and impact one another significantly. Tourism is generated by attracting attention to a particular place. In return, the place following the pressure to respond to such tourism demand, and in the process of developing tourism offer, is impacted by undergoing transformation processes. In Albania, this relationship has had a clear, transformative effect on the territory, because of the pressure generated by mass tourism practices over the past 30 years. This is especially notable along the coast, on the western part of the country, and further inland where tourist attraction has been higher and central and local government management of tourism development lower. Such transformations of the territory have highlighted the lack of an established governance framework of the tourism sector, particularly with regard to how resources are managed, and how sustainable practices are. The current policy and legislative framework, although oriented towards sustainable development practices - the strategy, several DCMs i.e. DCM no. 730, dated 20.10.2016 do not resonate with development strategies on a local level, and with current development practices. The majority of touristic activity gravitates towards the coast, featuring mass tourism elements (large numbers, primarily service/consumption based, limited expenditure, limited local exposure.

As a result, vast segments along the coastline have been urbanised, featuring limited use of local elements and local actors. Examples such as the coastal city of Durrës, illustrate the impact tourism has had on ‘place’, and how ‘unsustainable’ touristic activity can be.

Place as a concept, central and fundamental as it is in any person’s life, constitutes an understudied concept, especially when it comes to how place relates to important activities such as tourism is, in view of rapidly evolving realities, be it environmental, social, cultural, economic, etc. Place and tourism have an interesting relationship. They affect one another to a great extent. Tourism as we know it today, cannot happen without place: the occurrence of tourism as an activity is almost at all times related to some place. Research has yet to agree on what constitutes a widely accepted definition of ‘place’, nonetheless, in Albania a country that has been undergoing very rapid transformative processes (e.g. urbanization), this discourse needs to assume pace. By expanding our understanding of ‘place’, and our ability to describe it and relate it to other concept and disciplines, we can increase the chances of adopting place based approaches in the policies we design.

Evidence points to a need for place-based sustainable tourism development. With millions of people travelling throughout the year (to Albania), the transformative impact of tourism on the territory has become increasingly obvious and tangible, especially in places and among communities that are directly or indirectly engaged in the shaping and provision of the touristic offer (e.g. the coastline). The territories subjected to (mass) touristic demand manifest a number of concerns including territorial/environmental, cultural, and social to mention a few. As a result, tourism development should be thought of and planned to ‘take full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities’ (What is sustainable tourism?, n.d.).

Tourism and Spatial Planning

Territory stands at the core of the interdependent relationship between spatial planning and tourism. Tourism has a clear and indisputable connection to ‘territory’. The factors that drive interest in tourism almost always involve travelling to an ‘intended territory’. The value chain that supports the entire tourism activity often involves numerous territories, as does the destination. In addition, the overtime impact of continuous tourism is also manifested in the territory, through the various effects that increasing pressure and consumption generate. Consequently, place based sustainable tourism development discourse has an inevitable territorial dimension.

From the analyses of the Municipal Territorial Development Strategies for 51 municipalities in Albania who have had these documents approved and endorsed, it emerges that tourism is not considered as an object of urban planning, but rather as an economic activity. Lack of focus on the territorial dimension of tourism has accentuated the application of unsustainable practices.

Tourism and the territory

- Tourism is here to stay Given the scope and magnitude of tourism as a crosssectoral phenomenon, one can safely assume tourism status is being elevated into an accepted, integral part of reality. As such it deserves increased research attention in ways especially in countries as Albania is, where its rapid development has not been anticipated by planning, and its current occurrence is being primarily treated solely from an economic perspective. Examples of over-tourism from neighboring regional countries or European destinations, provide sufficient evidence, as is the case of Dubrovnik (Croatia) or Amsterdam (Netherlands), to highlight the importance of adopting sustainability principles in the process of planning, managing, and monitoring the development of the tourism sector. Albania can learn from such cases, and work on preparing its governance capacities to manage the growing tourism trajectory in line with sustainability principles.

Tourism governance: towards sustainable tourism beyond semantics. Albania as a ‘tourist destination’ is a positively evolving reality, as growth trends have shown over the years. The current picture of the sector does not, however, portray an accurate depiction of the sector’s ambition to develop in a sustainable way, and what the future projections may be for a number of reasons detailed below. For a number of reasons, including short term strategies, and conflicting priorities, tourism in Albania has not been viewed and planned as part of mid and long term development priorities and visions. Hence the majority of tourism development in Albania has developed on an ad hoc basis, lacking substantially in sustainability elements and processes. The majority of touristic activity in Albania classifies as mass tourism gravitating along the coast and big urban centers, with few examples of place based initiatives, primarily situated inland. The policy and legislative frameworks governing the sector, including at least four draft strategies and two laws the Law No. 9734 ‘On Tourism’ 2007 and law no. 93/2015 ‘On Tourism’, have been inconclusive and ranged between drafts and discontinued implementations. The last approved, currently applicable strategy for the sustainable development of tourism in Albania, although a long-awaited document, does not provide an evidence informed, thorough, and inclusive strategy for orienting both domestic and international tourism. Domestic tourism, which the strategy does not address, makes up an important tourism contribution because of its year round seasonality and continuous demand. Equally important, the current strategy does not explain what is meant by sustainable tourism development. Most objectives, measures, and expected economic outputs relate to massive tourism, focused on the already crowded and depleted areas, such as the coast. The strategy does not create the necessary preconditions for addressing the challenges of the sector in a sustainable tourism development discourse. There are no objectives focusing on existing challenges in the sector or interrelated sectors such as energy, water management, waste management, forest management, protected areas, economy/informality, public services, and infrastructure. This, in

turn, leads to conflicting development interests (for example: should it be nature tourism or energy production), moral hazards, and opportunistic behavior. Statistics on the sector, while issued from official sources and responsible institutions, are inconsistent and present major differences, making it challenging to measure, plan and monitor the sector. To date, there is no clear methodology for the collection and processing of statistical information related to the sector. This leads to questions about the accuracy of all analyses, plans, and strategies of the sector and all inter related sectors, and impedes the ability to assess the actual contribution of the sector to the economy. An additional layer of challenge adding to the data problem is the fact that, authorities (and media) oftentimes use concepts interchangeably, as is: ‘tourist instead of visitor’, ‘tourists instead of arrivals’ or ‘sustainable instead of rural’. This constitutes again, a problem in terms of managing and planning for the sector, as 5.9 million arrivals do not necessarily translate into 5.9 million tourists, and ‘x’ number of visitors are not tourists for as long as they do not stay overnight in the country of destination. Inaccuracy in the language used to measure and report on the phenomenon, affects the picture of ‘expected profits from the sector’ one easy example being: no revenue from hotels in the case of visitors, for as long as they do not stay overnight.

