GET
GRALB Experience Tourism
Encouraging tourism and cultural and natural heritage. Preserve cultural and natural resources as a prerequisite for tourism development of the cross border area.
Programme: Interreg IPA CBC Greece-Albania 2014-2020
Description
The project responds to a common challenge of the area, namely the cultural and historical heritage of the cross-border region is not capitalized to its potential value in sustainable cross-border tourism. The cross-border area regions are focused on the development of maritime tourism by neglecting the development and prioritization of alternative tourism such as the cultural and historical tourism.
On the other hand, seasonality is a major problem in the tourism industry in both countries, causing low returns on investment, overuse and underuse of facilities in high and low season respectively, as well as seasonal employment of staff and high unemployment subsidizes during the unemployment season.
Finally, there is lack of an integrated marketing strategy to increase regional competitiveness as a common tourism product. Promotion remains outdated and there is urgent need for common action to upgrade online marketing.
Objectives
The overall objective of the project is: “Promoting the Region as a unique destination for cultural Experience and historical tourism” in line with the overall aim of Interreg IPA II CBC program Greece – Albania 2014-2020 which emphasizes the cooperation among local population & regional institutions through encouraging tourism and cultural heritage.
Cultural heritage & historical tourism development implies the use of traditional sources generating income, diversify local products, target broader tourism markets, increase visibility of CBC region & extend season.
To reach this purpose, specific objectives of the project will be:
- Improve the connectivity of cultural and historical heritage sites
- Enhance the skills of local travel stakeholders
- Improve the potential of tourism offer & product diversification
- Reach out & attract potential tourism markets mainly China
- Create new branded touristic products
- Understand Local CBC Tourism Market dynamics
- Link CBC Travel Agents with mainly Chinese Travel agents
- Promote synergies & dialogue with other CBC Projects
Project Partners
Institute of Public and Private Policies
The “Institute of Public and Private Policies” (IP3) is an independent, national not-for-profit think tank, based in Albania.
Regional Council of Vlora
Vlorë County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It is located in the south part of Albania on the Adriatic coast. The capital is the city of Vlorë.
Chamber of Thesprotia
The objective of the Chamber of Thesprotia is to promote and enhance local products, the development of local businesses and by extension the welfare of the prefecture of Thesprotia.
InnoPolis: Centre for Innovation and Culture
InnoPolis mission is characterized by the continuous pursuit of actions related to inter-regional innovation taking into account the cultural dimension.