WE TOUR Final Research Report

RESEARCH STUDY OF THE COMPETENCES AND NEEDS
OF SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND WOMEN
ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS IN TOURISM SECTOR
COMPARATIVE REPORT OF 5 COUNTRIES
ARMENIAN ECOTOURISM ASSOCIATION
YEREVAN
2022
Common Boarders. Common Solutions

2
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................3
METHODOLOGY ...............................................................................................................................5
RESULTS OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY ...................................................................6
DESK RESEARCH ............................................................................................................................47
CONCLUSIONS ...............................................................................................................................101
Annex 1 ..............................................................................................................................................102

3
INTRODUCTION
Women entrepreneurship is an emerging sector in the global business environment, a real
driving force in today’s modern economy. They shape and redefine the workplace, business
networks, financial institutions and culture, but in the Black Sea Region represents an
unexploited potential. Only 32% of the entrepreneurs are women and opportunities are
wasted at a time when sustainable economic growth figures high on the agenda of all
governments in Europe. In fact, one of the main responsibilities of the European Union is the
sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual
freedoms.
In general, entrepreneurship is seen as a key driver for economic success, but few coordinated
initiatives are targeted towards women. Research shows that tourism has become one of the
main income generators in both developed and developing countries, with business volumes
that equal or surpass oil exports, food products or the car industry. Travel and tourism have
been proven to provide women with more opportunities for empowerment compared to other
industries, giving the sector increased responsibility for the advancement of women.
The countries around the Black Sea are using very different policy instruments and projects
in order to increase the number of women entrepreneurs. Few countries have adopted a clear
policy to encourage and facilitate women to start their own business or to become more
ambitious. Generally, women are under-represented in high growth sectors and they have
fewer employees than men.
The project WE TOUR – “Black Sea Women Entrepreneurship Connection – Empowering
Women through Tourism”, is closely related to the common challenges of the programme
area. The project’s overall objective is the creation of a Cross-Border Business Network in
the Black Sea Basin Area for the Promotion of Women’s Entrepreneurship, Life-long
Cooperation, Training and networking. Also, the project aims at strengthening, supporting
and developing female entrepreneurship through tourism, providing new economic and social
opportunities to women in the Black Sea Basin area.

4
WE TOUR project is going to create a strong partnership in the field of women
entrepreneurship, not only between the participating organizations but also among the
countries that they represent.
Women’s role in entrepreneurship must be supported by providing motivations and benefits
to women who desire to enter in this field. Tourism is one of the most developed sectors in
the region of Black Sea Basin, due to the natural resources it owns. For years the role of
business owners and active entrepreneurs is undertaken by males. Women could provide
knowledge, creativeness, elegance and innovative ideas in terms of development and further
improvement and modernization of tourism sector.
This program aims at mapping the competences, skills and challenges for entrepreneurs and
SMEs involved in tourism sector in Black Sea Basin region to start and manage their business
and to promote their touristic products internationally.
For this purpose, a Survey was done in partner countries (Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia,
Greece, Turkey) based on common Questionnaire, which is presented in Annex 1. This
comparative report presents the analysis of surveys done in 5 countries.
Based on the Survey results training program will be developed, in order to train the
participants how effectively to manage and growth their business and to promote the region
as attractive touristic destination by using digital technologies and innovative marketing
tools.

5
METHODOLOGY
The research methodology includes the following:
1. Analysis of the Survey, which was carried out based on the Questionnaire (Annex 1).
The purpose of this survey is to:
✓ have a general overview of the current level of the main skills and competences of the
target groups,
✓ have a perspective on the general training and development needs of the target groups,
✓ develop training materials aimed at raising the entrepreneurial skills and competences
of women in tourism based on the survey results,
✓ gather suggestions for the future development of the project outputs.
The questionnaire consists of open, semi-open and closed questions.
The questionnaire includes about 50 questions, as well as 45 questions regarding the main
skills. The number of respondents is 30. The survey was done both online and offline.
2. Desk research is done to find out the best practices of woman entrepreneurs in tourism
sphere in partner countries. In this part, women, who has a tourism business were
interviewed and presented their expertise of establishing and developing tourism
business. The number of participants is 3.

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RESULTS OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY
I. Understanding the respondents’ profile
1. Age
The 37% of participants were 36-50 years old, 27% were 26-35 years old, 17% were 51-63
years old, 13% were up to 25 years old, and only 6% were 64 and elder.
Armenia Bulgaria Georgia Greece Turkey
Age of
participants
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
26-35 years
old
8 27 4 13 3 10
9 30
36-50 years
old
11 37 4 13 15 50
12 40
51-63 years
old
5 17 14 47 6 20
8 27
64 and elder 2 6 6 20 3 10 1 3
Up to 25
years old
4 13 2 7 3 10
0 0
2. To the question ‘’What is tourism according to you?’’ many people responded.
The summary of the most frequent answers is the following:
Armenia ➢ Tourism is the temporary movement of people inside or outside the country for the purpose of recreation
(everyone understands recreation differently; depending on the types of tourism);
➢ A tourist's visit to another country for the purpose of not earning money that lasts more than 24 hours but less
than a year;
➢ A study visit or a trip to a place other than your place of residence;
➢ When a foreigner has the opportunity to discover another country, its culture and history, traditions and
customs;
➢ Through it, people go from place to place for leisure, entertainment, health, business trips, getting acquainted
with other cultures;
➢ Tourism is the temporary (up to one year) movement of people from their place of permanent residence to
another place or to another area within their country for leisure, health, hospitality, cognitive, professional or
business purposes, without paid work or lucrative activity at the place of visit;
➢ Tourism is a way to show the cultural wealth, traditions, customs of the Republic of Armenia, the "art" of
doing any work, to inform others about them, and to make a profit through it. Also, it is one of the priorities of
the RA economy;
➢ Pleasant, meaningful, creative-smart organization of leisure time, relaxation;
➢ Tourism is a type of recreation, during which the tourist gets acquainted with the life, culture, customs,
national cuisine and people of another country;
➢ It is one of the most important branches of the economy, which stimulates the economic as well as the

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cultural, agricultural and educational spheres;
➢ Discovery and recognition;
➢ Business, hobby, freedom;
➢ Intercultural exchange;
➢ Combining the pleasant with the useful.
Bulgaria ➢ Temporary movement of people outside their place of residence for the purpose of rest and pleasure
➢ Tourism is a way for exploring new cultures
➢ Tourism is an important sector of the economy and an opportunity to make money
➢ Tourism offers a lot of job places and boosts the revenue of the economy
➢ Pleasant, meaningful organization of leisure time, relaxation, adventures.
➢ Tourism is way to earn money, while meeting many new people and exploring the world.
➢ Tourism represents an opportunity to discover different ways of life.
➢ Business, hobby, freedom;
➢ Intercultural exchange;
➢ Combining pleasure with business.
➢ A pleasant way for self-education
➢ A way to meet new people
➢ A business, that combines a lot of different activities and has a lot of innovative possibilities for the future
➢ Profitable business opportunity
Georgia ➢ Tourism is leisure, entertainment, hospitality and recreation;
➢ Tourism generates employment and wealth and is in many areas a major element in the community
prosperity, as well as an activity of social, political, environmental and cultural significance;
➢ Tourism is many-sided and from this diversity healthcare tourism is still an emerging sector within tourism in
the world;
➢ Tourism is associated with joyful experiences; it involves forms and purposes that may be leisure or pleasure
related;
➢ Tourism is some kind of activity connected with sport and leisure;
➢ At present tourism has grown to the third largest industry in several countries, including Georgia;
➢ Globalization and increasing number of international events and mobility of people gives tourism more
impulse. In this case tourism is combination of business, cultural sightseeing and mobility;
➢ The intensive growth of tourism in Georgia has brought significant impacts on the development of the
country's tourism resources and infrastructures;
➢ Tourism intrinsically involves a circular itinerary in which tourists return to their homes and accordingly
these days spent in abroad are days of study, leisure and joy;
➢ The definition of tourism is based on recognizing two steps of tourism businesses: a tier composed of
businesses that serve exclusively tourists and a tier composed of businesses that serve a mix of tourists and
local residents;
➢ We can consider tourism as a concept affecting on recreation, that is why tourism is becoming an important
trend;
➢ The definition of tourism is connected with acquirement of new knowledge, skills and experience;
➢ Tourism is mobility for visiting unknown places, countries, etc. Last period cultural tourism became very
popular. It’s a link between culture and tourism;
➢ Tourism now became more integrated, comprising food/gastronomy, cultural heritage and sightseeing;
➢ Tourism is closely connected with recreation. A strong relationship exists between tourism and such concepts
as study, travel, visiting historical places, etc.;
➢ Tourism can be defined as a demand-side phenomenon, a form of individual or social behavior. However,
tourism also represents an internationally traded service as well;
➢ Tourism can be considered as a form of individual or social behavior;
➢ In our understanding there are several types of tourism: medical, sport, cultural, study, etc.;
➢ I am giving preference to the nature‐based tourism, although there are several sectors of tourism, which
needs the sustainable development;
➢ We consider that the multidisciplinary roots and the various approaches and concepts of tourism is going to
wellness tourism;
➢ Tourists are persons travelling not only on holiday but on business, on courses of study and on many other
grounds;
➢ At present tourist has many directions and each tourism company makes its preference. For us is interesting
ecotourism and nature-based tourism;