On (sustainable) tourism planning on a national and local level

- Overtime, the mandate of each strategy has been reduced by more than four times, shifting more towards plans or very short-term strategies. The first tourism strategy approved in 1993 was designed to cover a timespan of 17 years, the second for 10 years, the third and fourth for barely 6 years, and the latest two have a three to fouryear mandate. Each new strategy has been unveiled halfway through the previous one's term in office, sometimes concurrently with the installation of a new administration. This demonstrates the lack of a defined strategy and framework for economic growth and the potential contribution of tourism.

Tourism planning offers limited projections usually extending over a three to four year period. The sector is dynamic and projections ought to address that. Starting anew with every newly assigned minister, ministry, or government limits the sector’s ability to plan for the mid term and long term, resulting in sector strategies based on short sighted visions and action plans.

Institutional efforts and processes within and between the central and local level are not coordinated. Conflicting interests and development priorities, as in the case of Albania’s energy sector, have a direct, counter productive impact on the development of the tourism. Mushrooming HPPs in protected areas and national parks, by definition, do not and should not fall within the sustainable tourism promise. Municipalities do not and often cannot tap into their own touristic resources due to low financial capacities (limited capacities to invest); limited or no qualified human resources; high degrees of informality; no actual strategy or plan for the sector; conflicting development priorities; and no enabling instruments or incentive schemes to support and encourage local business operating in the sector. A good part of the municipalities in Albania are endowed with rich cultural heritage and abundant natural resources, strengths from a planning perspective, yet not tapped into for the opportunities they represent. From the content analysis of the municipal strategies for territorial development with a focus on tourism development, it emerges that the vision, objectives, and priority projects of a given municipality do not always build on the strengths and opportunities the territory represents in terms of tourism development perspective. Whether this constitutes a failure on a planning level, or a reflection of how planning authorities view tourism as ‘a separate line of activity primarily related to economy’ detached from territorial, environmental or social considerations, it is not possible to establish.

Given the governance challenges of the sector, most tourism development (i.e. infrastructure, services, etc.) happens locally driven by the private sector agenda. The geographic distribution of the agritourism entities, oftentimes far from natural and cultural resources, and areas that could benefit from a newly introduced local

economic activity, clearly manifests that such choices are not oriented or guided by a bigger, well planned and across the sector coordinated vision/plan.

Tourism Demand and Place based development

About education and sustainability: There is a correlation between level of education and awareness of sustainability. ‘The right information and education can change people’s values and behaviours, encouraging them to adopt more sustainable lifestyles’. (Takemoto, 2011). Sustainability requires these changes to take place on a societal level in order for the environmental and economic pillars to stand. Based on a research by the leading online news platform Skift, ‘83% of global travellers think sustainable travel is vital’ (Bañon Gomis et al., 2011). The majority of tourists surveyed (38% of the overall total) reported ‘hotels’ as an accommodation choice. This statistic is useful in profiling tourists, and in rethinking ‘hotel’ as a concept within place based tourism development. Hotels are a major contributor to the spread of placelessness as a phenomenon, because of the (a) space they occupy, (b) impact they can have on the landscape, (c) standardisation that characterises them; (d) excessive use of non place elements (all the various designated physical or conceptual spaces along the trajectory of a tourist including signs), and (e) impact they have on territory, and use of resources. Given the popularity and territorial coverage, hotels constitute a significant factor in the development of place-based practices. This may require a shift from the existing practices. ‘Hotels specifically rely on much of the same natural environment that travellers want to visit and consume’ (Bañon Gomis et al., 2011) This contradiction can be addressed by adopting a place-based approach. The construction of new tourism facilities and infrastructure, often a transformative process for the territory, can shift to adopt place based development principles. This shift in the offer of such service, chances are, will be well-received by the tourism demand.

Choice of destination and place based tourism development practices.

- Based on the results received from the survey, the highest percentage of surveyed tourists planned on visiting the coast 27.4%. Increased promotion and demand for services in the coastal part of Albania, has lead to rapid urbanization of the areas (primarily construction of accommodation and restaurant structures), as demonstrated in the map below:

Development has been fast, and the footprint significant. Based on the observation of numerous destinations along the coast, including Shëngjin, Durrës, Vlorë, Sarandë, by and large, development does not appear to incorporate elements that reflect the place identity, authenticity, and local cultural, social or natural capital that that particular territory embodies.

The connection to the territory is so weak, that these facilities could be situated anywhere in the country. Absence of place based elements make it difficult to pinpoint them geographically, and as a result, make it difficult to preserve such place based elements and promote their use in the future. Such choice has sustainability implications also, for in the process, excessive amounts of territory and resources are used, with minimal considerations on the impact, natural restoration processes.

Figure 42 Development pressure on the coast of Albania.

Figure 43 Typology of developments along the coast of Albania, in order of appearance in Shëngjin, Durrës, Ksamil and Vlorë.

‘Presence of greenery’, ‘clear feel of a place’, ‘landscape maintenance at destination’, ‘hospitality’, ‘artistic and cultural heritage at the destination’ are perceived as important by tourists, and based on the IPA findings, it would appear that there is a clear correlation between perceived importance and performance of such variables, Yet, when it comes to sustainability principles, awareness is low and perception on importance or performance do not correlate, one such example being ‘Use of high energy efficiency elements’ and ‘Recycling practices or other practices’ showing no linear relationship between importance and performance’.

Low awareness on what ‘place based’ development means, or sustainability principles, is also manifested in the lack of correlation between perceived importance and performance of ‘Service by locally employed staff’. People often associate sustainability to environmental considerations, oblivious to the social and economic aspects, such as ‘Service by locally employed staff’ is. The correlation between perceived importance and performance of ‘variety of tourism activities available at destination’ is high, indicating opportunities for local communities to engage in activities that can be offered in that particular territory, and the cultural, social and natural capital it has to offer.

- ‘Provision of local food and drinks at destination’, as well as ‘use of local produce’ also manifest a high correlation, implying that the ‘local’ origin is important to tourists. From a local community perspective, this implies opportunities of engagement in local value chains of tourism, which not only add to the expected ‘clear feel of place’, and locally rooted experience of tourism, but also, economic sustainability for the local community.

