- Category : Cultural and heritage tourism
- Date : March-April 2019
Purpose of the project
To contribute to sustainable cultural tourism by strengthening the partnership in Western Balkan countries, with the aim of creating cultural identity and touristic networks
Short Description
Given the potential scale of impact for cultural tourism the project tries to achieve, it is a necessity for government leadership figures and relevant stakeholders to understand the objectives of the a broader action and program in Western Balkans such as SeeCulture, in order to boost tourism and its relation to local culture through the development, management and promotion of cultural attractions and heritage sites emphasizing the significance of the cross-roads of civilizations that have left traces on the cities.
On behalf of the International partner Sarajevo Culture Meeting (SeeCulture), InSET has been the focal point in Albania, in gathering the stakeholders and organizing three round tables the with focus to cultural tourism, with the most important public institutions, respectively with Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Municipality of Tirana . Meetings take place in Tirana, on 18-19 April 2019. The key stakeholder groups of the project will be public and private institutions related to managing cultural and natural heritage such as museums, galleries, historical and archaeological sites, religious facilities, cultural and touristic operatives, local tourism providers, tourist agencies, individual entrepreneurs, tour guides and relevant representatives from the NGO sector.
Situation
The Albanian coastline and mainly the South Coast is intended to be one of the most visited destinations especially by foreign tourists in the near future be. But its beauties, beaches, landscapes, and continually improving infrastructure will not suffice upon satisfying foreign tourists. A very important component is the service.
The quality of tourist services in the Albanian tourist supply sector has been identified as one of the:
- main problems of the Albanian tourism industry
- important objectives that the government intends to improve significantly through vocational education
- emergent important tasks to adapt to the requirements of the summer season 2017.
Hotels and restaurants currently have staff problems with regard to service quality, even the ones that claim the best service along the Albanian coast, especially in the Southern Albania. This is accepted by the structures’ administrators/ managers themselves and also by the heads of the local administration such as Labor Office, Vocational Training Center, local government leaders, etc. From this point of view, a vocational training (link) tour was conducted in the hottest regions of maritime tourism: Vlora, Himara, Saranda, for training the staff of some of the main hospitality structures in these region as well as some applicants awaiting seasonal employment at the labor offices, in order to improve tourist services .
What offers the project
In this situation the project “Vocational Training in Tourism” offers: Professional training for employees related to customer service at hotel-bars-restaurants, teaching them some essential elements that will improve the relocation of daily operations thus contributing to improving customer service.
- Improving the current quality of service, and better preparation for the upcoming season.
- Trained employees will be a good example for other employees in the future.
- Certified employees.
- Increased number of satisfied customers.
- Provide lower service time on desks, receptions, increase employee productivity.
- More powerful Marketing than commercials.
- Increase in incomes.
What is expected from the participating structures:
- Ensuring staff availability (3-5 people) for the sufficient time, min 3- max 5 days.
- Optional: Financial contribution for the training of staff, in the form of support with some of the operational expences for the training days.
Completed activites
- Activities of InSET in this action include:
- • Communication with project lead partner and with stakeholders
- • Coordination with Ministries and public bodies
- • Organization of meetings
- • Agenda coordination and delivery in Albania
- Meetings have taken place in Tirana, on 18-19 April 2019 with the stakeholders listed below:
- • Cultural Monuments Institute - Instituti i Monumenteve të Kulturës
- • Cultural Heritage without Borders Albania
- • Risi Albania
- • German International Zusammenarbeit – International German for collaboration – GIZ
- • National Association of Tourist Guides in Albania (NATGA) - ShoqataKombëtare e GuidaveTuristike
- • National Tourism Agency - AgjenciaKombëtare e Turizmit (AKT)
Short description of the training program:
Training areas for seasonal or permanent workers, applicants at the employment offices, pupils or students include:
- Technical capability on customer service, quality of touristic services, customer / tourist and its requirements
- Importance and management of tourist expectations and impact on their income and return on investment, image, employment and local development
- Reception services, hospitality and comunication of a positive message
- Bar, restaurant, and kitchen services.
- Management of tourists' requests / dissent/satisfactions / expectations / indulgences.
Project future
Targeting all relevant stakeholders whose activities and business are related to tourism and culture, InSET through this project partnership will strengthen its relationship with the sector, more specifically cultural tourism and cultural heritage.
- Stakeholders are supposed to undertake actions in the future with the support of InSET and international partners (especially in the Western Balkans, which include:
- • Tourism Organisations - more visibility and better branding within the Western Balkans region, better collaboration and mutual products and promotion.
- • Receptive Travel Agencies - gain more target groups for their business, better understanding of existing and potential products regarding culture and tourism.
- • Cultural institutions and NGOs within culture - more recognisable in the Western Balkans region and wider, more cooperation on professional level in culture but also in terms of multidisciplinary knowledge and skills (management, marketing, branding, sales, etc.)
- • Tour guides – more informed about new, modern and innovative routes related to tourism and culture that will broaden practical work and further employment.