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➢ In my understanding that the statistical system covers all of the activities of persons travelling to and staying
in places outside for leisure, business and other purposes.
Greece
Turkey ➢ It is a cultural holiday that people can do according to their financial means and be happy.
➢ Tourism is an important ecosystem that includes more than 50 sub-sectors. It is especially important for
developing countries in terms of foreign currency input contribution to the country, local employment and
workforce it creates. It also contributes to the provision of international peace and unity beyond the country's
policies, as it enables people from various countries to know and understand each other's cultures through
travel.
➢ it's a developing and sustainability-based service sector where inputs with a touristic purpose and value exist
or are created; also which includes the people of the region and all those who come from outside and provide
interaction and sustainability
➢ it happens when people travel from one place to another for business-trip-cultural purposes,etc. and make
economic and human contributions to the places they are in, and then transfer them to others, causing other
people to arouse interest, thus creating a cycle.
➢ It is all of the operational processes developed to attract tourists to the country or a region.
➢ Experiencing a region with its history, traditions, cultural and natural beauties and products
➢ Tourism is the line of work that helps a country's economic and cultural development the most. It is very
beneficial for the country in terms of both foreign currency inflow and cultural promotion
➢ All kinds of eating and drinking, accommodation and sports activities outside the house.
➢ I can define it as a social and dynamic sector based on intercultural interaction and hospitality.
3. Current business situation
18 respondents or 60% mentioned that they have established tourism business, and 12 or 40%
were planning to start a tourism business. One of them has started his/her business in 2007, 3
of them in 2017, also one in 2018, 2 of them in 2019, 3 in 2020, 3 in 2021, and 5 people have
not mentioned the year.
Reasons established
tourism business
planning to start a
tourism business
Other
Armenia
(total 30 respondents)
18 12 0
Bulgaria
9 4 17
(working for others)
Georgia
24 6
Greece
Turkey
28 2 0

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4. The reasons why women still have not an established tourism business
From 30 respondents 12 still had not an established tourism business and were planning to
start their business. They have mentioned the following reasons for which they still had not
business. The most common answer was the lack of financial resources.
Reasons Armenia Bulgaria Georgia Greece Turkey
Number of
respondent
s
Percent Number of
respondent
s
Perce
nt
Numb
er of
respo
ndent
s
Perce
nt
Numb
er of
respo
ndent
s
Perce
nt
Numb
er of
respo
ndent
s
Perce
nt
Lack of financial
resources
11 92 10 100 12 80 2 100
Lack of entrepreneurial
skills
7 58 5 50 8 53 2 100
Lack of knowledge
about tourism
3 25 2 20 3 20 0 0
Lack of knowledge of
foreign languages
1 8 1 10 2 13 0 0
Legislation issues 1 8 4 40 2 13 0 0
Issues connected with
tax system
1 8 2 20 1 7 0 0
5. Motivation to set up a tourism business
The respondents also mentioned their motivation why they have set up or are planning to start
a business. The motivation for the majority was personal reasons, also the purpose to preserve
natural and cultural heritage.
Reasons Armenia Bulgaria Georgia Greece Turkey
Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 9
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
To earn
money
12 40 9 100 15 50
2 7
To
preserve
natural
heritage
sites
and
culture
14
47
3
33 12 40 -

10
To
create
new
jobs
7
23
3
33 6 20 20 67
For
personal
reasons
(change
of
lifestyle,
tourism
as a
hobby,
etc.)
16
53
2
22 17 68 6 20
Other
(please
specify)
➢ To make Armenia
more recognized in the
world and to contribute
to the economic growth
of the country
➢ To make my native
village a well-known
tourist destination, to
present its literary,
cultural heritage,
traditions, unique nature,
to promote tourism by
ensuring sustainable
development of the
village, creating new and
permanent jobs, as an
alternative to the mining
industry that desolates
our native nature and
villages.
0 0
➢ Tourism is part of global
economy
➢ In my opinion tourism as a
business
has wide perspective
➢ Protecting natural
heritage sites and culture;
➢ Developing a family
legacy business and turning
it into a tourism business;
➢ To earn money;
We established it with the
aim of creating a space
where the urban consumers
will restore their
relationship with nature,
renew their broken ties and
bring the concepts of
naturalness and
sustainability into their
lives, since it creates a good
synergy with the agriculture
and wine production I am
currently doing
6. Sphere of the tourism business
The sphere of tourism businesses were mainly hotel services, tour guiding.
Sphere of
tourism
business
Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Hotel
services (in
hotel, motel,
B&Bs, etc.)
15 50 16 53 6 20
9 30
Food and
beverage
services
7 23 16 53
3 10
Tour
operating
7 23 5
17
6 20
-
Tourism
agency
5 17 5
17
12 40
6 20
Transport
service
1
3
4
13 3 10 -
Tour
guiding
12 40 7
23 - - -
Other
(please
specify)
Water tourism, Camping,
Interactive museum
0 0 MICE Tourism Tourism
agency,
53

11
Hotel
services
(in hotel,
motel,
hostel,
etc.),
Congress,
Meeting
Services -
16
7. Kind of services provided to tourists
Services Armenia Bulgaria Georgia Greece Turkey
Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Overnight stay
18
60
22
73 18 60 23 77
Food and
drink
18
60
26
87 22 73 9 30
Nature
sightseeing
22
73
17
57 12 40 14 47
Arts and crafts
14
47
10
33 6 20 2 7
Fishing
2
7
8
27 3 10 1 3
Hunting
0
0
8
27 3 10 0 0
hiking
17
57
8
27 8 27 2 7
Horse-riding
4
13
7
23 2 7 2 7
Bird watching
4
13
8
27 0 0 1 3
mountain-
biking, cycling
2
7
8
27 2 7 1 3
adventure sport
4
13
2
7 2 7 2 7
visiting
historical-
cultural sites
19 63 4 13
18
60
5
17
music and
dance
10
33
9
30 12 40 1 3
boating
2
7
3
10 6 20 11 37
rafting
2
7
3
10 2 7 1 3
beekeeping
10
33
1
3 3 10 0 0
harvesting
12
40
0
0 10 33 2 7
agricultural
works
10
33
0
0 2 7 2 7
master classes
on cooking
16
53
2
7
12
40 1 3

12
local food
tour guiding
11
37
3
10
3 10 13 43
organizing
excursions
17
57
3
10 16 53 4 13
tour package
developing and
selling
12 40 1 3
3
10
11
37
selling air-
tickets
0
0
1
3 0 0 12 40
booking
services
0
0
1
3 0 0 11 37
other (please
specify)
SUP-boarding, camping 0 0 Holiday makers,
Business Travelers
0 0
The most common services were nature sightseeing, visiting historical-cultural sites,
overnight stay, food and drink, hiking, organizing excursions, master classes on cooking
national food.
8. Tourism business as the main or complementary source of income
30 respondents, who have or plan to start a business, answered whether the business is or will
be the main source of their income. For 63% of respondents the business is their main source
of income.
Source of
income Armenia Bulgaria Georgia Greece Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Main 19 63 18 60 22 73 23 77
Complementary 11 37 12 40 8 27 7 23
9. Seasonal or all year-round tourism business
The business of 57% is seasonal.
Type of
tourism
business
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 25
respondents)
Percent Number of
respondents
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Seasonal 17 57 13 43 9 36 0 0
All year
round
13 43 17 57 16 64 30 100
10. Tourism business being advertised through any tourism networks (local, regional,
international)
Adverti
sement
Frequency
(Total 30
responden
ts)
Percent Frequen
cy
(Total
30
Percent Frequen
cy
(Total
30
Percent Numbe
r of
respon
dents
Perce
nt

13
respon
dents)
respon
dents)
(Total
30
respon
dents)
Yes 12 40 16 53 7 23 6 20
No 15 50 14 47 17 57 24 80
Other 3 10 0 0 6 20 0 0
50% mentioned that their tourism business is not advertised through any tourism networks,
the other 50 % said that it is advertised or will be advertised soon.
11. To the question ‘’What is tourism marketing according to you?’’ many people responded.
Armenia Activities of planning, developing, promoting the sale of tourism services or products,
From a management perspective, marketing is viewed as an art of selling products. According to
that, tourism marketing is the sale of travel packages.
Choosing the right targeting and creating an attractive product.
Sale of the package in the target market,
Promotion of tour packages,
Ensure growth in sales of tourism-related offers,
Strategy for developing and implementing sales-oriented programs,
The best marketing in tourism is to provide quality service,
Beautifully packaged presentation on different networks,
Achieve maximum results with the right targeted advertising and materials under other equal
conditions,
Well-planned marketing is the key to a successful business,
Tourism marketing is a set of mechanisms for research, analysis, demand regulating methods in the
field of tourism services.
Mastery of presenting the established business correctly,
Sale of food and drink, sale, presentation of culture,
It is a way to inform the public about the tourism product, to inform about its potential, to attract
tourists.
Bulgaria Different activities of planning, developing, promoting the sale of tourism services or products and
attracting new customers
All the tools and strategies in marketing that a travel company needs to promote in the market.
Art of selling products and services, a lot of different marketing strategies used by businesses
within the tourism industry policies in business -both private or public tourism organizations
Strategic Approach presents a variety of practical application tools, skills, practices, models,
approaches, and strategies
Tourism marketing is a term which is used to refer to that business discipline by which the visitors
are attracted to a particular location coming to terms with the character and intrinsic qualities of
place-products systematic and coordinated execution of business policies by both private and
public sector tourism organizations
Georgia Showing online banners, starting a blog or posting articles
Thinking and implementation of the social media marketing
Using emails, newsletters
Using tourist promo videos
Applying offline promo
the most effective ways to promote your tourism business
Accept Online Bookings
Think of our product and how to best present tourism attractions to prospective clients

14
We have to know what our target audience needs in the first place.
We must offer our services and present our content via different sources
We should use website, social media channels and email advertisements
To use business discipline for attraction of tourists
Travel and tourism marketing is the systematic and coordinated execution of our business
Our tourism marketing agency transferred into digital marketing agency serving tours, activities,
destinations, & travel
Our tourism marketing strategy serves to understand our customers, optimize our website, etc.
Be Social (Social media is one of the most effective marketing channels for the tourism industry
Use Live Video Marketing
To research our market and make a strategy for promotion
it’s important to show up in the top search results pertaining to our brand and offerings
To optimize our website's technical configuration
To make marketing that allows customers to experience our brand, tours and offerings to a broad
audience.
To set our goals, make monitoring and optimization
To use physical branded materials to show customers what they offer and what they are all about
on a more personal level
To show business name, contact details, location, hours, photos, etc.
Make blogs, it's a good way to reel in our audience and advertise our expertise in the field.
Greece
Turkey Announcement through old customers and on social media
"Actions to be implemented by national and local NGOs and private sector companies within the
framework of the strategic plan prepared by the private sector participation of the country's public
and semi-public organizations (Ministry of Tourism and Foreign Affairs, National Airlines,
chambers of commerce, etc.) analysis of country competitors, SWOT analysis and determination of
national strategy. Additionally, the marketing activities of the companies together with the sector
associations or individually"
Presenting touristic destinations and products to tourists through various intermediaries (agents,
influencers, etc.)
It is the aim of any business in the tourism sector to provide the needs and demands of the tourist at
the regional or national level at the highest level and aim at customer satisfaction.
To attract local and foreign tourists to the region and to convey the attractiveness of the region to
them correctly.
It is all of the economic, cultural, technical work done and measures taken to attract tourists to a
country or a region.
Tourism marketing should involve expressing the experience to be lived, it is a kind of storytelling.
The facility must have a philosophy that is meticulously implemented.
completely good and perfect service, correct promotion, reliable price policy
Tourism marketing should be done in order to promote the country and local specificity and to
ensure the interaction of cultures.
12. To the question ‘’What is digital tourism marketing according to you?’’ many people
responded. The summary of the most frequent answers is the following:
Armenia All the digital marketing tools that can be used for tourism (SMM, SEO ....),
Marketing through digital technologies and social networks,