The lowest valued variable for perceived importance is ‘Use of local materials, such as local stone, wood, etc’. This could be interpreted in numerous way. It could suggest a comparatively low appreciation for elements that are fundamental in preserving the identity and authenticity of a place or thesustainable use of resources. Alternatively, it could indicate (ii) yet to be shaped place based tourism offer that valorises elements of the ‘local’ and works on preserving tradition. Finally, it could highlight the predominance of mass tourism trends that are primarily focused on consumption of services, rather than on experiencing the value conveyed through sustainable tourism choices. The latter is also reinforced by a number of variables ranking comparatively high on the ‘importance’ score, such as: affordability of destination and local food and drinks offered at destination. Conversely, other

variables linked to ‘local community’, ‘local resources’, ‘environmental protection considerations’, and ‘local economic development prospects’, receive medium to low ‘perceived importance’ from the respondents. These particular variables are supportive of sustainable, place based tourism development principles.

Tourism offer and place based sustainable tourism development Sustainable development literacy among the tourism service providers: Tourism stakeholders, or businesses with a focus on service provision in tourism are part of the of tourism offer. As such, their understanding of the tourism development process, and sustainable approaches such as place based tourism development, is crucial in the reflection of such principles in practice.

From the survey, it results that this community, despite the limitations in terms of sample size, is more in tune with and aware of the sustainable tourism development discourse. Correlations between numerous variables related to sustainable tourism constituting a priority for Albania, a need for both national and local strategies, and need for alignment of business strategies to the national strategy, all support this finding. Afterall, businesses operate locally, and as such, translation of national priorities onto a more accessible local level, is crucial. The reasons to such ‘advancement’ when it comes to the tourism offer as opposed to the tourism demand, are several:

o Service providers are more exposed to stakeholder and institutional views and dynamics. As such propensity to absorb such knowledge, information and eventual urge to act on it, is higher.

o The business community may have explored/ may have been exposed to the benefits associated to sustainability, i.e. economic, social and environmental aspects. A point in case is the use of higher energy efficiency, which is of interest from a business perspective in so far as it can result in reduced consumption. Likewise, use of locally sourced ingredients and produce can mean fewer/less costs related to transportation, import, processing, and so on.

- Through practice, the business community are starting to understand and apply various aspects of sustainable tourism development practices. Short of an accurate estimation of the extent to which the business community is exposed to and familiarised with principles of sustainable development, the perceived importance associated seems reasonable. Less clear is the reason behind the familiarity element, which could range from ‘business pragmatism’ to ‘shared values with the sustainability principles’. Whether driven by awareness or practical business sense, it is not clear. Yet, in the case of the service providers, as a constituent part of the offer, it results that, there is a high correlation between importance of ‘the business vision being in line with the principles of sustainable development’ and that business ‘Offering unique experiences that differ from other places.’ This finding is particularly useful to this research, as it shows sustainability links to place based tourism development, in the sense of identity, authenticity, and the unique elements of a place. The artistic, cultural, natural, and historical elements in a ‘given place’ as well as spiritual heritage, or strong natural elements present in the territory serve not only to shape the identity of a place but also that of a business. The ability to explore these elements, understand them, and combine them, can help a business craft unique touristic experiences and firmly root/anchor them in that place. This integration with the place, and what is local, contributes to the creation of a place specific, non generic, and at best authentic touristic offer. Afterall, as Hughes (1995, p. 781) points out, ‘the issue of authenticity runs, like an obligato, through tourism studies.’ Whether staged or impervious to outside influences, the concept of authenticity is used to mean ‘principal, genuine’ and ‘made or done in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original.’12

Tourism service providers, whether driven by tourism demand, or business costs and business practicality, appear to perceive the importance of local products and the need to be rooted in the local supplier network/market. Cooperation with local producers in the long term for the provision of locally produced foods/ingredients/produce, leads to the establishment and consolidation of lasting local value chains a defining characteristic when it comes to the social and economic aspects of sustainability, such as increased employment opportunities, increased revenues, and greater local ownership.

Prioritizing of local products and local producers makes also more environmental, and business resilience sense. It contributes to smaller footprint, lower pollution, greater control in terms of business specific specifications, and greater adaptability to changing circumstances.

For prioritizing of local producers to be sustainable, once shaped into ‘offer’ these local products will have to be understood, appreciated, promoted and purchased by the tourism ‘demand’, which is where, an important element, such as ‘staff/ personnel’ come into the picture. Correlation between ‘familiarity of business staff with some of the sustainable development practices’ and ‘Continuous training of employees’ exists and is significant. It highlights the important link between education and sustainable practices. Continuous investment in building capacities and skills of local staff constitutes an investment in the local community, which impacts not only the quality level of service delivery but also the relationship with the community to which staff members belong. Continuous training serves well the business and, it serves not only as a type of remuneration for the local staff but also as a means to foster a greater sense of local ownership. From the surveyed community, it results that the business community understand the importance of having systems in place, as well as certified and qualified staff, an interesting correlation.

- Whether it is through structured knowhow and awareness, or by means of rational thinking and deduction, the business community of tourism service providers understand that:

o It is important to preserve the integrity of the cultural and archaeological heritage in the surrounding area of where the business is located, for the business to ‘enjoy’ the benefits of being in close proximity to rich cultural and historical parts of the area. This is an interesting find in the place based tourism development discourse, for it ‘anchors’ the existence of the entity with the ‘local cultural and natural heritage’ of that particular place. This finding shows that respondents associate these attributes to (sustainable) tourism when planning the location of their business.

o Authenticity of the service or product provided is related to the presence of strong natural elements such as mountains, rivers, sea, lake, etc. in the city / village / area where the business is located. This could imply that service providers rely on the locally present elements in terms of identity, and locally available resources in terms of content to develop and promote their services and products.

o ‘New tourist products / services to respect environmental and cultural norms’ is correlated to ‘Green business strategies’. This could imply a need to rethink current modus operandi in terms of services and products in offer, and opportunities to designate new services and products in line with environmentally friendly considerations.

The highest valued variable for perceived importance is ‘Tourism an important engine driving economic development in Albania’ followed ‘Sustainable tourism as a development priority for Albania’. This result shows that respondents perceive the tourism as a national priority, which could be linked to businesses having ‘received’ the signal from the central government that tourism is crucial to the economy. The respondents also understand the importance of the business development vision, and of the central government and local level to project it by means of a strategy for development of sustainable tourism in the country. Respondents identified as least important the ‘Familiarity with the content of the strategy’, which could imply that:

o Businesses rely more on the overall climate and spoken rhetoric used by the government;

o Businesses perceive written documents as ‘disconnected’ from what actually happens in reality (an indicator for low trust);

o Business are not familiar with evidence based policy influence practices, particularly that of ‘holding authorities accountable’.

The second last ranks ‘Networks of tourism service providers and collaborations between them to increase efficiency and sustainable development ‘, which suggests that respondents grant low importance to networking and choose to operate individually. Respondents appear to place low importance also on ‘Familiarity with the sustainable development principles’, implying that knowledge of sustainability is limited and disconnected from the tourism development process, or the national strategy on sustainable tourism development.

Respondents manifest (i) an ‘individual approach’ to business management, (ii) limited knowledge of ‘sustainability’ principles, and (iii) limited interaction with local authorities and participation in ongoing local processes. Limited interaction/cooperation is also seen in the poorly ranking of attributes that relate to cooperation on a local level, such as ‘Use / support of local guides’, ‘Developing sustainable relationships between business and local suppliers’, and ‘Prioritizing local suppliers’.

Recommendations

This list of recommendations is not exhaustive and can still benefit from more in depth analyses on the sector. Nonetheless, it constitutes a starting point and food for thought for policymakers:

Tourism as an economic and social activity creates impacts that must be taken into consideration in the planning process and especially in land use, in land management and in the identification and addressing and mitigation of environmental impacts.

On a practical level, territorial plans (including Municipal Territorial Development Strategies at any level, should express and create territorial policies and proposals for areas with tourist amenities or areas with natural resources that are endangered by tourist activities, especially mass tourism. The object of planning is sustainable development. In the efforts to formulate sustainable tourism models, not simply as an economic activity but as a geographic/territorial and social interaction, territorial planning should play a role both through the analysis of interventions and impacts, and through the integration of tourism as a sector with other sectors operating in the territory.

If Albania is adamant about its tourism ambitions and willing to turn it into a key driver for economic development, actions to improve the governance of the sector are required on numerous levels.

o First, it is important that the tourism governance process is realistic and acknowledges that the increasing tourism figures have not translated into actual growth (contribution to the gross value added). The tourism development narrative in Albania needs to be amended along with the ways that success and progress in the sector are measured.

o In addition, sustainable tourism development needs to be planned for the long term instead of being tied to a single governing mandate. This would avoid situations in which strategies are discontinued because of changes in governments or ministers (even within the same governing mandate).

o Governance efforts should also focus on preventing conflicting development priorities, as in the case of energy vs. tourism; planning, managing, and promoting tourism not only by foreign visitors, but also resident visitors; and preparing evidence informed action plans and monitoring measures in coordination with the affected sectors and implemented with immediate effect.

Strategies on a national and local level ought to be broken down into action plans and similar initiatives, and transmitted to local actors. This process should be accompanied by continuous investment in building capacities and skills of local entrepreneurs, local staff and local communities. Education on the topics of sustainability principles and practices can help positively curb the understanding and application of such practices.

- The topic of tourism, and aspects such as place-based sustainable tourism, are understudied and additional research is needed.

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ANNEXES

ANNEX 1

The questionnaire for enterprises in the field of tourism.

A. Pyetje të përgjithshme

Emri i Sipëmarrjes: ___________________________________________

Vendndodhja: ________________________________________________

Emri i Përfaqësuesit: Pozicioni: ________________________________________________

1. Kur jeni themeluar dhe prej sa kohësh jeni në funksion? ________________

2. Si ju lindi ideja për të themeluar sipërmarrjen tuaj?

3. Cilat janë disa nga sfidat kryesore që keni hasur në hapjen dhe zhvillimin e sipërmarrjes tuaj?

Mungesa në staf Staf i pakualifikuar

Komunitet jo mbështetës

Mungesë përvoje në manaxhim Infrastruktura rrugore

Furnizimi i kufizuar në Ujë dhe Energji Tjetër (Specifikoni): ________________________________________

4. Si e kategorizoni biznesin tuaj:

Restorant Hotel + restorant Bujtinë

Agriturizëm Fermë

Turizëm specifik Tjetër (Specifikoni): ________________________________________

5. A jeni pjesë e ndonjë grupimi /sindikate / unioni / shoqate turizmi që mbron interesat e aktivitetit tuaj dhe ku ndërveproni me biznese të tjera në fushën e turizmit? Po Jo

6. Nëse 'PO', specifikoni ku: __________________________________________

B. Kapaciteti Shërbyes

7. Ju lutem jepni informacion për kapacitetin shërbyes të biznesit tuaj, sipas çështjeve që aplikohen:

Nr. i dhomave Nr. i shtretërve: Përpara COVID 19 _______ & Pas COVID 19 ________ Nr. i tavolinave: Përpara COVID 19 _______ & Pas COVID 19 ________ Kapaciteti maksimal i akomodimit të klientëve në bar/restorant: Përpara COVID 19 _______ & Pas COVID 19 ________ Kapaciteti i shërbimit: Përpara COVID 19 _______ & Pas COVID 19 ________ Orari i hapjes dhe e mbylljes ditore të aktivitetit: Përpara COVID 19 _______ & Pas COVID 19 ________ Numër turesh/guidash: Përpara COVID 19 _______ & Pas COVID 19 ________ Tjetër lloj shërbimi që ju ofroni (Specifikoni ju lutem): Përpara COVID 19 _______ & Pas COVID 19 ________

8. Cilat janë kohët e funksionimit të sipërmarrjes tuaj (ju mund të zgjidhni më shumë se një):

Gjatë gjithë muajit; Vetëm në fundjavë; Vetëm gjatë javës: Vetëm në muaj të caktuar; Sipas kërkesave të klientelës; Gjatë gjithë vitit; Tjetër (Specifikoni ju lutem): ______________________________________

9. Cilat janë ditët/stinët me më shumë punë për ju? ________________________

10. Cila është mënyra më e përdorur e transportit nga klientët tuaj (zgjidhni jo më shumë se dy): Automjete private Autobuzë/mikrobuzë Biçikleta Motorra