15
Digital marketing is the sale of travel packages on a social platform,
Online promotion,
Ensuring visibility on Internet platforms and increasing the volume of sales due to it,
Promotion on social networking sites,
Internet marketing,
Programs aimed at raising the profile of your business on the Internet,
Digital marketing, in my opinion, is the advertisement for the right products, for the right
segment, placed on the Internet, on various websites,
Make digital information available to existing and potential customers by using digital
technologies,
Digital marketing is social networks, platforms, applications, etc., which, as a marketing result,
influence the development of tourism,
Tourism on internet,
Organizing a marketing campaign through digital technologies (social networks, websites),
Social media in tourism.
Bulgaria Marketing through digital technologies and social networks
A tool for “inspiration” - inspiring a traveler to visit a location, inspiring travel plans in customers
and encouraging them to buy travel deals
It helps having reviews about the offered services, as well as attracting new customers when
reading them.
Makes communication with customers easier and helps having some feedback
Using tourism marketing trend and digital tools
Using the vast possibilities of the Internet to promote tourism and services
Online marketing in the tourism industry can help marketers to communicate with customers and
show them the tourist sites and tourism services and hotels
It is a way to inform the public about the tourism services, to inform about its potential, to attract
tourists.
It encourages people to travel
It helps finding and targeting new customers
Using digital marketing strategy to keep good online presence and high reviews, which helps
attracting new customers Promotion on social media networks,
Internet marketing,
Digital marketing, in my opinion, is the advertisement for the right products, for the right
segment, placed on the Internet, on various websites,
Make digital information available to existing and potential customers by using digital
technologies,
Digital marketing is social networks, platforms, applications, etc., which, as a marketing result,
influence the development of tourism,
Organizing a marketing campaign through digital technologies (social networks, websites)
Georgia We use the digital marketing (online marketing) to promote the brand and to connect with
potential customers
In our company the internet and other forms of digital communication is widely used
Our daily work includes not only email, social media, and web-based advertising, but also text
and multimedia messages as a marketing channel
We consider in digital marketing - Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Email Marketing,
Mobile Marketing, etc.
In our company we are building Social Media Marketing Skills and implement content marketing
campaigns
For us it is important Digital Advertising, Content Marketing and other tools of the digital
marketing
We know that digital marketing includes a lot of data analysis and use it in our practice
Digital marketing is one of the most needed skills of today's time and we implement it.
A Digital Marketer uses digital channels to reach customers, build brand awareness, and promote
products and services
We use digital marketing, consequently we use digital media, such as social media or websites
Greece
Turkey I don't think it is very suitable for elderly customers. We still have customers who do not use the

16
internet.
Social media use, websites, online sites and applications
tourism marketing through online platforms. It is a wide field that includes drone footage, videos
and augmented reality experiences, as well as influencer marketing.
It is the strategy of all kinds of businesses in the tourism sector to reach the end consumers in the
fastest way and present their products through social media, which is the most effective
communication and interaction product of today's technology.
To reach people of all ages who can use the internet, related to the field of tourism.
To advertise and promote your activities in the tourism sector on digital platforms.
It is the transfer of the same storytelling to the digital platform
To ensure that guests can complete their programs on digital platforms until they decide to travel
and end their trip.
In the developing internet age, the country or region can be promoted by using digital and visual
communication channels, and thus more than one user can be reached in a short time.
13. Using internet in tourism business
The majority of respondents (74%) use or plan to use internet in their business every day.
Internet in
tourism
business
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 25
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
I never use it 4 13 0 0 1 4 -
Every day 22 74 20 67 23 92 28 94
Once a
month
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3
Few days in
a week
3 10 10 33 0 0 1 3
Other (often) 1 3 0 0 1 4 -
14. Participation at any training in the business field (management, marketing, finance,
etc.) before starting the tourism business
The majority (63%) have never participated at any training in the business field.
People, who has ever participated, mentioned that the trainings were in universities, and
different courses organized by various organizations.
Participation
at trainings Armenia Bulgaria Georgia Greece Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
No 19 63 19 63 13 43 21 70
Yes 11 37 11 37 17 57 9 30
15. Degree in tourism

17
Degree
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 29
respondents)
Percent
Bachelors 4 13 3 10 6 20 6 21
Masters 6 20 4 13 5 17 0 0
PhD 0 0 1 3 1 3 0 0
Vocational
training
0 0 3 10 7 23 1 3
No degree 20 67 19 63 11 37 22 76
The majority (67%) has no degree in tourism.
16. Work experience in tourism sphere before starting the business
Work
experience
in tourism
sphere
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 10
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
No 20 67 6 60 14 47 24 80
Yes (please
specify
where and
how many
years of
experience)
10 33 4 40 16 53 6 20
The majority (67%) had no work experience in tourism sphere before starting their business.
Some of the respondents mentioned that they had worked as a tour guide (5 people), in
tourism agency (2 people), and at a hotel (1 people).
Some of them had from 2 to 8 years of experience.
17. Gaining business skills for running the business
The majority has gained business skills for running the business on the job training and
through consultants.
Gaining
business
skills
Armenia Bulgaria Georgia
Gree
ce
Turkey
Frequenc
y
(Total 30
responde
nts)
(they
could
choose
more
than one
option)
Perce
nt
Frequenc
y
(Total 11
responde
nts)
(they
could
choose
more
than one
option)
Perce
nt
Frequenc
y
(Total 30
responde
nts)
(they
could
choose
more
than one
option)
Perce
nt
Frequenc
y
(Total 30
responde
nts)
(they
could
choose
more
than one
option)
Perce
nt
At
school
0 0 4 36 0 0
1 3

18
On the
job
training
15
50
8
73 8 27
7 24
At work 4 13 5 45 12 40 20 67
Through
consulta
nts
13
43
0
0 4 13
1 3
Online
courses
10 33 0 0 3 10 -
Other
2
7
0
0 3 10 1 3
18. Platforms for business promotion
The majority (80%) uses or plans to use own social media platform for their business
promotion.
Platforms for
business
promotion Armenia Bulgaria Georgia
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondent
s)
(they could
choose
more than
one option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 25
respondent
s)
(they could
choose
more than
one option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondent
s)
(they could
choose
more than
one option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondent
s)
(they could
choose
more than
one option)
Percen
t
Own website
9
30
25
100 11 44 27 90
Own social media
platform
24
80
18
72 11 44 26 86
Tourism
magazines
3
10
0
0 3 12 5 17
Tourism offices
6
20
1
4 0 0 1 3
Local, regional,
national networks
3
10
0
0 3 12 5 17
Local, regional,
national
newspapers
0
0
0
0
2 8
1
3
TV
1
3
0
0 1 4 1 3
Radio
0
0
1
4 0 0 0 0
Online
booking/reservati
on systems
(Booking.com,
Airbnb,
Tripadvisor,
Expedia,Hotel.am
, Allhotels.am,
etc.)
6 20 8 32
2 8 9 30
19. Social media platforms for business promotion
The majority uses Facebook and Instagram for their business promotion.
Social
media
Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent

19
platforms (Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
(Total 18
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
(Total 25
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Facebook
25
83
17
94 16 64 29 97
Instagram
20
67
15
83 15 60 30 100
Twitter
0
0
7
39 8 32 16 53
LinkedIn
1
3
4
22 4 16 14 47
Pinterest
2
7
6
33 0 0 0 0
YouTube
1
3
5
28 4 16 12 40
Snapchat
0
0
3
17 2 8 0 0
WhatsApp
7
23
3
17 3 12 4 13
Signal
0
0
0
0 0 0 0 0
Google
7
23
0
0 6 24 23 77
Telegram
1
3
0
0 0 0 0 0
I do not
use any
social
media
platform
2
7
0
0
0 0
0
0
Other
(please
specify)
0 0 0 0
0 0
0
0
20. Foreign languages for communicating with tourists
The majority may communicate in Russian and English.
Foreign
languages Armenia Bulgaria Georgia Greece Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 21
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
I do not
know any
foreign
language
3
10
0
0 3 10
2 7
Russian
22
73
17
81 24 80 0 0
English
19
63
21
100 23 77 28 93
German
2
7
8
31 2 7 2 7
Spanish
2
7
0
0 0 0 1 3
Italian
2
7
0
0 0 0 0 0

20
French
0
0
0
0 3 10 4 13
Arabic
0
0
0
0 0 0 1 3
21. Running business on their own
The majority of the respondents (94%) run or plan to run their business on their own.
Running
business on their
own
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 10
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 25
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Yes
28 94 9 90 23 92 5
16
No, I am the
owner, but I have
a manager
1 3 0 0 1 4 5
16
Other
1
3
1 10
1 4
20
(Me and my
team)
68
22. Responsibility for the financial activities of the business
The majority of the respondents (80%) is responsible for the financial activities of the
business himself/herself.
Responsibility for
the financial
activities
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Frequen
cy
(Tota 10
respond
ents)
Percent
Frequen
cy
(Total
25
respond
ents)
Percent
Frequen
cy
(Tota 29
respond
ents)
Percent
Myself 24 80 3 30 22 88 6 21
I have an
employee(s) for
that
0 0 4 40 0 0 18 62
My family
members
6 20 3 30 3 12
1 3
Other (please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0
4 14
23. Responsibility for the management activities of the business
The majority of the respondents (80%) is responsible for the management activities of the
Responsibility
for the
management
activities
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 10
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 25
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Tota 30
respondents)
Percent
Myself 24 80 4 40 23 92 9 30
I have an
employee(s)
for that
1 3 0 0 2 8
16 53
My family
members
5 17 6 60
0 0 1 3
Other (please
specify)
0 0 0 0
0 0 4 13