C. Klientela

11. Sa klientë keni në javë/muaj/vit mesatarisht? (varësisht si i mbani statistikat tuaja):

12. Sa prej tyre kalojnë natën në strukturën tuaj akomoduese? _________________

13. Cilës grup moshe i përkasin më së shumti klientët tuaj: 15-29 30 40 Familjarë (35-50) 41-50 51 60 61+ Miks

14. A keni klientë të huaj? Po Jo

15. Sa përqind e klientelës tuaj është e huaj dhe prej nga vijnë?

16. Nga cilat zona vijnë kryesisht klientët tuaj vendas (Specifikoni ju lutem):

17. Për se vijnë klientët tuaj tek ju:

D. Territori

18. Sa hapësirë keni në dispozicion për sipërmarrjen tuaj?

o Sa është pjesë e ndërtuar? (m2) _____________________________

o Sa është tokë për kultivim? (m2 ose ha): ________________

o Hapësirë rekreative, peisazh? (m2 ose ha): ________________

19. Cili është elementi më i fortë natyror që keni në afërsi dhe sa afër?

Lumë (specifiko distancën e përafërt): ______________

Liqen (specifiko distancën e përafërt): ______________

Det (specifiko distancën e përafërt): ______________

Mal/vargmale (specifiko distancën e përafërt): ______________

Kodra (specifiko distancën e përafërt): ______________

Tjetër: (specifiko elementin dhe distancën e përafërt): ______________

20. A keni monumente natyre, monumente kulture apo parqe kombëtare në afërsi të zonës? Po Jo

Nëse PO, Specifiko emrin dhe distancën/kohën: : ______________

21. Si realizohet aksesi në zonë?

Rrugë nacionale (Specifiko):

Rrugë urbane (në zonë të ndërtuar) (Specifiko): _________________

Rrugë rurale (Specifiko): __________________________________

Ecje/Hiking (Specifiko): __________________________________

Tjetër (Specifiko):

22. Sa larg rrugës nacionale ndodheni?_____________________________

23. Zgjidhni sfidat që 'krijon' territori në funksionimin e aktivitetit tuaj (zgjidh të gjitha ato që aplikohen):

Akses i vështirë

Prezenca e mbeturinave që nuk largohen rregullisht Terren i vështirë (klima, siguria, etj.) Mungesa e siteve tërheqëse në afërsi Ujërat e ndotura (lumë, liqen, përrenj, etj.) Ekzistenca e hidrocentraleve në burime ujore Zonë natyrore në afërsi që shpyllëzohet vazhdimisht Distanca e madhe me shërbimet mbështetëse plotësuese (furnizime, hotele, ristorante, etj.)

Niveli i lartë i zhurmave Ndotja e ajrit Tjetër (specifikoni): _______________________________________

24. Zgjidhni avantazhet/përparësitë që ofron territori në funksionimin e aktivitetit tuaj (zgjidh të gjitha ato që aplikohen):

Akses shumë I mire Mjedis i pastër (mbetje, ajër, ujë, zhurma) Klima është shumë e përshtatshme për aktivitetin që kryej Shërbimet mbështetëse dhe/ose plotësuese janë afër Prezenca e siteve atraktive në afërsi Aktivitete kulturore të shumta që ndodhin në zonë ose në afërsi, dhe që mund të frekuentohen nga klientët Prezenca e shumë burimeve natyrore (mal, pyll, burime ujore, etj.) lehtësisht të aksesueshme ku mund të kryhen aktivitete të ndryshme për klientët gjatë ditës; Tjetër (specifikoni): _______________________________________

E. Lidhja me komunitetin dhe institucionet

25. A bashkëpunoni me biznese/sipërmarrje të tjera vendase në zonën tuaj? Po Jo

26. Nëse 'PO', Ju lutem specifikoni produktet, apo shërbimet:

Blerje përbërësish/ushqimesh lokale

Blerje produktesh lokale artizanale

Blerje pajisjesh

Ofrim guide turistike Mundësim aktivitetesh me bazë kulturore

Ofrim shërbimi transporti Ofrim shërbimesh të specializuara

Tjetër (specifikoni): _______________________________________

27. A u ndikuan furnitorët/bashkëpunëtorët tuaj lokalë gjatë COVID 19 nga:

Mbiprodhim: Po / Jo Mungesë e lëndës së pare: Po / Jo Kufizimi në lëvizje: Po / Jo Mungesë kapitali: Po / Jo Tjetër (Ju lutem specifkoni): ___________________________ 28. Si do ta përshkruanit marrëdhëniet me bashkëpunëtorët tuaj lokalë në fillim? Si ka ndryshuar kjo marrëdhënie në kohë? 29. Çfarë roli dhe sa të rëndësishëm ka luajtur komuniteti lokal në formëzimin dhe zhvillimin e biznesit tuaj? 30. Sa nga punonjësit tuaj janë nga zona? _____________________________ 31. Përcaktoni zonën nga e cila vijnë punonjësit lokalë? ____________________ 32. A mbështeteni nga Bashkia përmes ndonjë skeme lehtësuese? Po Jo 33. Nëse 'PO', ju lutem përshkruani llojin e mbështetjes: 34. Nëse institucionet do të ishin të gatshme të ofronin ndihmë për shkak të situatës së COVID 19, për çfarë lloj ndërhyrjesh do të kishit nevojë? 35. Keni lehtësira fiskale apo të ndonjë lloji tjetër për të ushtruar aktivitetin tuaj? Po Jo 36. Nëse 'PO', ju lutem përshkruani llojin e lehtësirave: 37. A keni pasur pengesa/vështirësi nga Bashkia në ushtrimin e aktivitetit tuaj? Po Jo

38. Nëse 'PO', ju lutem përshkruani çfarë:

39. Si mendoni se ka ndryshuar perceptimi i vizitorëve për zonën tuaj, falë biznesit tuaj?

40. Çfarë mendoni ju ka ndihmuar më shumë në arritjen e suksesit: Aftësitë tuaja kulinare Aftësitë manaxheriale Risi/ide të reja të aplikuara rregullisht (inovacion) Burimet dhe aktivitetet që ndodhen në zonën ku operoni Modeli i bashkëpunimit me vendasit (biznese, individë, etj.) Tjetër (specifiko): ____________________________________________

41. A keni ndonjë informacion se sa nga klientët tuaj e njohin historinë e zonës tuaj përpara se t’a vizitojnë? Po Jo

42. Nëse 'PO', ju lutem detajoni pëgjigjen tuaj:

Inovacioni dhe Qendrueshmëria në Turizëm

43. Si do ta përcaktonit biznesin tuaj:

Biznes që sjell produkte/shërbime/praktika të reja Të qendrueshëm që respekton dhe ruan burimet dhe mjedisin Me bazë komuniteti që përfshin komunitetin në çdo hap Tjetër (specifikoni): _____________________________________________

44. A prodhoni vete produkte ushqimore? Po Jo

45. Dhe nëse po: Çfarë?

Në cfarë sasie? Sa % të nevojave tuaja arrini të mbuloni nga prodhimet tuaja?

46. Sa shpesh sillni produkte, shërbime, apo praktika të reja?

Asnjëherë Rrallë Rregullisht

47. Në cilat faza apo elemente të biznesit (shërbim, promovim, etj.) përdorni më shumë risitë?

Prodhim Produkt Manaxhim Logjistikë

48.Çfarë elementesh të reja/risi/novatore keni përdorur për të zhvilluar më tej biznesin tuaj?

48. Sa përqind nga të ardhurat që gjenerohen nga biznesi, mbeten në zonë (në formë investimesh, paga punonjësish, etj.)?

49. Sa ju kanë ndihmuar komentet apo feedback-u nga klientët tuaj duke ju dhënë ide të reja? Shpjegoni duke dhënë shembuj.

50. Sa të gatshëm janë klientët tuaj të paguajnë më shumë për produkte/shërbime vendase që respektojnë burimet dhe natyrën? Shpjegoni duke dhënë shembuj.

51. A është mjedisor biznesi juaj? Po Jo

52. Nëse po, Në ç’mënyrë?

Riciklon (shembuj): Kompostohen të gjitha mbetjet organike Mbetjet organike nga kafshët ripërdoren në bujqësi

Pastrohet uji i ndotur që prodhohet nga aktiviteti

Prodhohet energji nga burime të rinovueshme (shpjego çfarë) Tjetër (shpjego): ___________________________________________

F. Reklamimi i Biznesit Online

53. A e marketoni ju biznesin tuaj përmes: Gazeta, Platforma online: PO / JO

Facebook: PO / JO

Instagram: PO / JO

Faqe interneti të biznesit: PO / JO

Tjetër: _____________________________________________.

54. A ofroni shërbime online?

Po Jo

55. Nëse 'PO', çfarë shërbimesh?

56. Sa nga klientela juaj ju gjen përmes platformave online?

G. Situata aktuale nga emergjenca COVID-19

57. Për sa ditë u pezullua aktiviteti juaj gjatë COVID-19?

58. Sa përqind e biznesit tuaj u prek nga pezullimi për shkak të COVID-19?

59. Si vepruat për të kryer aktivitetin tuaj?

60. Nëse funksiononi me prenotime: keni pasur kancelime apo shtyrje prenotimesh? Po Jo

61. Si mendoni do ta ndikojë ky pezullim ecurinë e biznesit tuaj për këtë vit?

62. Çfarë përshtatjesh mendoni që mund të bëjë biznesi juaj për t’u përshtatur më shumë ndaj këtyre situatave? (psh. shërbime të reja, struktura të reja, etj.)?

63. Në perceptimin tuaj, një krizë si pandemia aktuale është oportunitet apo kërcënim për turizmin lokal dhe jo të masës? (shpjegoni përgjigjen)

64. Sa të kanaqur/optimistë jeni për ecurinë e biznesit tuaj?

65. A do e ndikojë vendimi i qeverisë 'Tirana pa makina' (nëse zbatohet) biznesin tuaj dhe si?

ANNEX 2

Importance performance analysis questionnaire tourists.

PYETËSOR

ANALIZA E RËNDËSISË DHE PERFORMANCËS NË TURIZMIN SHQIPTAR

Qëllimi i pyetësorit: Me këtë studim, ne synojmë të analizojmë perceptimin e konkurrueshmërisë të destinacioneve në Shqipëri dhe të identifikojmë hendeqet midis rëndësisë së dhënë dhe performancës aktuale në dimensionet nën studim.

Ruajtja e privatësisë: Të dhënat tuaja do të përdoren me kujdes, vetëm për qëllimin e këtij studimi në analizën e rëndësisë dhe performancës së turizmit në Shqipëri. Të dhënat mbi identitetin e të intervistuarve nuk do të bëhen publike dhe nuk do të shpërndahen me palë të treta.

1. Të dhëna të përgjithshme

1. Shteti/vendi i origjinës _________________

2. Gjinia a) Mashkull b) Femër

3. Mosha a) Nën 18 b) 19 30 b) 31 40 c) 41 50 d) 51 60 e) +61 vjeç

4. Niveli i arsimimit: a. Shkollë 8/9 vjeçare b. Shkollë e mesme c. Universitet d. Arsim pas universitar (master, Phd)

5. Profesioni: a. Student b. Vullnetar c. Sipërmarrës d. Vet punësuar e. Menaxher f. I papunë g. Pensionist 6. Numri i vizitave për qëllime turizmi: a. Hera e parë b. 2 3 herë c. 4 herë d. Tjetër ___________ h. Funksionar publik

i. Tjetër____________

7. Lloji i akomodimit: a. Kamping b. Shtëpi me qera c. Pronë private d. Miq/të afërm e. Hotel f. Hostel g. Bujtinë h. Tjetër_______________

8. Kohëzgjatja e qëndrimit a. Një ditë b. Një fundjavë c. 3 5 ditë d. 1 javë e. 2 javë f. Tjetër_______

9. Çfarë destinacionesh planifikoni të vizitoni gjatë qëndrimit tuaj? a. Qytet/e b. Fshat/ra c. Bregdet d. Mal/e e. Pika Historike/kulturore

10. Mënyra e udhëtimit: a. Vetëm b. Me familje c. Me miq d. Grupe të organizuara e. Tjetër__________________ 2. Në seksionin e mëposhtëm, mundohuni të vlerësoni pyetjet për ç’do dimension: nga 1 rëndësi/performance më e ulët; 5 rëndësi/performance më e lartë ; 3 - rëndësi/performance mesatare.

Përmbushja e pritshmërive për destinacionin

Sipërfaqe të gjelbra përreth

Përdorim i elementëve lokalë si gur, dru, etj.

P4. Karakter i dukshëm vendas /origjinal i ambientit

P5. Përdorimi i elementëve me eficiencë të lartë energjitike (panele, dritare)

P6. Praktika ricikluese apo praktika të ngjashme

P7. Siguria fizike e ofruar në destinacion

P8. Pastërtia e destinacionit

P9. Përkujdesja për peisazhin përreth

P10. Mikpritja

P11. Qetësia e destinacionit

P12. Pasuria artistike dhe kulturore e desitnacionit

P13. Infrastruktura përfshirë parkimin dhe transportin

P14. Menaxhimi i mbetjeve në destinacion

P15. Aksesi për njerëz me aftësi të kufizuara në destinacion (barriera arkitektonike)

P16. Pajisja me shenja dalluese/orientuese në rast fatkeqësie natyrore (tërmet, zjarr, pëmbytje, etj.)