21
24. Responsibility for the marketing activities of the business
The majority of the respondents (64%) is responsible for the marketing activities of the
Responsibilit
y for the
marketing
activities
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 10
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 25
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Tota 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Myself 19 64 7 70 23 92 5 17
I have an
employee(s)
for that
3 10 1 10 2 8 25 83
My family
members
7 23 2 20 0 0 0 0
Other (other
private
company)
1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
25. Participating in decision making process as a staff member
The majority of the respondents (86%) is or will be the owner of the business. Only 2 of staff
members participate in decision making process, the other 2 don’t participate.
Participatin
g in decision
making
process
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Tota 29
respondents
)
Percen
t
Yes 2 7 11 37 3 10 10 34
No 2 7 10 33 2 7 4 14
I am the
owner
26 86 9 30 25 83
15 52
Other (please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0
26. As a staff member being aware of the business policy, financial flows of the business
From the 4 respondents who are not the owner but a staff member, only 1 is aware of the
business policy, financial flows of the business.
Being
aware of
the
business
policy,
financial
flows
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 28
respondents)
Percent
Yes 1 4 4 13 2 7 12 43
No 3 10 17 57 3 10 1 4
I am the
owner
26 86 9 30 25 83
15 54

22
Other
(please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0
27. Marketing steps for attracting national and international tourists
57% of respondents advertise his/her business on social networks, and only 10% does
nothing.
Marketing
steps Armenia Bulgaria Georgia Greece Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 24
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Frequency
(Total 9
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
I do nothing 3 10 0 0 2 7 2 11
I advertise
my business
on the
Internet
11 37 24 100 14 47 10 53
I advertise
my business
on social
networks
17 57 12 50 16 53 10 53
I advertise
my business
at national
and (or)
international
booking
systems
4 13 2 8 4 13 3 16
I print
booklets and
distribute
them at the
airport and
other places
4 13 1 4 1 3 0 0
I participate
in national
and (or)
international
exhibitions
2 7 2 8 3 10 3 16
Other
(please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 3 16
28. Being aware of the characteristics of international tourists (of different nationalities),
their needs
47% of respondents are aware of the characteristics of international tourists, 27% is partly
aware.
Being aware of
the
characteristics
of international
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent

23
tourists
Yes 14 47 15 50 20 67 27 90
No 6 20 4 13 4 13 2 7
I do not know
how I can be
aware of that
2
7
0
0
2
7
0 0
Other (partly) 8 27 11 37 4 13 1 3
29. Cooperation with other bodies in connection with the business activity
50 % of respondents cooperate with private sector in connection with their business activity,
33% cooperates with local self-government bodies.
Cooperation
with other
bodies
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percent
Frequency
(Tota1 30
respondents)
Percent
Local self-
government
bodies
10 33 7 23
7 23 5 17
National
tourism
authorities
(Tourism
Committee)
7 23 0
0 2 7 15 50
Public
administration
bodies
1
3
2
7 1 3 5 17
Non-
governmental
organizations
8
27
3
10 3 10 9 30
International
organizations
5
17
0
0 2 7 18 60
Private sector
15
50
18
60 15 50 12 40
Other (please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
30. Participation in international grant programs
60% of participants have never participated in international grant programs.
Participatio
n in
internationa
l grant
programs
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 10
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Tota1 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Yes 7 23 5 50 10 33 0 0
No 18 60 5 50 17 57 30 100
I am going to
apply
5 17 0 0 3 10 0 0

24
Other (please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
31. Number of people working in the business
33% of respondents had employed staff. The employed staff members varied from 1 to 10.
Number
of people
working
in the
business
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent Frequency
(Total 30
respondents)
Percent
Myself 5 17 0 0 5 17 0 0
Myself
and my
family
15 50 7 23 10 33 0 0
Employed
staff
(please
state how
many)
10 33 23 67 15 50 30
(from 3 up to
350 workers)
100
32. Staff training problems
67% had staff training problems. The staff training problems were connected with the need to
give mainly marketing, computer skills and knowledge of foreign languages.
Lack of trained personnel, the insufficient education system
Staff
training
problem
s
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total
30respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Yes
(please
specify)
20 67 3 30 20 67 4 13
No 10 33 7 70 10 33 26 87
33. Functions of human resource management being accomplished in tourism business
The most popular function of human resource management was Learning & development
(57%), then Recruitment & selection (33%).
Functions of
human
resource
managemen
t
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 9
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t

25
I do nothing 4 13 1 11 4 13 0 0
Recruitment
& selection
10 33 2 22 8 27 17 57
Performance
management
4 13 8 89 2 8 13 43
Learning &
development
17 57 8 89 18 60 22 73
Career
development
8 27 7 78 4 16 1 3
Material
incentives
7 23 8 89 7 23 5 17
Non material
incentives
4 13 7 78 4 13 3 10
Other (please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3
34. Business development problems
The most common problem for business development are marketing (77%) and financial
(70%) problems.
Business
development
problems Armenia Bulgaria Georgia
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 9
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 28
respondents
)
Percen
t
I have no
problems
1
3
0
3 1 3 17 61
Financial
problems
21
70
9
100 25 83 4 14
Marketing
issues
23
77
9
100 21 70 5 18
Lack of
knowledge
on tourism
business
9
30
6
67 5 17 7 25
Problems
connected
with staff
training
8
27
6
67
4
13 4 14
Problems
connected
with the use
of the
Internetand
computer
technologies
7
23
3
33 3 10 6 21
Problems
connected
with the
community
infrastructure
s
4 13 5
56 1 3 3 11
Legislative
issues
3
10
3
33 3 10 2 7

26
Tax issues
2
7
4
44 3 10 2 7
Other (please
specify)
0
0
0
0 0 0 0 0
35. Being involved in decision-making process (connected with tourism sphere) at the
local or state level in policy developing or other processes
The majority (57%) is not involved in decision-making process at the local or state level.
However they did not mention the reasons. 40% is involved and the involvement is connected
with the community budget discussions.
Involvemen
t in
decision-
making
process
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total
30respondents
)
Percen
t
Yes (please
indicate
how often,
what kind of
decisions)
12 40 9 30 18 60 14 47
No (please
specify
why)
17 57 10 33 11 37 13 43
Other (I will
participate)
1 3 11 37 1 3 3 10
36. Being a member of any tourism association
77 % was not a member of any tourism association. Some participants mentioned, that they
are a member of Armenian Association of Professional Guides.
Membershi
p at any
tourism
association
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 28
respondents
)
Percen
t
Yes (please
specify)
7 23 12 40 11 37 22 79
No 23 77 18 60 19 63 6 21
Other
(please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
37. To the question ‘‘What is a business-plan and what sections it usually consists of?’’
many people responded. The summary of the most frequent answers is the following:
Armenia Purpose and means,
Business description, market research, target group selection, financial analysis,

27
It is a unique map for further actions,
A business plan is a detailed plan of your business with clear steps and a schedule,
It has the following main sections: marketing, expenses, profit, attracting investors,
Segmentation, service selection, sales, goal setting,
The business plan is the beginning of creating a business, the main sections are: marketing plan, operational plan,
financial plan,
Working document, which has the following sections: 1․Summary; 2․ The idea of the proposed project; 3․Marketing
plan; 4․Production plan; 5․Organizational plan; 6․Risk assessment and insurance; 7․ Financial plan; 8․ Attachments,
A business plan is a document that includes the steps and sequence through which business is to be promoted. A
business plan is also an important document that the investor sees when deciding whether to invest or not.
The business plan consists of a title page, sometimes a privacy policy, a brief description, the main idea of the project
description, industry market research…
Sequence of steps to start a business, definition of goals, vision. Business Profile, Market Analysis, Organization and
Management, Marketing, Financial Part ․․․
Business idea, key resources, value proposition, customer segment, business processes, key partners, market research,
relationships, ways, costs, beneficiaries, social issues.
Bulgaria Business idea and setting the way to develop it
SWOT Analysis
Mapping the steps to start a business, setting of goals
First steps to start a business. It focuses mainly on: marketing plan, operational plan, financial plan,
Written document describing a company's core business activities, objectives, and how it plans to achieve its goals.
Sequence of steps to start a business, setting of goals, describing a vision.
Business idea, key resources, value proposition, customer segment, business processes, key partners, market research,
relationships, ways, costs, beneficiaries, social issues.
Georgia Business plan is a document setting out a business's future objectives and strategies for achieving them
Working document for business implementation
Business plan is a document for attaining goals, and the time-frame of the business
A business plan is a written document that describes in detail how a business should be developed
Business plan is needed for to create an effective strategy for growth of the company
With business plan it's necessary to determine our future financial needs
It is necessary to have business plan to attract investors
The purpose of a business plan is to help starting our business
Business plan provides insight on steps to be taken, resources required for achieving our business goals
Business plan is working document for the implementation of the companies' strategy
Business plan is steps and sequence according to which business should be developed
Business plan is necessary for starting any business
Business plan contains executive summary, company description, market analysis, organization and management,
service or product line, marketing and sales, funding request, financial projections
Business plan includes a description of your business, an analysis of your competitive environment, a marketing plan
and key financial information
Business plans are important documents used for the external and internal audience of the company
A business plan is a written document that describes in detail how a business should be developed
Business plan is used to attract investment before a company has established a proven track record
business plan is created for an established business that has decided to move in a new direction
A business plan is a written document describing a company's core business activities
Business plans should include an executive summary, products and services, marketing strategy and analysis
Business plan is document according to which company should be developed
A business plan is a fundamental document that any startup business needs to have in place prior to beginning
operations
Business plan should outline all the projected costs and possible pitfalls of each decision a company makes

28
Business plan includes executive summary, founder and business leadership, product or service, distribution and
marketing, co-workers and business coordination, legal form and chances and risks
Greece
Turkey Selecting, Planning, Announcement, marketing
A plan covering all sub-units of a business, including financial, budgetary, sales and marketing, personnel and
organizational charts, in line with the goals to be achieved.
"To create a working process/sections for an action, organization, job etc. to be done. project-work preparation -
material procurement process - working and finalizing 4 parts."
Work flow charts and supervision of their implementation
Air ticket-Hotel-Tour selling, Boutique tour arrangement
"In new product development: What is the product, who does it appeal to, who is the consumer, what is the cost, what
should the price be? Our annual business plan criteria: Occupancy, percentage distribution of costs in total expenses"
To follow up the main requirements of an organization, determining its goals, policy and putting it into writing
It refers to the creation and control of business development and management processes that should be done annually
and periodically.
38. Developing a business plan for the business
Only 47% has ever developed a business plan for their business.
Developing
a business
plan Armenia Bulgaria Georgia
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 10
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Yes
14
47
6
60 17 57 23 77
No
10
33
4
40 7 23 6 20
I do not
have
business
plan
developmen
t skills
5
17
0
0 5 17
1 3
There was
no need to
develop a
business
plan
1
3
0
0 1 3
0 0
Other
(please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0
39. Innovations for developing the business
63% mentioned that they need Innovations in marketing activities, 50% mentioned New
products.

29
Innovations
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 9
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 28
respondents
)
Percen
t
Innovations
in business
model
9
30
6
67 11 37 5 18
Innovations
in
marketing
activities
19 63 9
100 17 57 18 64
Innovations
in staff
managemen
t
3
10
3
33 4 13 7 25
Innovations
in financial
managemen
t
9
30
4
44 8 27 9 32
New
technologies
12
40
4
44 10 33 13 46
Innovations
in service
process
11
37
3
33 12 40 7 25
New
products
15
50
2
22 14 47 5 18
I do not
need any
kind of
innovations
0
0
0
0 0 0 0 0
I do not
know
2
7
0
0 3 10 0 0
Other
(please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
40. The role of Information technologies in the business development
83% mentioned that information technologies may help to attract new partners and new
tourists.
Information
technologies
in the
business
developmen
t
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 10
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
) (they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
To make
the work
easier
21
70
9
90 22 74 16
53
To do
better
marketing
24
80
10
100 25 83 19
63

30
To attract
new
partners
25
83
8
80 27 90 5
17
To attract
new
tourists
25
83
8
80 25 83 9
30
I do not
know
0 0 0 0 0 0 2
7
Other
(please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
41. Marketing steps for business promotion
93% mentioned that for business development they need promotion through social networks,
87% mentioned that they need advertising.
Marketing
steps
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 29
respondents
) (they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Advertising
26
87
10
100 28 93 12 41
Promotion
through
social
networks
28
93
10
100 26 87 15
52
Advertising
with the
help of
celebrities
(influencer
marketing)
15
50
3
30 13 43 8
28
Price
discounts
5
17
4
40 5 17 1 3
Developmen
t of new
products
17
57
7
70 18 60 10
34
Other
(please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
42. To the question ‘‘What are the positive impacts of tourism?’’ many people responded.
Armenia Organization of leisure, recognition of cultural heritage, homeland recognition,
Economic growth, job creation, service sector development year by year, intercultural communication, inflow of
investments, development of infrastructures, etc.
We present our culture, arts and crafts through tourism, and the money received contributes to the development
of the economy.
Tourism stimulates the country's economy, creates new jobs, is a stimulus for balanced development in
communities and reduction of emigration,
Sustainable development in communities,
Intercultural contacts, increase of tolerance in the society.
Popularization of different places, historical and cultural monuments, natural monuments, national customs,

31
different branches of tourism, development of infrastructure, activation of rural communities.
Bulgaria Tourism offers a lot of jobs
It boosts the economy
It offers interactions between people with differing cultural backgrounds, attitudes and behaviors, and
relationships to material goods
Tourism generates income for a variety of businesses and creates a wide range of employment opportunities.
Tourism encourages the protection and conservation of our built and natural environment.
Local traditions and customs are kept alive
Preservation of historical buildings and monuments
Georgia Tourism has the advantage of rebuilding and restoring historic sites and encouraging the revitalization of
cultures
To create more working places
attracting investment and stimulate an additional income
employment growth and the job creation in tourism
improving the standard of living of residents
Preserving the local culture and heritage
Strengthening communities
Provision of social services; commercialization of culture and art
Revitalization of customs and art forms and the preservation of heritage
Tourism can generate positive or negative impacts under economic, social, and environmental categories
Tourism stimulates the growth of wealth, reduction in poverty
Tourism improves standards of living, health, education and infrastructure and technology
Tourism includes robust exchange, increases in income, and GDP growth
Tourism can offer diverse employment opportunities, can be developed with local products
At the individual level, tourism opens the gate to the outside world
Tourism enriches knowledge among people, their customs and traditions
Tourism has an impact on economy, environment and society
The economic impact of tourism can make the population's life easier if we consider the touristic incomes
Social tourism increased family capital
Cultural tourism can therefore help to strengthen identities, improve intercultural understanding and preserve the
heritage and culture of an area
The economic effects of tourism include improved personal income and tax revenue
Tourism increases standards of living, and more employment opportunities
The positive impact of tourism can refer to increase jobs, a higher quality of life for locals, and an increases
wealth of an area where it is conducted
There are economic benefits for local businesses which allows for increased trade among the increased number
of visitors and then develops a variety of local businesses
Tourism can enhance the economy of the region, and creates revenue for the local governments
Greece
Turkey The biggest positive effect is publicity!
To provide foreign exchange inflow to the country, to create employment with various sub-sectors, to introduce
the culture and history of the countries, to enable people to understand each other.
To create regional employment and economic input, to ensure that the natural beauties and values of the regions
are revealed and protected, to be a role model for women, to raise awareness of the people of the region, to
ensure that the young generation stays in regions like ours.

32
Significant contributions to the regional economy
Tourism, when done right, is the best tool for branding a region and its products.
The benefits to the country's national employment are enormous.
I think tourism has numerous positive effects. Foreign exchange inflow to the country, intercultural interaction,
social networking, and the fact that smallest shopkeepers and individuals can benefit from these effects.
43. To the question ‘‘What are the negative impacts of tourism?’’ many people
responded. The summary of the most frequent answers is the following:
Armenia Spread of the virus in Covid-19 conditions,
The spoil of the country's historical and cultural sites and the violation of environmental norms,
Environmental pollution,
Environmental damage, overuse of tourism resources (over tourism) without considering their consequences or
irrational use, implementation of tourism activities that are not in line with the specifics of the region
(settlements, culture, etc.).
Bulgaria Jobs are often seasonal (based on the time of year) and are poorly paid
Prices increase in local shops as tourists are often wealthier than the local population
Congestion and overcrowding
Congested human and vehicle traffic
It can be bad for the environment because of the increased traffic and use of airplanes, cars, buses, etc.
Damage to the natural environment, habitats destroyed to build hotels
Georgia Tourism puts enormous stress on local land use and can lead to soil erosion
Tourism negative social impacts include: social change; changing values; increased crime and gambling;
changes in moral behavior; changes in family structure and roles
The intrusion of outsiders in the area may disturb the local culture and create unrest
Some of the negative environmental impacts of tourism are: increase in water and energy consumption;
increase in pollution (air, water, noise, etc.); destruction of flora and fauna, deforestation; increase in solid
waste; disruption of wildlife behavior and feeding and breeding patterns
It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into the sea,
natural habitat loss
Tourism may require the government to improve the airport, roads and other infrastructure, which are costly
Tourism is leading to decrease in the population of the animals and degradation of their habitats
Tourism can lead to interference and destruction of the wildlife ecosystem
Tourists will interfere with the welfare of the wild animals through their interactions with the animals
Tourism can cause the same forms of pollution as any other industry: air emissions, noise, solid waste and
littering, releases of sewage, oil and chemicals
Tourism can increase mortality, vanity hunts, and poaching
Tourism is one of the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and tourism activity caused spreading of
infection
One of the most significant negative economic impacts of tourism is the decline in traditional
employment which happens when workers move from industries such as farming, mining and fishing into
service jobs in the tourism industry
One of the negative impacts of tourism is over-dependency
Damage to natural or historical culture/monuments
Environmental damage, overuse of tourism resources

33
There are problems with the tourist-host relationship and the destruction of heritage
Tourism can increase pressure on endangered species and heightened vulnerability to forest fires
Coastal areas are often the first environments to experience the detrimental impacts of tourism
Tourism can cause increase in water and energy consumption
There are a range of impacts from hiking, trekking, and camping that directly affect the activity area
Local communities need to be able to fund the tourist demands, which leads to an increase of taxes
The overall price of living increases in tourist destinations in terms of rent and rates, as well as property values
going up
Differences in social and moral values among the local host community and the visiting tourist
Natural resource degradation, pollution, and loss of biodiversity are detrimental because they increase
vulnerability, undermine system health, and reduce resilience
Greece
Turkey Bad advertisement. Failure to keep the promise given to the customer and loss due to exchange rate differences
Environmental damage, carbon footprint and waste of resources due to unplanned growth
Deterioration of natural beauties due to unconscious and excessive use
environmental or air pollution caused periodically depending on the density.
Noise and environmental pollution
Far from sustainability, fabricated tourism rapidly reduces the resources and values of the region, making the
region unattractive in the medium term. Paying attention to environmental factors is vital for sustainable
tourism, like the protection of natural areas and the pollution created, etc.
may have an effect on nature due to the crowd, noise
I do not think that tourism has a negative effect in general. Only the lack of qualified workforce in tourism and
the guest dissatisfaction that may occur in hotels will leave a negative impression on future
reservations/tourists, both locally and regionally, and the possible potential may shift to different locations. In
this regard, it will be beneficial for the country that all components of the tourism sector take dynamic and
necessary actions at all times.
44. Applying the principles of sustainable tourism in tourism business
67% mentioned that they pay attention to environmental issues, 53% contributes to the
development of local culture, 43% contributes to local employment growth.
Principles of
sustainable
tourism
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 9
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
(they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
) (they could
choose more
than one
option)
Percen
t
I do not apply
them at all
0 0 0 0 0 0 3
10

34
I am not
aware of the
principles of
sustainable
tourism
4
13
0
0 4 13 3
10
I pay
attention to
environmenta
l issues
20
67
8
89 20 67 12
40
I contribute to
the
development
of local
culture
16
53
7
78 16 53 7
23
I contribute to
local
employment
growth
13
43
6
67 13 43 12
40
I use
resources
rationally
10
33
8
89 10 33 8
27
Other (please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
Assessment of skills and competences
45. To the question ‘’What do you think are the most important skills to run a tourism
business, and why?’’ many people responded.
Armenia Management and marketing,
Ability to solve problems, ability to understand tourists' expectations, good communication skills,
Be able to motivate your team properly, conduct trainings with guides so that guides never give wrong
information to tourists,
Knowledge,
Targeted promotion,
Excellent knowledge of internal offers and promotion on the Internet,
Be flexible and informed, have a large circle of acquaintances,
Active, knowledgeable, language proficiency, punctuality,
Initiative, politeness, knowledge of languages,
High human qualities, polite approach is always and everywhere the most important,
Creating a business network, providing high quality services, communication culture,
To be knowledgeable, hospitable, to represent not only our guest house but also an entire country, so that they can
come to Armenia again,
The most important thing is to master tourism and business skills at the same time, because one without the other
will lead to the failure of the business, regardless of the strength or interest of the business idea,
Education, experience, marketing knowledge, proper time and financial management.
Bulgaria Excellent Communication Skills
Good time management skills
Hard work
Perfect planning
Ethic
Customer experience
Focus on details
Strategy & Innovation
Administration skills
Systematic planning
Internet skills
Organizational skills
Georgia To have a strong position with regard of ethical principles
good skills of planning, organization and time management
ability to maintain professionalism of personnel in the company
excellent customer service skills, cultural awareness, and flexibility
teamwork

35
paying attention to details, time management, communication, interpersonal skills
ability to motivate a team, to manage client relationships
hospitable to customers so that they can rely on them to satisfy their needs
skills of sales and customer service experience
good leadership skills
ability to create and maintain a professional network
to be strong multi-taskers
customer service skills, networking skills, communication skills, flexibility skills, organizational skills, and
language skills
to have ability to solve problems, to have communications with tourists' and to guess their expectations
solving problems or thinking creatively
verbal communication skills, which are the basis for how you relate to others and convey your feelings and ideas
critical thinking and problem solving, professionalism and strong work ethic, oral and written communications
skills
Communication and networking skills, leadership and management skills
good knowledge of internal offers and appropriately to make the necessary steps
verbal communication, written communication, empathy, creativity, problem-solving, leadership, negotiation
customer service skills, networking skills, communication skills
Greece
Turkey Since tourism is a service sector, communication - courtesy and patience
leadership, being prone to teamwork, empathizing, being passionate, giving importance to human relations, being
durable and flexible when necessary
The most important skill to manage and maintain is to have up-to-date information, to retain successful personnel,
and to ensure the continuity of sales and marketing activities and to create demand.
To impose the vision and mission of the business on its customers and to provide a high level of satisfaction. A
business with only a commercial profit motive will not be sustainable.
Loving what you do
Network and resource ownership. Reaching the sales points and keeping them at low cost
Empathy with the guest, honesty
seeing it first, managing employees with a positive approach, creating a sustainable system
I follow the trends in the global and I see it as the most basic skill to master the hospitality culture.
46. Need to develop competencies and skills in order to make the business more successful
All participants think there is a need to develop their (their staff) competencies and skills.
Need to
develop
competencie
s and skills
Greec
e
Turkey
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Frequency
(Total 30
respondents
)
Percen
t
Yes (please
specify what
30 100 30 100 30 100 16 53

36
kind of skills
or knowledge
do you need
most?)
No 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 47
Other (please
specify)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
The respondents mentioned the following skills and knowledge that they need to develop:
Armenia SEO
professional knowledge to find "long-term" cooperation and partners,
English language
Innovation
business promotion
marketing – advertising
customer engagement
financial management
customer service
doing business
getting idea financing
creating a competitive business plan
expanding tourism knowledge
gaining some entrepreneurial skills
SMM knowledge
Bulgaria communication skills
marketing
financial management
customer service
customer relations
technological skills
advertising
teamwork
staff management
Georgia Business management skills;
teamwork and leadership skills;
communication and listening;
customer service skills;
financial skills;
analytical and problem-solving skills;
critical thinking skills;
strategic thinking and planning skills,
creating successful business plans,
Interpersonal competencies,
engagement/charisma,
delegation,
respect,
sales,
focus,
ability to learn,
business strategy, etc.
Greece
Turkey International marketing, adapting technological developments without delay
Helping in problem solving, knowing the language and thinking quickly, having high sales skills
Financial literacy, strategic thinking
There is a need in technological tools, financial flexibility, staff training and new marketing concepts
It should be innovative and developable in order to compete in the sector according to marketing and current
market conditions.

37
in all areas of tourism
Every level needs knowledge. We need to professionalize our local staff.
thinking positively, improving foreign language skills
Regular participation in vocational training and seminars.

38
47. Evaluating the level of skills
Skills
N How would you rate the level of
your skills?
(Total 30 respondents)
Average rate
How would you rate
the level of your skills?
Average rate
How would you rate the
level of your skills?
Average rate
How would you rate the
level of your skills?
Average rate
How would you rate the level
of your skills?
Average rate
1. Skills for developing long- term strategies
for my tourism business
3.00 3.63 3.23 3.87
2. Skills for developing a business plan for my
tourism business
2.90 3.70 3.07 3.90
3. Financial management skills to operate the
tourism business (knowledge of sources of
finance, pricing, financial planning, profit
and loss, cash flow, etc.)
3.00 4.07 3.17 3.93
4. Marketing skills (knowledge of 7 P’s) 2.73 3.73 2.80 3.83
5. M
Market research skills (SWOT,
Benchmarking, competitor analysis, etc.)
3.00 3.47 3.47 3.93
6. Management skills to run the business
successfully
3.23 3.87 3.07 4.03
7. Skills for building partnerships 3.27 3.63 2.80 3.57
8. Networking and negotiation skills 3.07 4.00 3.07 3.97
9. Knowledge of laws and regulations of the
sphere
2.80 3.17 3.17 3.90
10. Computer skills (MS office) 3.37 4.00 3.47 3.87
11. Digital marketing skills 2.80 3.87 2.80 3.67

39
12. Using web tools for business promotion
(online booking, TripAdvisor, etc.)
2.77 3.90 3.53 3.73
13. Using social media (Facebook, Instagram,
twitter, etc.) for business purposes
(communication, marketing, networking,
etc.)
3.10 4.20 2.73 3.83
14. Ability to use online tools for business
promotion (placing adverts on internet,
using e-mails, blogs, forums, etc.)
3.00 3.70 2.90 3.79
15. Ability to use mobile applications related to
tourism
2.87 3.57 4.00 3.80
16. Knowledge of foreign languages 3.30 4.07 2.90 4.57
17. International marketing skills 2.37 3.07 2.60 4.23
18. E
Exploring and understanding customer
needs and motivations
3.10 3.43 3.43 4.40
19. Understanding USP (unique selling point)
and UBR (unique buying reason)
2.10 2.60 3.33 3.73
20. Skills of creating unique selling point 2.27 2.73 3.17 4.23
21. Tourism services providing skills 3.47 4.5 3.07 4.37
22. Communication skills (to be able to
communicate with a tourist, listen to
him/her, understand his/her problem,
explain or persuade him/her something,
etc.)
3.70 3.80 3.80 4.47
23. Problem solving skills 3.47 3.10 3.10 4.11
24. Administrative skills (making contracts,
monitoring, etc.)
3.03 3.87 2.90 4.38
25. R
Risk taking skills 3.17 3.53 3.03 4.00

40
26. Team-building skills 3.47 4.00 2.73 4.40
27. Time management skills 3.37 3.64 2.80 3.83
28. Decision-making skills 3.57 4.07 3.07 4.62
29. Knowledge of sustainable tourism
principles
3.07 4.27 2.77 3.87
30. Knowledge of tourism ethics 3.33 4.37 2.73 4.50
31. Awareness of local culture and values 3.67 4.37 3.17 4.43
32. Ability to get involved in local community
programs, events
3.43 3.43 2.50 4.37
33. Knowledge on how to support the local
economy and ability to do it
3.33 3.33 4.33 3.80
34. Ability to engage local communities in
business
3.33 2.87 3.00 3.77
35. Knowledge on how to build on local
strengths
3.17 3.47 2.97 3.90
36. Academic knowledge in tourism 3.07 3.40 2.83 3.80
37. Knowledge on tax policy of the sphere 2.90 4.33 3.17 3.83
38. Skills for creating innovative tourism policy 2.77 3.90 3.03 3.83
39. Cooperation skills (with all stakeholders) 3.17 3.80 3.80 3.90
40. Fundraising skills 2.50 3.53 2.60 3.13
41. Knowledge on tourism statistics and
statistical recording
2.60 3.07 3.07 3.67
42. Entrepreneurial skills 3.00 4.00 2.87 4.27
43. Knowledge on social entrepreneurship 2.97 3.33 2.60 3.80

41
44. Social entrepreneurship skills 2.83 3.33 2.90 3.77
45. Tourism product developing skills 3.03 3.60 2.50 3.83
Need to improve the skills
N
Skills
Would you like to improve
these skills?
Percent
Would you like to
improve these skills?
Percent
Would you like to improve these
skills?
Percent
Would you like to improve these
skills?
Percent
yes no
I do
not
know
yes no
I do not
know
yes no
I do not
know
yes no
I do not
know
1. Skills for developing
long- term strategies for
my tourism business
93.3 6.7 0 60.0 40 0 92 8 0
93.3 6.7 0
2. Skills for developing a
business plan for my
tourism business
90.0 10.0 0 6.7 90.0 3.3 92 8 0
93.3 6.7 0

42
3. Financial management
skills to operate the
tourism business
(knowledge of sources of
finance, pricing, financial
planning, profit and loss,
cash flow, etc.)
90.0 10.0 0 90.0 10.0 0 88 12 0
90.0 6.7 3.3
4. Marketing skills
(knowledge of 7 P’s) 93.3 6.7 0 33.3 20.0 46.7 88 12 0
90.0 6.7 3.3
5. M
Market research skills
(SWOT, Benchmarking,
competitor analysis, etc.)
86.7 13.3 0 10.0 40.0 50.0 88 12 0
90.0 10.0 0.0
6. Management skills to run
the business successfully 90.0 10.0 0 76.7 23.3 0 96 4 0
90.0 10.0 0.0
7. Skills for building
partnerships 83.3 13.3 3.3 56.7 16.7 26.7 84 16 0
86.7 13.3 0.0
8. Networking and
negotiation skills 93.3 6.7 0 43.3 30.0 26.7 96 4 0
86.7 13.3 0.0
9. Knowledge of laws and
regulations of the sphere 80.0 16.7 3.3 33.3 50.0 16.7 88 12
90.0 10.0 0.0
10. Computer skills (MS
office) 83.3 13.3 3.3 36.7 16.7 46.7 92 8 3.3
83.3 13.3 3.3
11. Digital marketing skills
100.0 0 0 33.3 20.0 46.7 88 8 4
93.3 3.3 3.3
12. Using web tools for
business promotion
(online booking,
TripAdvisor, etc.)
96.7 3.3 0 60.0 0 40.0 88 12 0
90.0 6.7 3.3
13. Using social media
(Facebook, Instagram,
twitter, etc.) for business
purposes
(communication,
marketing, networking,
etc.)
96.7 3.3 0 26.7 46.7 26.7 88 12 0
80.0 16.7 3.3
14. Ability to use online
tools for business
promotion (placing
adverts on internet, using
e-mails, blogs, forums,
etc.)
93.3 6.7 0 30.0 30.0 40.0 92 8 0
90.0 10.0 0.0
15. Ability to use mobile
applications related to 90.0 6.7 3.3 63.3 33.3 3.3 88 8 4
86.7 10.0 3.3

43
tourism
16. Knowledge of foreign
languages 93.3 6.7 0 70.0 30.0 0 96 4 0
80.0 20.0 0.0
17. International marketing
skills 96.7 3.3 0 0 53.3 46.7 92 8 0
90.0 6.7 3.3
18. EExploring and
understanding customer
needs and motivations
90.0 6.7 3.3 30.0 36.7 33.3 92 8 0
90.0 6.7 3.3
19. Understanding USP
(unique selling point) and
UBR (unique buying
reason)
96.7 3.3 0 46.7 10.0 43.3 96 4 0
86.7 6.7 3.3
20. Skills of creating unique
selling point 96.7 3.3 0 43.3 13.3 43.3 88 8 4
86.7 6.7 3.3
21. Tourism services
providing skills 86.7 10.0 3.3 70.0 0 30.0 92 4 4
86.7 10.0 3.3
22. Communication skills (to
be able to communicate
with a tourist, listen to
him/her, understand
his/her problem, explain
or persuade him/her
something, etc.)
83.3 13.3 3.3 36.7 0 63.3 88 12 0
83.3 16.7 0.0
23. Problem solving skills
83.3 13.3 3.3 36.7 23.3 40.0 88 12 0
86.7 6.7 6.7
24. Administrative skills
(making contracts,
monitoring, etc.)
83.3 16.7 0 0 63.3 36.7 96 4 0
86.7 10.0 3.3
25. RRisk taking skills
86.7 13.3 0 0 66.7 33.3 84 12 4
80.0 10.0 6.7
26. Team-building skills
86.7 10.0 3.3 0 53.3 46.7 92 1 1
83.3 13.3 3.3
27. Time management skills
86.7 10.0 3.3 33.3 20.0 46.7 88 12 0
83.3 10.0 6.7
28. Decision-making skills
86.7 10.0 3.3 46.7 6.7 46.7 92 4 4
86.7 13.3 0.0
29. Knowledge of
sustainable tourism
principles
86.7 10.0 3.3 90.0 0 10 84 16 0
93.3 6.7 0.0
30. Knowledge of tourism
ethics 90.0 6.7 3.3 26.7 40.0 33.3 92 8 0
86.7 6.7 6.7

44
31. Awareness of local
culture and values 86.7 13.3 0 33.3 23.3 43.3 88 12 0
86.7 13.3 0.0
32. Ability to get involved in
local community
programs, events
83.3 13.3 3.3 26.7 26.7 46.7 80 16 4
86.7 10.0 3.3
33. Knowledge on how to
support the local
economy and ability to
do it
86.7 13.3 0 40.0 33.3 26.7 92 8 0
90.0 10.0 0.0
34. Ability to engage local
communities in business 86.7 10.0 3.3 26.7 16.7 36.7 88 12 3.3
93.3 6.7 0.0
35. Knowledge on how to
build on local strengths 86.7 13.3 0 23.3 40.0 36.7 88 12 0
90.0 6.7 3.3
36. Academic knowledge in
tourism 86.7 13.3 0 46.7 36.7 16.7 96 4 0
80.0 16.7 3.3
37. Knowledge on tax policy
of the sphere 83.3 13.3 3.3 40.0 0 60.0 92 8 0
86.7 10.0 3.3
38. Skills for creating
innovative tourism policy 90.0 10.0 0 66.7 0 33.3 96 4 0
93.3 3.3 3.3
39. Cooperation skills (with
all stakeholders) 86.7 13.3 0 40.0 0 60.0 88 12 0
86.7 10.0 0.0
40. Fundraising skills
93.3 3.3 3.3 56.7 0 43.3 92 4 4
83.3 13.3 0.0
41. Knowledge on tourism
statistics and statistical
recording
90.0 10.0 0 23.3 3.33 43.4 92 8 0
83.3 10.0 6.7
42. Entrepreneurial skills
86.7 13.3 0 66.7 3.3 30.0 92 8 0
90.0 10.0 0.0
43. Knowledge on social
entrepreneurship 86.7 13.3 0 56.7 43.4 0 92 8 0
90.0 6.7 3.3
44. Social entrepreneurship
skills 90.0 10.0 0 63.3 36.7 0 92 8 0
93.3 6.7 0.0
45. Tourism product
developing skills 93.3 6.7 0 40.0 0 60.0 92 8 0
90.0 6.7 3.3

48. To the question ‘’What additional skills or knowledge do you need to develop your business?’’
the following answers were gathered:
Armenia Cooperation with international tourism organizations to activate inbound tourism,
New knowledge and skills,
Skills in social entrepreneurship, finance, international, digital marketing,
Basic knowledge of photography,
Ethics of communicating with tourists, service, marketing and sales, restaurant management.
Bulgaria Negotiation & Persuasion skills
Project management Skills
Communication skills
Developing creative skills
Proactivity
Georgia Basic Finance Skills
Networking
Speaking Confidently
Accepting and Acting on Feedback
Recognizing Patterns
Maintaining a Growth Mindset
A proper vision on your tourism business
Know exactly what you want
Question yourself, your plans, your strategy, your business plans and your decisions
Passion and energy
A work ethic
Create an opportunity
Greece
Turkey Good tourism staff
The points indicated (before) above
Following innovations, planning and integrating into my business, making business plan
Being innovative and keeping up with the current technology
Perfect training in all areas
Finding communication channels about incoming, outgoing
Managerial skills, custom made budget and cash flow check-up rates, personnel management, cost
management
constant need for knowledge in education and finance issues
49. To the question ‘’What are your expectations from the upcoming training course?’’ the
following answers were gathered:
Armenia Digital marketing, especially SEO knowledge,
Get more information on how to manage your tourism business properly,
Learn a more professional approach,
Development of knowledge and skills,
Expand my business and develop,
Starting a business with more confident steps, maybe new connections and help,
Creating business connections,
To progress in business through new knowledge,
Increased knowledge, opportunity to become more skilled at work,
Marketing, a course on sustainable tourism,

Implement a business idea after improving the skills,
A more practical and literate approach to business, finance, legislation, as well as new connections in the
business world.
Bulgaria To develop new skills in the field of digital tourism
To learn how to write and implement digital marketing strategy
To learn more about sustainability in the field of tourism
Development of knowledge and skills
Expand my business and develop it
Creating business connections
To learn about trends in tourism and possible implementation
Increased knowledge
To understand how to have active social media presence and good reviews online
Georgia Leadership Skills Masterclass
Executive Leadership Coaching
Successful People Management and Team Leadership
Introduction to supervising a team
Management Training for New Managers
Problem Solving Training
Workforce Resource Planning Training
Strategic planning and thinking
Presentation Skills Training
Effective Communication Skills
Exceptional Customer Service Training
Introduction to Public Relations
Emotional Intelligence
Strategic Planning and Thinking
How to develop professional approaches
Development of business ideas after improving the skills
Greece
Turkey Developing the skills indicated above
To expand the marketing network and to ensure the commercial growth of the business by partnering or
cooperating for tourism purposes.
To make further contribution to our business by completing our deficiencies.
Finding communication channels about incoming, outgoing.
Contributing to the institutionalization of the business and the improvement of the management and
profitability without reducing the service quality
What should we do to equip personnel at the highest level of personnel shortage in tourism? The state should
do training on this matter

DESK RESEARCH
ARMENIA
"Summer & SUN" cultural travel company
‘’When a hobby became a business’’
Co-founders: Sveta Dallaqyan and Sona Hayrapetyan
Svetan and Sona founded the "Summer & SUN" travel company, which is situated in Etchmiadzin -
the holy capital of Armenia. The name of the company was not chosen by chance. Two friends, Sveta
(Summer) and Sona (Sun), decided to set up a cultural travel company, wherever they were, there
would always be a warm summer and sunny atmosphere.
Sveta teaches economics and management at the Armenian State Pedagogical University, also works
as a researcher at Institute of Economics after M. Kotanyan of the National Academy of Sciences of
the Republic of Armenia. She decided to start a business and to invest her research and theoretical
knowledge in business activities for the benefit of the development and improvement of her
community.
Sona is a sociologist-historian, and teaches social science at school, also works at that school as an
event organizer. Sona's organizational skills, knowledge of history, insatiable desire to represent and
glorify the homeland led her to decide to establish a travel company in her beloved historical city.

"Summer & SUN" cultural travel company was founded by 2 co-founders as a LLC in August 2020,
when Armenia like the whole world, had been living with COVID-19 for 6 months.
‘’During that time we all were working remotely, which allowed us to think about how to develop the
community, at the same time using the experience and knowledge gained for our favorite hobby, as
traveling is the hobby for us’’ tell Sona and Sveta.
"Summer & SUN" is engaged not only in organizing entertainment for tourists, but also in discovering
and presenting cultural monuments, national customs and making the city of Etchmiadzin more
recognizable. Tours were organized for a month, everything was going very well when the 44-day
Artsakh war began and the company stopped the tours. But at that time every citizen of Armenia
wanted to be useful to his homeland in some way. The co-founders of "Summer & SUN" got
acquainted with the families displaced from Artsakh to Armenia and started taking them on tours, as
well as presenting the historical and cultural monuments, museums and sights of Etchmiadzin.
And finally the war stopped and the long-awaited spring came and the co-founders found the will,
the strength to overcome the difficulties, decided to resume their tourism activities with new
thoughts, energy and ideas. Now they organize tours for the residents of Etchmiadzin (not only),
including various tourist destinations in Armenia.
The mission of "Summer & SUN" is to introduce and develop tourism culture in Echmiadzin, starting
from the rules of civilized travel, to creating a desire for tourists to take care of the environment.
The goals of ‘’Summer and SUN’’ are to make traveling inside Armenia accessible to the residents of
the community, to bring tourists to Etchmiadzin, to present the city properly, to organize tourism and
cultural events in Etchmiadzin, to create jobs for our citizens by organizing tourism courses, where
young people will get knowledge and skills and have the opportunity to work as a guide in the
company.
The values of "Summer & SUN" are: innovation, homeland recognition, development of cultural and
entertainment tours.
In the future, "Summer & SUN" plans to host foreign tourists, and present Armavir region in several
languages in more interesting and scientific way; to develop hiking tourism based on accessible
routes for the society; to create a corner in Etchmiadzin where old Armenian crafts and activities
(puppetry, pottery, baking process) will be presented, where pupils from all over Armenia and
tourists will visit, get acquainted with old Armenian activities and crafts; organize regular tour-
guiding courses (which are organized at the moment) and hire the best students at ‘’Summer &
SUN’’; as well as expand the geography of existing tourism routes.
According to the co-founders, for the development of any business in the 21st century, digital
marketing and management skills are needed, and they advise the business start-ups in the field of
tourism not to copy, but to do what others do not offer in that community. Every start-up business

must come up with a unique way of discovering the benefits of that community and using them for
the development of their business.
"An entrepreneur is a person who does what others do not do."
Joseph Schumpeter
Address: Armenia, Armavir region, city of Echmiadzin, M. Mashtots 18/53 street,
Phone: +374-96-71-09-99
Email: summerandsun82@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/travelejmiatsin
https://www.instagram.com/summerandsunagency/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yo2eG_jgXw

GLAMPING․ NOVELTY IN TOURISM SPHERE IN ARMENIA
Founder։ Liana Movsisyan
In 2019 in Yenokavan village of Tavush region, located in the north-east of Armenia I initiated the
establishment of the first glamping in Armenia. The project is co-financed by the UN ‘’Integrated
Rural Tourism Development’’ Program. The choice of Glamping location is not accidental, as the
village of Yenokavan is known as an adventure and active recreation center, and adventure tourists
who prefer such a rest, prefer to spend the night in Glamping.
I am a tourism manager by profession, I have a professional education, I have worked in the field of
tourism for many years, I have also taught at the Faculty of Tourism of one of the state universities in
Armenia. Accumulated experience and insatiable desire to engage in leisure activities were the main
motivation to start my own business.
The opening of Glamping was scheduled in March, 2020. However, because of Covid-19, it was
postponed for about four months. At present, the restrictions imposed by Covid-19 remain the main
problem of our activity.
Yenokavan Glamping consists of two domed tents, and we plan to expand our activities in the future
by increasing the number of tents, as well as offering guests lunch and dinner in addition to
breakfast. In this way, the services provided to the guests will increase, due to which the volume of
purchases from the community will increase.
Flexibility and the ability to make quick decisions, the ability to make business connections, as well as
mastering the rules of guest service are crucial for growing a business in the tourism industry.

Currently, it is quite risky to start tourism in Covid-19 conditions, but we are hopeful that tourism will
experience a sharp boom as soon as all restrictions are lifted. For all those who are going to enter the
tourism industry, I would advise to show perseverance, be patient and flexible.
Address: Armenia, Tavush region, Yenokavan village
Phone: +374-93-34-78-88
Email: yenokavanglamping@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/yenokavanglamping
https://www.facebook.com/yenokavanglamping/videos/949118755628241

TANAHAT GASTROYARD
Founder։ Liana Gasparyan
I am Liana Gasparyan and I have been living in Gladzor community of Vayots Dzor for 20 years. In the
garden of my own house I am engaged in gardening, viticulture, growing vegetables and cattle
breeding. I am a hairdresser by profession and a skilled cook. I have a ‘’delicious hand’’, as my guests
say.
Last year the idea arose to turn the hobby into a small business. I bought fruits from my neighbour,
collected fruits from my garden, made jams and dried fruits in my small kitchen, and put them up for
sale through my Facebook business page – Tanahat.
Through that page I got to know different guides and one fine day a group of Indian tourists
returning from a tour of Jermuk, led by a guide came to my house to taste tea and dried fruits. My
delighted guests suggested: "Why don't you offer dinner?" "Your house is comfortable and clean."
They called their families, told them about us, and told me that they would return to our house with
their families again to have a dinner in our Armenian cuisine. I did not refuse them, gave my business
cards, we exchanged contacts, and they took pictures and videos with them. My daughter played
Qanun (musical instrument) for them, and they were very happy with it.
I started to implement the idea with what I had. I had wooden boards in the house, which I gave to a
craftsman and ordered a 3-meter table with its chairs. I bought dishes, comfortable wine tasting
glasses, etc. Gradually I started accepting groups of 6-7 people, offering them lunch, wine tasting,
besides, I sell my dried fruits and jams among the guests. My children love to present Armenian
songs and music to their guests. David, a drummer from the neighboring Getap community,
integrated into our family business, who studies in my children's ensemble, which attracts tourists.

I plan to expand and develop my business. We made logs out of poplar wood to build a swing and
closed pavilion in our wonderful garden to protect it from the rain, as I serve dinner in the garden. I
will build a fruit dryer under the sun so that my guests can also take part in the master classes in
making dry fruits.
We organize lavash baking master classes. In addition, I have done halva making master classes for a
group of 12 people from Russia.
I serve barbecue made in Armenian tonir.
What fascinates my guests the most is that they pick the fruit with their own hands according to the
season and enjoy it in our garden, lying under the trees.
My son is currently learning English to communicate with guests.
I still have many wonderful ideas to implement, I wish to have my own contribution to the
development of our community. At the same time I try to apply for various grants, through which I
will be able to expand my business. I do not provide accommodation yet, although my guests have
offered a lot, but if I receive a grant, I will organize it in the future.
The name of our gastroyard is connected with Tanahat monastery, which is 6-7 km away from our
community. It is very beautiful, loved by tourists, and we also decided to value our historical and
cultural monuments and present them to the tourist. We collect herbs from the fields adjacent to
Tanahat Monastery, make herbal teas such as thyme, chamomile, types of greens such as asparagus,
lilies, etc, to entertain special tourists.
Who wants to be engaged in rural tourism and has an area, taking into account my own little
experience, I advise them to take a step, to start without fear, to start with what they have, and to
develop it slowly.
I overcome the difficulties with love, for the realization of the idea, for the development of our
community.
Address: Armenia, Vayots Dzor region, Gladzor village, street 3, house 19
Phone: +374-98-50-23-11
https://www.facebook.com/TANAHAT-%D4%B9%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%A1%D5%B0%D5%A1%D5%BF-
108648434835596/?ref=page_internal

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1724721261250725

Wonderful Armenia Tour Agency
Founder: Marine Gevorgyan, PhD in History, Associate Professor
Wonderful Armenia travel agency was founded in 2022 in Yerevan.
Tours are organized for incoming and domestic tourists in Armenia and
Artsakh.
Being in the academic base of tourism, I decided to get involved in the
tourism business as well. I have been teaching ‘’Tourism Resources
Management’’ at the Academy of Public Administration of the Republic
of Armenia since 2017, and I decided to transfer my knowledge and
experience to the business sphere. Being a patriotic person, I want to present my homeland to
everyone, so I decided to organize tours, and to present the tourist attraction, culture, history, national
cuisine of Armenia.
The main problems of the business are related to the post-covid period, as the tourist flows have not
been completely restored yet. Now we are trying to expand our marketing activities through digital
marketing and social networks.
I cooperate with guest houses and gastro-yards operating in different regions, trying to contribute to
the development of local communities. There are gastro-yards almost
everywhere, presenting the national cuisine of the given rural community,
which is very welcome.
Our tours include not only visits to historical and cultural sites, but also
participation in festivals.
When choosing a guide, we pay attention not only to knowledge, but also to
the following skills: teamwork, quick orientation in a difficult situation,
stress resistance, and most importantly, the ethics of guest service.
To all those who want to start their own business, I would recommend
starting a business by studying the market, developing a business plan, and
selecting qualified staff.
The key to the success of my business is that I am a historian, I train my
guides myself to be sure of the content information they give to the tourist.

https://www.facebook.com/wonderfularmeniatour
phone: +37491200531
email: wonderfularmenia2022@gmail.com

BULGARIA
VILLA JOY
Founder: Mironka Todorova
Mironka Todorova has gone through the long and difficult journey of a woman entrepreneur in the
field of tourism, having started it during the previous regime in one of the most prestigious hotels of
that time. At Grand Hotel Varna she started in the innovative IT field - as a director of the computer

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