P16. Shërbimi shëndetësor në destinacion

P17. Oferta në ushqim (dhe pije) e destinacionit (lloji dhe cilësia)

P18. Përdorimi i përbërësve/prodhimit vendas/karakteristik të zonës. (ushqime, pije)

P19. Shërbimi nga banorë të punësuar vendas

P20. Shumëllojshmëria e turizmit në destinacion

P21. Disponueshmëria e informacionit të aksesueshëm online mbi destinacionin.

P22. Komunikimi korrekt dhe Shërbimi cilësor nga personeli

P23. Komunikim nga personeli i shërbimit në gjuhë të huaj

P24. Shqipëria është destinacion i përballueshëm (financiarisht)

3. Pyetje të hapura

1. Keni vizituar ndonjë vend tjetër në rajon (Serbi, Kosovë, Mal i Zi, Maqedonia e Veriut etj.)?

2. Me cilin shtet/destinacion mund ta krahasoni Shqipërinë?

3. A është Shqipëria ndryshe nga vendet e saj fqinje (Serbi, Kosovë, Mal i Zi, Maqedonia e Veriut etj.)?

4. Përmendni një karakteristikë pozitive dhe një negative për Shqipërinë?

5. Sa shpenzoni mesatarisht për pushime/person/në vit?

6. A jeni të gatshëm të paguani më shumë për shërbime të cilat respektojnë natyrën (riciklim, eficience energjie, kompostim, etj.), dhe përfshijnë banorët vendas?

a. Po b. Jo.

7. Kur largoheni, a blini produkte vendase për të marrë me vete?

a. Po: b. Jo.

8. Preferoni turizëm masiv (vende të populluara me shumë turistë), apo të eksploroni vende të reja (vende më pak të frekuentuara nga të tjerë)?

9. Cilin element vlerësoni si më të rëndësishëm në eksperiencën tuaj turistike?

ANNEX 3

Importance performance analysis questionnaire service providers.

ANALIZA E

RËNDËSISË

DHE PERFORMANCËS NË TURIZMIN SHQIPTAR

Qëllimi i pyetësorit: Me këtë studim, ne synojmë të analizojmë perceptimin e konkurrueshmërisë të destinacioneve në Shqipëri dhe të identifikojmë hendeqet midis rëndësisë së dhënë dhe performancës aktuale në dimensionet nën studim. Ruajtja e privatësisë: Ky pyetësor është propozuar dhe do të administrohet nga Co PLAN, Instituti për Zhvillimin e Habitatit me qëllim hulumtimin e perceptimit qytetar mbi taksimin në nivel vendor dhe gatishmërinë për të paguar për shërbime më të mira. Informacioni i marrë do të përdoret vetëm për qëllime studimore dhe nuk do të transmetohet dhe/ose transferohet tek palët e treta. Co PLAN zbaton të gjitha përcaktimet e parashikuara në ligjin nr. 9887/2008 “Për mbrojtjen e të dhënave personale”. 1. Informacione të përgjithshme 1. Pozicioni aktual i punës/operator në industrinë turistike: a. Institucione (specifiko): b. Operator turistik (specifiko): c. Ofrues shërbimesh (specifiko): 2. Kontakti (email ose tel.)_________________________ 3. Gjinia a) Mashkull b) Femër 4. Mosha: a) 15 29 b) 30 40 c) 41 50 d) 51 60 e)+61 vjeç 5. Niveli arsimimit: a) 9 vjeçare b) Gjimnaz i përgjithshëm c) Shkollë e mesme profesionale d) Diplomë universitare e) Diplomë pas universitare (master, Phd)

6. Eksperienca në sektorin e turizmit: _________vite

1.7 Grupet turistike të synuar nga biznesi juaj: 1.7.1 Vijnë nga: a) turistë vendas b) turistë rajonalë (KS, MK) c) ndërkombëtarë d) të gjithë

1.7.2 Kanë moshë mesatare: a) 15 25; b) 26 40; c) 41 60; d) mbi 60

1.7.3 Janë të tipologjisë: a) individual; b) familje; c) grupe; d) tjetër: 1.7.4 Ata preferojnë turizmin: a) Bregdetar; b) Malor; c) Rural (eko agri / turizëm); d) Qytete (vizita); e) Biznes f) Backpackers; g) Aventurë; h) Tjetër:____________

Në seksionin e mëposhtëm, jeni të lutur të rendisni në shkallën 1 deri në 5 secilën nga pyetjet në dy dimensionet: ku 1 tregon rëndësi/performancë e ulët dhe 5 rëndësi/performancë e lartë (3 – rëndësi/performancë mesatare).

2. Zhvillimi i turizmit të qëndrueshëm

Sa e rëndësishme është për Ju?

3.

Kriteret

A1. Turizmi motorr i rëndësishëm për zhvillimin e ekonomisë shqiptare

A2. Turizmi i qëndrueshëm prioritet për Shqipërinë

A3. Zhvillimi i turizmit sipas një strategjie kombëtare për turizmin, me vizionin e zhvillimit dhe objektiva të qarta, afatgjata

A4. Pasja e strategjisë për zhvillimin e qëndrueshëm të turizmit në vend

A5. Njohja me përmbajtjen e strategjisë

A6. Pasja e strategjisë së zhvillimit të territorit në nivel bashkie

A7. Vizion i qartë i zhvillimit të biznesit tim

A8. Njohja me parimet e zhvillimit të qëndrueshëm

A9. Vizioni i biznesit në linjë me parimet e zhvillimit të qëndrueshëm

A10. Ofrimi i përvojave unike dhe që ndryshojnë nga vendet e tjera

A11. Rrjetet e ofruesve të shërbimeve turistike dhe bashkëpunimet ndërmjet tyre për rritjen e efiçencës dhe zhvillimit të qëndrueshëm

Aspekte lokale dhe sociale

Sa e rëndësishme është për Ju?

Kriteret

B1. Origjina lokale e produkteve/shërbimit dhe lidhja me parimet e zhvillimit të qendrushëm

B2. Zhvillimi i marrëdhënieve të qëndrueshme mes biznesit dhe furnitorëve lokalë B3. Blerja/sigurimi i 50% ose më shumë të furnizimeve të nevojshme nga furnitorë/prodhues vendas B4. Dhënia përparësi furnitorëve lokalë B5. Pjesa më e madhe e personelit të biznesit nga zona B6. Zbatim i rregullave të kodit të punës B7. Njohja e personelit (punonjësve) të biznesit me disa nga praktiktat e zhvillimit të qëndrueshëm B8. Trajnim i vazhdueshëm i punonjësve B9. Përdorim/mbështetje e guidave (udhërrëfyesëve) lokale

B10. Promovim i produkteve vendase B11. Histori e pasur e qytetit/fshatit/zonës ku ndodhet biznesi

B12. Kulturë e pasur e qytetit/fshatit/zonës ku ndodhet biznesi

B13. Ruajtja e integritetit të trashëgimisë kulturore dhe arkeologjike në zonë dhe përreth B14. Afërsia biznesit me pikat historike/kulturore/natyrore

B15. Informacion/material (i përkthyer) rreth trashëgimisë natyrore dhe kulturore të vendeve me interes për t’u vizituar B16. Autenticiteti i shërbimit/produktit turistik B17. Turizmi si një mjet zhvillimi për komunitetet lokale B18. Turizmi si një mjet zhvillimi dhe emancipimi për komunitetet lokale

Si është në realitet?

Si është në realitet?

4. Aspekte

B19. Pjesëmarrja në takime për planifikimin e turizmit të qëndrueshëm të zonës

B20. Mbështetje ndaj nismave të komunitetit lokal në linjë me zhvillimin e turizmit të qëndrueshëm

mjedisore

Sa e rëndësishme është për Ju?

Kriteret

C1. Natyrë e pasur (prezencë elementësh të fortë natyrorë, si psh.: male, lumenj, det, liqen, etj.) në qytetin/fshatin/zonën ku ndodhet biznesi

C2. Ruajtja e pandryshuar/pacënuar e zonave natyrore/ të mbrojtura

C3. Produktet/shërbimet e reja turistike të respektojnë normat mjedisore, kulturore

C4. Elementë risku (përfshirë fenomene natyrore, siguria e vizitorëve) të identifikuara dhe adresuara

C5. Ruajtja e specieve në zhdukje në zonë

C6. Pastërtia dhe higjena në mjediset ku ofrohet shërbimi/produkti dhe përreth

C7. Praktika të certifikuara të higjienës (HCCAP, etj.)

C8. Manaxhim i mirë i mbetjeve në mjediset ku ofrohet shërbimi/produkti dhe përreth

C9. Riciklimi i mbetjeve

C10. Përdorimi i elementëve/materialeve me eficiencë të lartë energjie

C11. Trajtimi i ujërave të zeza

C12. Ajër i pastër në mjediset ku ofrohet shërbimi/produkti dhe përreth

C13. Përdorimi i bimësisë vendase në mjedise përreth (si psh. Erëza vendase, pemë vendase, lule, etj.)

C14. Praktika turistike miqësore me mjedisin (ndikim negativ në mjedis i ulët)

C15. Strategji biznesi të gjelbërta (që respektojnë mjedisin)

C16. Vetëdije/ndërgjegjësim i lartë i bizneseve dhe individëve ndaj problematikave mjedisore.

C17. Edukimi i konsumatorëve dhe komunitetit lokal mbi produktet dhe shërbimet (turistike) të cilat respektojnë mjedisin

C18. Ekuilibrim i nevojave të vizitorëve me normat dhe rregullat vendase për mjedisin

C19. Zhvillimi i turizmit në përputhje me normat mjedisore

C20. Planifikimi i turizmit dhe zhvillimi i politikave i bazuar në veçantitë dhe autenticitetin/origjinalitetin e destinacionit

5. Aspekte organizative

Sa e rëndësishme është për Ju?

Kriteret

D1. Sistem i manaxhimit të qëndrueshmërisë (me aspekte mjedisore, sociale, kulturore, ekonomike, cilësie, të drejtash, sigurie, etj.)

D2. Njohja dhe zbatimi i bazës ligjore të plotë e aplikueshme për aktivitetin tuaj

D3. Respektimi i bazës ligjore mbi ndërtimin/zhvillimin

Si është në realitet?

Si është në realitet?

D4. Certifikata apo licenca që tregojnë përputhshmërinë me bazën ligjore në fuqi (NIPT, leje të posaçme, etj.)

D5. Staf/personel i ceritifikuar dhe kualifikuar në disiplina /aftësi të caktuara certifikata ushtrimi profesioni, certifikime trajnimesh)

D6. Trajnim i stafit/personelit në çështje të turizmit të qëndrueshëm

D7. Mekanizma/praktika për marrjen e feedback ut nga klienti/konsumatori

D8. Përdorimi i imazheve dhe produkteve/shërbimeve aktuale të biznesit për promovim

D9. Marketimi për aktivitete në zona të mbrojtura në linjë me rregullat/bazën ligjore (si psh. Aktiviteti i gjuetisë, apo ecja në ekosisteme të rrezikuara, etj.)

D10. Mundësimi dhe lehtësimi i aksesit për persona me aftësi të kufizuara / nevoja të veçanta në mjediset e biznesit

D11. Mundësimi dhe lehtësimi i aksesit për persona me aftësi të kufizuara / nevoja të veçanta në hapësirat përreth (përfshirë parqe, zona të mbrojtura, etj.)

D12. Sinjalistikë orientuese e qartë në mjedisin ku ofrohet shërbimi

D13. Anëtarësi e rrjeteve të ofruesve të shërbimeve turistike

D14. Partneritete me organizata/ operatorë të huaj që respektojnë parimet e turizmit të qëndrueshëm

D15. Adoptimi i parimeve të zhvillimit të qëndrueshëm rrit kostot për biznesin tim (si psh. Reduktimi i mbetjeve,përdorimi i elementëve me efiçencë të lartë energjitike, përdorimi i produkteve lokale, etj.)

6. Pyetje të hapura

1. Cilat vende mendoni janë konkurruesit kryesorë të industrisë turistike shqiptare?

2. A mendoni se Shqipëria ka përparësi konkurruese krahasuar me fqinjët?

3. A kanë kërkesa të ndryshme turistët e huaj krahasuar me ata vendas?

4. A ka diferencim në çmim/cilësi të produkteve/shërbimeve mes turistëve vendas dhe atyre të huaj?

5. Aktualisht a keni ndonjë marrëdhënie bashkëpunimi me partnerë të huaj?

6. Sa të përshtatshme mendoni se janë politikat publike në sektorin e turizmit?

7. Si mendoni ndikon adoptimi i parimeve të zhvillimit të qëndrueshëm në kostot për biznesin tuaj (si psh. Ricikilimi, përdorimi i elementëve me efiçencë të lartë energjitike, përdorimi i produkteve lokale, etj.)?

8. Tjetër: