Cross border potentials to develop women entrepreneurship

CROSS BORDER POTENTIALS TO DEVELOP WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN TOURISM INDUSTRY
CROSS BORDER POTENTIALS
TO DEVELOP WOMEN
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
IN TOURISM INDUSTRY
RECOMANDATION:
Establishing RCWTE represents a MUST; including
advocacy; sensitizing and
educating key stakeholders;
promotion of enterprise to
women; development of
training programs and business
support; sourcing of expert advice
and guidance; research;
developing linkages in
women’s enterprise
beyond Shkoder; establishing
strong networks for women in
business and developing new spin-off initiatives and
developing “third man” practice.

CROSS BORDER POTENTIALS TO DEVELOP
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN TOURISM
INDUSTRY
Tourism Industry
The term “Tourism industry” first appeared in 1960. The idea of having an industrial form of
tourism was difficult to determine because many retailer businesses serve both tourist and
non-tourist clients. Therefore making the retailers part of two different industries. As a
result “tourism industry” even today broadly signifies the collection of businesses,
organizations and other resources that foster through providing services, the activity of
tourists. Such as travel agencies, tour operators etc. (Jafari, 2003, pp. 305-306)
The importance of tourism
In this last century, we have witnessed an increasing interest of the population, directed
towards finding ways to spend their free or leisure time. Therefore the tourism industry has
been constantly growing hence taking an increasing importance in our lives.
According to UNWTO:
“Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of
people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or
business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either
tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their
activities, some which imply tourism expenditure.” (n.d.a)
Tourism today is seen as one of the most vibrant and dynamically developing branches of
economy in the majority of the world.
Tourism industry plays an important role in the world economy. It constitutes quite an
important part of the global transactions.
On the other hand, Tourism is not just economy and cold data. It has its human and spiritual
dimension. Tourism incites the human imagination. Tourism activities know no boundaries:
they can be local or global. Tourism affects the economy and the environment in which it
occurs, it influences the society that tries to benefit from it, but it also influences the tourist
itself.
Therefore, properly handling and managing it is of much concern not only to the individual
businesses that profit from it, but also for governments and to the societies, which are
involved in it.
Page (2007), in his publication illustrates with the following list of factors, why tourism
assumes such an important role, individually and globally.
Tourism is a discretionary activity. This means that people do not have to participate in

tourism activities, differently from basic needs such as eating or drinking which can be
considered as a must.
Tourism is of growing economic significance.
Many governments see tourism as offering new employment opportunities.
Tourism is increasingly becoming associated with quality of life, because it creates the
opportunity to escape from the everyday complexity and stress of life.
Tourism is being seen as a basic right in the developed, Westernized industrialized countries.
In some less developed countries, tourism is being advocated as a possible solution to
poverty.
Holidays are a defining feature of non-work for many workers.
Global travel is becoming more accessible in the developed world for all classes of society.
Consumer spending on discretionary items such as travel and tourism is being perceived as a
less costly item in household budgets.
Technology such as the internet has made booking travel-related products easy
Tourism Dimensions
Economic impact of tourism
Tourism sector development most of the time is synonymous with an improvement of
infrastructure, inflow of currency and lower unemployment. This is accomplished through
influencing many different aspects and sectors of the economy.
The world travel and tourism council WTTC (2013) recognizes that Travel & Tourism total
contribution to the economy goes beyond the industry’s direct contribution, therefore
adding to the total contribution of T&T factors like indirect contribution and induced
contribution. (p.2)
The table below shows the elements included in the three different factors creating the T&T
total contribution to the economy.
Table 1: Elements of T&T contribution to the economy
Source: World Travel and Tourism Council-WTTC. Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2013 World. Retrieved from
http://www.wttc.org/, 2013, p.2)

According to the world travel and tourism, council (WTTC) (2013) based on 2012 prices: The
direct contribution of the travel & tourism industry in 2012 to the world GDP amounts to
US$ 2.1 trillion while at the same time creating 101 million jobs.
Meanwhile the combined direct, indirect and induced impact of the Travel & Tourism
industry total economic contribution in 2012 is estimated at US$ 6.6 trillion in GDP, based
on 2012 prices. It also created 260 million jobs; US$ 760 billion in investment and at the
same time US$ 1.2 trillion in exports.
The overall contribution represents 9% of the total global GDP in 2012, one out of every
eleven jobs was created from this industry, 5% of the overall global economy investment
and 5% of world exports. By 2023, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to the total
economy is forecast to reach a level of US$ 10.5 trillion in GDP and have nearly 340
million jobs. While in 2013 the total contribution to the economy was at USD 6.8
trillion in GDP and 266 million jobs. (pp.1-7)
Chart one and two graphically illustrates the progressive augmentation in the level
of T&T industry contribution to the global GDP, starting with 2012, continuing with
2013 and finishing with the forecast for 2023.
Chart: Total contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP
http://www.wttc.org/, (2013, p.3)

Chart: Total contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment
http://www.wttc.org/, (2013, p.4)
The data mentioned above prove irrefutably the present and future importance of tourism
for the global economy, making tourism a subject worth researching in depth.
Social Impact of Tourism
Tourism does not affect only the economy but it also can result in a significant social
influence.
According to United Nations Environment Program (2002, pp. 1-2) traveling can be a force
for peace. Traveling brings a chance for people to interact between each other and
therefore creating the bases for cultural and mutual understanding, which in return reduce
the level of prejudice.
The sympathies created during this social interaction contribute in lowering the tensions
worldwide.
In the first Global Summit on Peace through Tourism (Nov. 2000), 450 world leaders of the
travel and tourism industry ratified the "Amman Declaration" recognizing T&T as a global
peace industry. This shows how important tourism can be in building peace.
Tourism also helps in strengthening communities. The development of tourism can
contribute in revitalizing festivals and local events through an increasing demand brought in
from tourists therefore rejuvenating and renewing the public, which normally would be only
locals. Tourism can also help through lowering the level of emigration from rural areas by
creating new job opportunities for the local population. (ibid)
As mentioned earlier, it is difficult to determine tourism as an industry serving only one
group of customers namely tourists, because it involves a wide range of products and
services used from both locals and tourists as well. For this reason, facilities developed for
tourism can serve at the same time also local communities.
Cultural and traditions revaluation can be considered another social contribution of tourism.
Tourism can boost the preservation and transmission of cultural and historical traditions
through developing specific regional and cultural products.
T&T industry also helps in raising local awareness in the financial value of natural and
cultural sites therefore stimulating a feeling of pride in local and national heritage while
increasing interest in its conservation. (ibid)
Environmental impact of tourism
The environment is a very important factor in tourism development, therefore protecting it
is crucial for a prosperous tourism industry.
However, tourism industry development may result in the depletion of the environment
through road construction, infrastructure development, tourism facilities and mass tourism.
The environmental deterioration occurs most of the time when the number of visitors is
higher than the environment can handle. If conventional forms of tourism activities are
developed in an uncontrolled way, these activities may result lead to soil erosion, higher
levels of pollution, discharges of grey waters into the sea, etc. (Kruja, 2012, pp. 207-208 )
Best Practices in the Tourism and Travel Industry
Nowadays almost every country in the world tries to compete in the growing T&T industry.
The travel & tourism competitiveness index is key in assessing a country’s T&T sector
attractiveness. This index is based on fourteen pillars, which are considered crucial for the
competitiveness of the whole sector. The pillars are:

1. Policy rules and regulations; 2. Environmental sustainability; 3. Safety and security; 4.
Health and hygiene; 5. Prioritization of Travel & Tourism; 6. Air transport infrastructure; 7.
Ground transport infrastructure; 8.Tourism infrastructure; 9. ICT infrastructure; 10. Price
competitiveness in the T&T industry; 11. Human resources; 12. Affinity for Travel & Tourism;
13. Natural resources; 14. Cultural resources
(Blanke & Chiesa, 2013, p. 5)
As you can see in Table below, the top ten countries in T&T sector competitiveness for 2013
are Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, France, Canada,
Sweden and Singapore.
Table: The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2013 and 2011 comparison
Adopted from: Blanke, Jennifer. Chiesa, Thea. The travel & tourism competitiveness report
2013: Reducing barriers to economic growth and job creation. Retrieved from The World
Economic Forum website: www.weforum.org/ttcr (2013, p.5)
While the top three positions for 2011 and 2013 are held from European flags, the
difference is that for both years first and second place was held from Switzerland and
Germany. Meanwhile in 2013 Austria went one place up from fourth position to the third
taking France’s place which in 2013 fell in seventh position. Table 3 graphically shows the
top three performing economies per pillar

Table 2: Top three performing economies per pillar
Adopted from: Blanke, Jennifer. Chiesa, Thea. The travel & tourism competitiveness report 2013: Reducing
barriers to economic growth and job creation. Retrieved from The World Economic Forum website: www.weforum.org/ttcr
(2013, p.13)
In table three, one can clearly see the rankings economies demonstrating the top three
performances for the 14 pillars of the TTCI.
Singapore, Hong Kong, and New Zealand are evaluated as the top three countries with the
best policy
rules and
regulations.
These economies have the most attractive policies focused in developing the T&T sector
including proactive policies in attracting foreign investments as well as a minimum of red
tape required in starting new businesses.
Sweden, Switzerland, and Finland hold the top three positions in the environmental
sustainability pillar. These countries have a stringent and well enforced legislation with a
specific focus on developing tourism in a sustainable way. These countries are also joined in
the top ten list for good environmental protection policies from Germany, Denmark, Austria,
Finland, Norway, and Ireland.
European countries perform on a high level in the area of safety and security as well, with
Finland and Switzerland leading at the top while several others follow in the top 10 list.
These countries have some of the lowest levels of crime and violence, and at the same time

all of them benefit from an effective police force.
Tourism Industry Components
According to Kotler, Heider and Rein (1993) tourism is composed of a mix of components
otherwise called the “four a’s” which include attractions, amenities, access and ancillary
services. These are supposed to be the main pillars of the tourism product (p. 19).
This product is then serviced from businesses participating in the tourism industry. The
Tourism industry in itself is mainly oriented towards service and people. This industry is
composed of businesses and organizations, which take part in many other industries and
sectors because of the inter-sector nature of tourism. The interplay between these
businesses ultimately creates the tourism product. (Blanke & Chiesa, 2013, p. 7)
The tourism industry is composed of hospitality related businesses, like accommodation
catering dining, the transportation system, attractions itself, Travel agents, Tour operators,
Tourist information and guiding services. The components of the tourism industry are
shown in Figure 4
Figure 1: Components of the tourism industry
Source: Travel Tourism & Hospitality. (n.d.). Decide with Confidence.
http://www.dnb.co.in/Travel_Tourism/Indian_Travel_and_Tourism_Industry.asp
SMEs are the principal businesses exercising their activity in the tourism industry.
Specialized travel service providers assist tourists with travel arrangements. These providers
including travel agencies are businesses concerned with directly retailing the tourism
product to the end buyer, which can be individuals or groups. Their focus is in providing
consulting and information to the customer on different possible travel plans. On the other
hand, their services include a range of other minor products associated with tourism such as
insurance, car hire, and currency exchange.
Business travel agencies have as their main business focus the arrangements of travel and
accommodation for business travelers and at the same time, they promote conference
trades.

Tour operators supply the market with already prepared packages for individuals while also
providing basic services for travel and tourism relating activities.
According to OECD.org (2001)
“Tour operators are businesses that combine two or more travel services (e.g., transport,
accommodation, meals, entertainment, sightseeing) and sell them through travel agencies
or directly to final consumers as a single product (called a package tour) for a global price.
One of the most important component of the travel and tourism industry can be considered
‘attractions’ because most of the time they are the reason for visiting a country. In this
category can be included a range of attraction starting from natural continuing with
educational and finishing with cultural. The tourist information and guidance offers a bright
gamma of service providers such as those offering insurance, banking services; government
agencies; tour guides, ticketing agent etc… (ibid)
An Outlook into Albanian Tourism Industry
Some facts about Albania
Albania is a small country situated in the east across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. It borders
with Montenegro and Kosovo on the north, Macedonia on the east, and Greece on the
south.
Albania has a population of approximately 2,8 million inhabitants, from which
approximately 1,5 million live in the urban areas meanwhile the rest of the population lives
in the countryside engaged principally in agricultural Activities. (INSTAT, 2013)
The country’s total surface area is: 28,748 sq km, out of which 27,398 sq km are land and
1,350 sq km are water. The terrain is mostly, made up of mountains and hills but it also
offers small plains along the coast. (Central intelligence Agency, n.d.)
Albania offers a lot of natural beauty and resources, very high and majestic mountains,
beautiful lakes and streams, more than 362 km of mesmerizing pristine white sand beaches,
and important deposits of different kinds of minerals (oil, copper, nickel, chromium, coal,
etc.) (Luthans & Lee, 1996).
Figure: Map of Albania Source
Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). The World Factbook.
Retrieved January 20, 2014, from
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-
factbook/geos/al.html
A few interesting facts about Albania are:
Albania hosts one of the largest lagoons in the
Mediterranean called “Karavasta Lagoon”.
The first printing house ever build in the Balkans
was established in 1720 in Voskopoja, in eastern
Albania.
Mother Teresa was an ethnic Albanian and her
given name was Gonxhe Bojaxhiu. There for
nowadays the main airport of Albania, the main
University and many squares are named after
her.
The prestigious Lonely Planet ranked Albania as the number one recommended destination
to visit on 2011.
Albania Hosts three of the most important lakes of the Balkan Peninsula.
Shkoder Lake, in northwestern part of Albania with an area of 370 km² is the largest lake in

the Balkan Peninsula. Ohrid Lake in the southeastern part of Albania with a maximum depth
of nearly 300 m is the deepest lake in the entire Balkan Peninsula, while
Prespa Lake is the highest tectonic lake in the Balkans with an altitude of 853 m. (National
Tourism Agency, n.d.)
A brief history of tourism in Albania
The first signs of tourism in Albania can be observed during the end of 1920. It was the first
time Albania was able to face itself with tourism as an independent country after being
under the Ottoman Empire for a very long period of five centuries.
Some of the main tourist attraction during this time where, the thermal baths of Durres and
Pogradec while Korca, Thethi, and Kruja were attractive because of their climate and
unspoiled environment. During this time, tourism was a privilege only for the rich elite.
(Mecaj, 1999, p.14)
In 1944 after the Second World War, the country entered into the communist era. During
this time, the dictator of Albania was Enver Hoxha. Because of its communist style regime
the country had relations manly or in some cases only with the communist east bloc, that is
why most of the tourists were principally coming from the communist Eastern Europe. The
main reason for allowing tourists in the country was propaganda and not the economical
profit. The idea behind it was showing off the wonders of communism as a system. That is
why tourists visiting the country while the dictatorship was on charge were not allowed to
mingle with the locals because they did not want the tourists to see the reality behind the
curtains.
After Hoxha’s death in 1985 the tourism situation became more relaxed and the flow of
tourism started growing. (Miha, 2004, pp.47-48)
Tourism in Albania was managed and supervised from an Association called “Albtourist” for
almost 40 years starting with year 1955. (Ministria e zhvillimit te territorit dhe turizmit,
2001, p.1)
Meanwhile from 1998 and ongoing the institution in charge of the tourism industry is called
“KZHT” (Comity of tourism development) (Ministria e Zhvillimit Urban dhe Turizmit, n.d).
Tourism Industry Impact on the Albanian Economy
Tourism industry in many countries is considered one of the top industries contributing in
the growth of the economy; the same is true for Albania.
This is why for the Albanian government tourism is a strategic sector. (Ministria e Zhvillimit
Urban dhe Turizmit -Albania, n.d.)
The importance of Tourism for the Albanian economy is backed up from statistical data.
Chart: Percentage in total contribution of
Tourism to Albanian GDP Source: World Travel &
Tourism Council-Albania. (2013). Travel and Tourism Economic
Impact Albania.
Meanwhile the total contribution of the Tourism
industry to the employment in Albania was
amounting at 183,500 jobs in 2011 which was
making up for 19.8% of total employment, rising
by 3.7% in 2012, which amounts for 190,000 jobs
created or otherwise 20.0% of the total
employment.
By year 2022, Travel & Tourism forecast is to

create 242,000 jobs amounting for 22.5% of total employment as shown.
Chart: Direct Contribution of T&T to employment in Albania.
Source: World Travel & Tourism Council-Albania.
(2013). Travel and Tourism Economic Impact Albania.
Retrieved from
htp://www.wttc.org/site_media/uploads/
downloads/albania2013.pdf, p. 3)
Albania’s world ranking for 2011 was at
29th
position concerning T&T total
contribution to GDP with 21.8%
contribution to GDP, well above the
world average, which was at 14%. T&T
total contribution to employment in
Albania was ranked at 29th
place in the
world as well, hitting a 19.8%
contribution to total employment while
the world average is set at 13.6%.
(World Travel & Tourism Council, 2012, p. 8-9)
The world ranking statistics shows one more time how important T&T industry is to the
Albanian economy, making it an industry of special relevance to the economy worth
researching and investing in.
General Aspects of Tourism in Albania
Situation of Tourism in Albania
Albania has been experiencing a progressive increase in the number of tourists in recent
years. The number of tourists visiting Albania as shown in table 3 has been constantly
growing from roughly 1.1 million visitors in 2007, to 3.5 million visitors in 2012
Table: Number of visitors visiting Albania
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Years
1,126 1,419 1,856 2,418 2,932 3,514 Visitors in
thousands
Source: INSTAT.b (2013). Hyrja në kufi e shtetasve të huaj sipas mënyrës së udhëtimit (1995 2012).Retrieved from INSTAT:
http://www.instat.gov.al/al/themes/turizmi.aspx?tab=tabs-5, p.1)
This is a sign showing one more time the importance that tourism has for Albania.
Therefore, with a decision from the Council of Ministers (VKM) on June 21st, 2006 the
government of Albania decided to base its tourism strategy on the development of natural
and environmental tourism which is one of the main pillars of tourism market development
in Albania.
Because of this decision, an action plan was created, based on three main principles:
The development of sustainable, tourism
The sustainable growth and development of cultural tourism, as well as the undertaking of
positive long-term plans, with the aim of increasing the number of tourists.
The need of recognition and investment in the cultural tourism sites.
(Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports, Albania, 2008, p. 1)

Main Types of Tourism in Albania
The tourism market is composed of six different tourism products and two subcategories as
shown in the figure below.
Figure: Types of tourism
Source: Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports, Albania. (2008). Sector strategy on tourism 2007 – 2013, p. 9)
The following kinds of tourism are the main tourism products of Albania:
Sun and beach tourism, special interest tourism, business and conference tourism
Special interest tourism normally includes natural tourism, ecotourism and adventure
tourism (ibid).
This kind of tourism is considered as a niche market, which comprises different special
interest travel forms, and it has become very famous over the years in the tourism industry.
These niche markets are not limited, but some of them are considered main categories of
special interest tourism because they have become sustainable over the years. The special
tourism main categories can be considered as the following:
Adventure tourism; Rural Tourism; Cultural tourism; Religious tourism; Ecotourism; Culinary
tourism; Wildlife tourism; Heritage tourism; Medical tourism (Kruja & Gjyrezi, 2011, p.79-
80).
Vision and Guiding Principle of the Albanian Tourism Strategy
The vision for tourism development in Albania for year 2013 according to the plan of action
for the development of cultural and environmental tourism in Albania (2006) was the
following:
“Albania is a safe, high-value tourism destination featuring an unparalleled variety of world-
class, natural and cultural attractions in a small geographic area, managed in an
environmentally and socially responsible manner, easily accessible to European tourism
markets.” (As cited in Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports, Albania, 2008, p. 17)
The main guiding principle in achieving the vision and the strategic objectives for the
development of tourism in Albania is the sustainable development of tourism in this
country.
Sustainable development is considered as essential to the development of tourism
worldwide. The way in which natural, cultural and human resources will be developed is
crucial to the long-term sustainable development of the tourism industry. Short-term
benefits that have a negative impact on the environment should be avoided.
The principle of sustainable development for the Albania industry is divided in three sub-
principles:
Ecological sustainability – is supposed to make sure that development of tourism should not
harm or jeopardize the preservation of vital ecological processes, biological biodiversity and

biological resources.
Social and cultural sustainability – means to take care that tourism development is in the
same wavelength with the culture and values of the people hosting it, and at the same time
it is supposed to preserve and strengthen community identity by increasing people’s control
over their own life.
Economic sustainability – means making sure firstly that the development is economically
efficient and at the same time the sources are properly managed to create a bright future
for the generations to come (ibid).
Albanian Tourism related to its Neighboring Countries
There are two levels of competition in tourism. The first one is competition between tourist
destinations and the second one occurs among countries or regions. When considering
countries
as the level to be analyzed, it can be said, that recently, there has been a significant increase
in the extent of competition between countries, created by factors such as the reduction of
transportation costs and the ICT revolution. (Matias, Nijkamp, & Sarmento, 2011, p.31)
According to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports, Albania (2008), Macedonia,
Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia are considered competitors of Albania in the tourism
industry (p.7).
Albania is the penultimate in the general index of T&T competitiveness compared to its
neighboring countries, leaving behind only Serbia while Macedonia is very close, surpassing
Albania only by 2 points in the general index (Table 4). It is clearly seen that the sub index in
which Albania performs the poorest is the business environment and infrastructure index,
which shows that Albania needs investments in infrastructure and improvements in
business facilities.
Croatia is the leader in this group of countries ranked 35 out of 140 countries worldwide.
Table: Travel and Tourism competitive index 2013 for Albania, Macedonia, Serbia,
Montenegro and Croatia
General Index Regulatory
Framework
Business
environment
and
infrastructure
Human,
Cultural and
natural
Resources
Country Ranking Ranking Ranking Ranking
Albania 77 63 90 63
Macedonia 75 57 74 100
Serbia 89 74 81 109
Montenegro 40 34 50 47
Croatia 35 42 39 42
Adapted from: Blanke, Jennifer. Chiesa, Thea. (2013). The travel & tourism competitiveness report 2013: Reducing barriers to economic growth
and job creation. Retrieved from The World Economic Forum website: www.weforum.org/ttcr, p. xviii)
S.W.O.T Analyses of Albanian Tourism Offer
To have an in depth overview of the situation of tourism in Albania a SWOT analyses is
needed. The SWOT analysis consists of two factors: The external environmental analysis
and the internal environmental analysis. (Kotler, Bowen, & Makens, 1999, p.86-89)
The Author has also made use of further sources that have already conducted such an
analysis, so that the end result will involve many different perspectives and studies done on

the matter, in order to create a holistic view of the situation.
Strengths:
In this subchapter are expressed in bullet points all the strengths of the Albanian tourism
industry that have been previously studied plus an input from the authors perspective.
Strengths of the tourism industry in Albania could be considered the following:
3 World Heritage Sites – Butrint, Gjirokaster and Berat
8000 years of heritage with extensive range of remains from Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine,
Venetian, Ottoman and Communist times
Unique musical heritage – polyphony
Distinctive, organic cuisine
Emerging rural tourism product range
Range of high quality museum collections – iconography, photography, etc.
Strong and distinctive handicraft sector
Distinctive traditional cuisine based on quality natural products
Friendliness of the people
Religious diversity and tolerance
(UNDP-Albania, 2010, p. 24)
Long, wide sandy beaches
Rich flora and fauna
High mountain zones, not yet explored
Part of the Adriatic and Ionian Coast line
Short flying distance from most of the biggest European capitals
Access by boat
Long sunny summers,
Population has very god knowledge of foreign languages
High level of education
(Miha, 2004, p. 54)
Competitive price range
A traditional culture of hospitality
The respect and appreciation for foreigners visiting the country by the local population.
(Lacej, Arnil 2014)
There are no visa requirements, which facilitates the foreigners entrance
(Kruja, 2012, p. 211)
Weaknesses:
Increasingly peaked tourism season – 50% of visits in July / August
Negative images – litter, pollution, poverty, etc.
Poor inter-institutional collaboration
Lack of skill, funding and continuity in destination marketing
Majority of attractions poorly presented and interpreted
Lack of consistency in tourism marketing – both in personnel and activity
No licensing of tour guides
Lack of legislation and/or weak implementation resulting in uncontrolled and inappropriate
development
No quality control of accommodation and restaurants due to lack of registration scheme.

Poor transportation and road infrastructure
Poor or lack of tourist information or points
No secondary airports (no opportunity for low cost flights)
Lack of large tourism resorts
(Miha, 2004, p. 54 )
Poor health system
Poor to negative perception of safety level in the country
Unprofessional police force (compared to the EU standard)
(Lacej, Arnil 2014)
Insufficient dialogue within stakeholders for sustainable development of tourism sector
Lack of investments by government, local institutions & businesses enterprises
(Kruja, 2012, p. 212)
Opportunities:
Network of Albanian embassies abroad
Influential Diaspora in main source markets
Interest in Europe’s “unknown” country
Improving visitor data collection system
Foreign media keen to discover this little known country
Location – the close proximity to Western European markets
Tourism development as an important tool for economic development
Creation of a chain of high quality tourism product
Development of rural tourism
Nautical tourism
Development of business tourism
Use of online platforms
Development of eco-tourism
(Miha, 2004, p.57)
Huge potential for developing Agro tourism
A single tourism product package including: Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro
Development of outdoor and adventure tourism
Day trips to Albania from tourists visiting the neighboring countries
(Lacej, Arnil 2014)
Foreigners are curious to visit Albania, after the fall of half-century lasting communism
(Kruja, 2012, p. 211).
Threats:
Illicit development
Failure to introduce and enforce regulations – accommodation, heritage conservation,
pollution, etc.
Competition particularly from other Balkan Destinations

(Miha, 2004, p. 57)
Lack of stability in the country
High competitiveness from neighboring countries like Croatia, Montenegro and Greece
Failure in creating higher safety standards
Failure to train and retain highly qualified human resources in the sector.
(Lacej, Arnil 2014)
The internal environmental analysis
The internal environmental factors analysis involves mainly strengths and weaknesses.
Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of a business or a certain branch of an Industry is
what makes the deference between having the necessary competence to succeed in taking
advantage of opportunities or fail in doing so. Therefore, each business or branch of the
industry needs to analyze the strengths and weaknesses periodically. (Kotler, Bowen, &
Makes, 1999, p.87-89)
The internal environmental analysis can be performed from any manager or external
consultant.
The analysis includes sectors such as finance, management, infrastructure etc…
Once the strengths and weaknesses have been defined, the business has to discern the
opportunities and strengthen their position and in doing so they do not have to consider all
the weaknesses.
In the case of Albania, of crucial importance is the effective cooperation between businesses
operating in the sector of tourism and with the governmental agencies specialized in the
sector as well.
The external environmental analysis
Opportunities and threats are considered part of the external environmental analysis.
An opportunity is defined as an area of need where the business can perform in a profitable
way.
These opportunities can be classified depending on attractiveness and the probability of
success.
Therefore, one of the most important functions of the external analysis is classifying these
opportunities in terms of attractiveness and success probability. (ibid, p. 86-87)
The probability of achieving success within the defined opportunities depends very much on
whether the strengths of the business or in this case of an industry, match the success
requirements also if these strengths exceed those of the competitors.
Meanwhile threats represent factors in the external environment that might pose danger to
the industry or the business. These threats can manifest themselves in unfavorable trends
leading to defensive marketing tactics, which can jeopardize the profits of the company or
industry.
These threats must be categorized in accordance to their chance of occurrence or
seriousness.

Tourism development in Shkoder
Being one of the largest cities of Albania endowed with rich cultural and historical
tradition, Shkoder is also a very important cultural center that attracts tourists. She is
distinguished for the ancient castle and the cultural monuments such as churches and
mosques with a unique architectural value. The Shkoder Library is one of the richest in the
country regarding its extensive archive of books, while Marubi Phototheque preserves the
negatives of the great photographers who worked in this profession since the photographic
art was invented.
Shkoder is the Albanian city where organized groups of tourists came for the first time. This
happened on the eve of World War I, when tourists came from Trieste and landed in Buna
River, Obot, or Tivar in the today Montenegro.
Apart the many cultural monuments such as the many houses-turned-museums, there is
also the characteristic oriental dwelling.
The Shkoder Lake area has been proclaimed inter-boundary protected area by Albania and
Montenegro to protect the lake and to make future investments secure. Shiroka village on
the feet of Tarabosh Mountain and a few feet away from the lake shore, is one of the
most attractive points not only for its inhabitants but also for tourists, who can enjoy the
exceptional cooking of fish products. Velipoja beach offers a good choice of relax. An
important component that helps tourism and is an integral part of an authentic touristic
package is the traditional Shkoder handicraft, distinguished for their masterfully created
artifacts. It's something to be admired that some of these traditions for creating artisan
products have survived to these days. This admiration comes from local inhabitants but also
from tourists who in many cases have no prior information and enter into contact with
these products in a spontaneous way.
Handicraft and Tourism
The interaction between tourist industries and creative industries, including crafts and
design, up until now are seen often in simplified way. The common belief that tourism
causes a certain degradation of crafts seems exaggerated. Though special unusual products
are driven by the tourism demand, it has to be shown that often this development is
accompanied by a change of traditional forms which not necessarily leads to degradation.
Because handicraft is a kind of cultural inheritance, it has an important impact in the
enrichment of the touristic package. (Frexha, 2009)
Albanians, since ancient times have cooked with skillfully crafted utensils, have dressed with
ornamental, embroidered dresses with a variety of rich motifs and interesting insignia, have
fought with wonderfully crafted and full of symbols swords, shields and helmets. Women
dresses have been equipped with jewels, necklaces, and accessories weighting several
kilograms. All of these craft objects, since the era named after Pyrrhus of Epirus and Queen
Teuta up to the present day, have been enriched with motifs which are handed down
generation to generation. To say it briefly, every tool related to the Albanian man's and
woman’s activity since birth to death, has been ornamented and skillfully crafted. Many
excavated tombs in the Albanian lands bear witness to that.

Handicraft
Handicraft product categories include ceramics, textiles, jewelry, metal works, carvings,
basket making, furniture and home utility objects.
Artisan products might serve to different kinds of purposes, which include utilitarian,
ritualistic, or decorative ones. In many societies, handymen has very much to do with
ethnic, local, regional, or national heritages. The coming of the handymen in contact with
the cultural inheritance provides a platform for products to be seen as tourism objects,
leading in a series of labels, ethnic and touristic art, as well as souvenirs. The handicraft
production is related with global marketing as well as with globalization, development,
gender, employment and tradition.
The term handicraft often is substituted with the terms craft and handiwork.
The first category includes objects produced following a local or regional orientation, while
the production of touristic art is focused on the tourist or on a consumer. The study of
craftsmanship and its relations to tourism includes a series of scientific disciplines,
among them anthropology, art and design, business, cultural studies, environmental studies,
international development, marketing, historical studies, sociology, textiles and clothes, as
well as gender studies.
On the other hand, foreigners who do not know the models of local production voice their
concerns about the loss of artisan traditions when they notice any tourism-related change in
production.
The combination of artisan production with tourism is of vital importance.
By affecting attraction of touristic activity and the artisan production acquires income for
many people, including a large number of women and minority ethnic groups.
Sami Frashëri, the renowned scholar, once said this: “There is a great tradition in
producing different carpets, which are still done by hand according to tradition and with
the motifs handed down from previous generations. In the handiworks, the Albanian
maestro is no less able than in fighting and learning, he can achieve big things there also. He
is a distinguished blacksmith, producing knives, scissors, weapons, etc. As soon as he lays his
eyes on any European factory-produced rifle, his hands can make a replica with very few
flaws.”
Shkoder has had a rich tradition of silk, wool, leather, cotton, and linen and felt production,
making Shkoder’s embroidery works extraordinary. There was weapons manufacturing,
producing long rifles, revolvers and swords, which were widely used. The weapons of
Shkoder were well-known. In the first half of the 19th century the first exports were done in
provinces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy, France and elsewhere. A great
development was observed in leather processing, 37.213 kg of leather were exported
abroad on 1855 with a net worth of 70.138 francs.
Also the belts were a product widely used mainly from the women of Malësi e Madhe.
Young women used the decorative wide belt, which came in two types: equipped with small
shiny steel dots, and covered with copper plates and other ornaments lined one after the
other and accompanied by a number of other similar necklaces resembling to the ancient
fibula of this province of Illyria.
Shkoder was the most important center for silk and its byproducts’ producing and
processing in the Balkan during the early years of 19th century. Home manufacturing of silk
products was made usually during winter while weaving was done during warmer seasons
of the year. The looming of cotton and wool fabric was exported in Austria. On 1885, the
production of national dresses which was developed through centuries was a well-

established craft and this was also reflected in the popular songs. The talented handymen
fashioned works with high professional quality. Up to the middle of the 19th century there
were over 100 families that earned their living through silver processing. Metal processing
included also a series of important crafts, such as iron processing and the production of
copper utensils.
Shkoder was a provider of gun barrels to Serbia, of revolvers to Ioannina, and of luxury
weapons to
Tunisia, products that were exchanged with red hats, woolen and silk scarfs.
In the beginning of the 18th century, Shkoder had a big marketplace situated between
the city castle and the lake, with over one thousand shops, called the Old Bazaar. In this
period the city was exporting many products, mainly wool, processed leather, wax, silk,
cotton, etc... The first three products were the most successful to be traded. These products
parted from Shkoder toward Venice.
The Shkoder Bazaar in this period was living its most glorious moment, having been a very
successful marketplace for almost a century by having had about 3.000 shops and
warehouses, trading much sought articles by foreign countries, such as wool, the silk known
as “Seta Scutarina”, and the processed leather in the factories alongside Drin river.
During the course of history, Albania established a rich handicraft tradition, where its
regions had, and still have, individuality, creativity, good taste and artistic feelings. This
tradition reached its peak in the middle of the 18th century when the city bazaar called
Bexhisteni counted about 3.000 shops. In the handicrafts quarter, the shops were aligned
according to 80 different crafts and professions, where masters of the trade processed
stone, iron, gold and many other materials with a variety of techniques. During the years,
the artisans created in a very special way the unique characteristics of the products which
carry also artistic and cultural value.
An undeniable link exists between the handicraft sector and other sectors, such as:
Agro tourism – Territorial marketing
Family tourism
Development of city tourism – (establishing of main squares for exposing handicraft
works)
The handicraft sector might serve as a valuable supplement to the activities of the above-
mentioned sectors. In general, handicraft is one of the important links in the chain of
touristic offer in the city of Shkoder and an effective way must be found to integrate it
successfully in this chain, completing the complex touristic product. At the same time,
handicrafts gains from this relationship in many forms and generates income, which
provides for the product development (coherence, sustainability), marketing strategies, etc.
Enrichment of the touristic offer through handicraft
Tourists are in a pursuit of original elements, which means those elements that distinguish
one place from another. In this context, handicraft displays its great importance by
fulfilling the tourists' expectations and by giving them a variety of elements and
experiences according to different cultures and subcultures.
A qualitative souvenir brought home by a tourist after a wonderful holiday experience
acquires a continuous power generating good memories, and also arouses the interest of

others to visit that special destination. But the link between tourism and handicraft is yet
to be explored, understood, and developed.
Artisans not only preserve the cultural legacy, they also enrich and adjust this legacy to the
contemporary needs of societies.
The tourism, which links individuals and human communities, and through them cultures
and civilizations, plays an important role in facilitating dialogue between different cultures.
It also has the ability to help world citizens to better go along with each-other, hence
contributes in building peace of mind of men and women, if we were to quote dhe UNESCO
Constitution.
Social and cultural impacts of tourism in host countries were so analyzed from the
international community in the December 1976 World Bank – UNESCO workshop for policy-
makers held in Washington.
What’s up?
Each year Shkoder mask’s factory provides 30 thousand masks to the traditional Venice
Carnival. This kind of Made in Albania are among the most wanted due to the artisan
technique which has disappeared from the Venetian market of masks. This is a good
example that how a component of the handicraft helps the tourism development, turning
into a big attraction.
Establishing access in the tourism market (successful cases)
As mentioned earlier there is a clear need for physical markets where artisans can
display and sell their projects. These artisan markets is not supposed to be very small,
bazaar-type, such as the Kruja one. They might be small and nice huts such as those of
Butrint National park.
Small fairs at Town Centers and massive tourism destinations, Shkoder and Velipoja being
the case, offer a promising example to expand.
18,000 tourists visits annually the Gjirokastra Castle; 19,000 visited the Rozafa Castle in
Shkoder. The tourists have spent their money in artisan products.
There appears the need to establish specific markets/enhance specific markets, which might
be managed by social capital associations or by the municipality. The most important thing
is to find people with a vision. For municipalities situated on the seaside, an interesting
project would be the establishment of an artisan shop in the city center or near the shore.
Even in the gastronomic centers of touristic destinations, chefs and artisans must be invited
to cooperate in order to provide for an authentic cultural experience for visitors.
Usually artisans complain that gastronomes or hotel owners allow only the exposure of
handicraft products but do not pay for this and do not care about sales.
Establishing such a multipurpose center could start these joint ventures for cultural
inheritance or social capital method might be applied to finance it in order to establish
access for artisans in the touristic market.
Developing links between tourism and handicraft
After discussing this issue in training groups and other gatherings with businesswoman we
could resume that the process itself must consist on finding ways and possibilities to create
new employment positions, increase income and possibly decrease poverty; acknowledging

the importance of locally made works in the development of tourism, and vice- versa, the
importance of tourism as an agent of protection and preservation of traditional handicraft
works, production methods, and indigenous culture; drafting strategies and finding practical
means for NFPOs and local governments and the private sector to strengthen the links
between artisan products and tourism, by identifying the role of government and relevant
bodies, as well as understanding what would be the economic benefits from the tourism
industry in micro and macro level.
Problems related to the current situation of handicraft in Shkoder
 Scarce foreign markets, weak internal market, imported goods from Asia pose the
risk of very cheap price attraction.
 Today, the majority of artisans are focused only in production
 Small capacities for product development
 The ageing of artisans and the lack of training programs for the new generation
 Low access for artisans in tourism market
 Lack of handicraft products that attract tourists
 Lack of governmental support for handicraft
 No mark registration or copyright protection
 Scarce cooperation between artisans themselves
 Difficulties in production development, design
 Lack of third man position trade partners
 Outdated equipment, lack of financial means for investments or workshops'
upgrades
It is noticed a relatively smaller weight
of category “tourists” in the evaluation
that bazaar's artisans have made to
these clients. This makes us think that
this market is not as yet explored as it
should be and that the link between
artisan sector and tourism currently
must be improved. (Frexhaj 2010)
Tourists’ expenses in artisan
products (Euro)
As seen, roughly 90% of the artisans say
that the greatest part of tourists are
willing to spend up to 25 Euro each
during a daily tour in the city. 7% believe
they are willing to spend more, 25 to 40
Euro. A very small percentage say that
tourists might be willing to spend more
than 40 Euro. (Frexhaj 2010)
0 - 5 €
21%
5 - 15 €
22%
15 -25
€
30%
25 - 40
€
21%
40 - 60
€
5%
60 - 80
€
1%
WHO ARE THE
CUSTOMERS?
0 - 5 €
5 - 15 €
15 -25 €
25 - 40
€
40 - 60
€
60 - 80
€
80 - 100
€
100 - 150 €

Evaluation of attracting destinations for tourists (vertical column, marks 1-10) .
(1 less attractive – 10 more attractive)
We see that the two most attractive destinations are Rozafat Castle and Oso Kuka House. So
this valuable classification enables us to understand the place artisans' bazaar occupies in
relationship with other attractions of the city. We also do understand that this bazaar is
relatively important, being classified the sixth as regards importance in the graph. (Frexhaj
2010)
Other comments related to the issue by the experts:
Aesthetic and cultural value
Qualitative and original products
Competing prices
Works of silver, copper, wood, loom
Legacy
Special character of production of objects from artisans
Competition, same objects produced by many artisans
Rural handicraft products, Zadrimë, Postribë, etc.
Wonderful leather products, not being produced for the moment
Full costumes, city dresses worked out with original materials, hand-made
Hand-made works remain the wonder of handicraft
The importance of cultural elements
According to a survey carried out from graduates at “Luigj Gurakuqi” University
demonstrates that local food is relatively the most important according to this classification,
then come in equal share handicraft, photography, and theatre. It is logical, then, that
touristic agencies pay more attention to meals during a tour in Shkoder without forgetting
other complementary elements of the total touristic package.
What is being presented to tourists by touristic agencies is related to city architecture,
gastronomy, handicraft, Albanian people history, local mentality, traditions, rites, etc.
The locations where souvenirs purchases were made until now: mainly in the bazaar or
souvenir shops in the city. (Frexhaj 2010)

According to the same survey; here below the competitiveness of artisan products
(1-not competitive at all;2-little
competitive;3-competitive;4-very
competitive)
Evaluations expressed as
regards the competitiveness of
artisan products according to
each category. Originality
remains one of the main
components making the product
more competitive.
Low capacities in product development
Many small businesses in the sector are started by former employees of the state
enterprises that continue their previous activity. The majority work in small workshops
situated in their homes.
Today artisans are busy with production, marketing and distribution issues, so they
are not very capable of investing in product development. Local market in Shkoder in
a certain sense has no pretenses about design. Due to the low purchasing power, price
remains the main criteria of the market. Another groups of artisans are women of rural
areas. They continue the traditional production of home textiles. The design of their
products is simplified to lower costs, but in general their products preserve cultural
authenticity.
Rural handicraft is left behind as regards its economic potential. New products are rarely
developed. Some rural population is inclined to remain faithful to.
Artisans getting old
There is no much time left to protect and revive handicraft in Shkoder. Many artisans are
aging and only a few of them are handing over their craft to the new generation.
Low access for artisans in the tourism market
The low-level income makes the sector non-attractive for youth. Handicraft is not as
attractive as a business. Private trainers or state vocational educational centers offer only
courses on sewing and embroidery. The small artisan workshops that require manpower
usually try to use family links to find young men and women to employ.
Trainings for this sector in the official work programs are very rare. An example of a dying
craft is straw.
Outbound incursions needed to create new products and to open new markets
Especially rural artisans need to be in touch with tourists in order to understand their needs.
To develop such understanding requires investments. Sometimes they have to adjust only
the size or the color of their production. Some other times they must create new products
for tourists that require simply something to remind them of this trip. That's why artisans
need support in product development, and maybe for somebody in an intermediary role.
The majority of artisans even don't know that there are legal ways to protect their
innovative products. A special Training addressed these needs within the project START.

Proposals and ideas
It would be necessary to register a brand for artisan products so that it is possible
that artisans be more able to operate in the market through enriching the artisan
offer.
Opening a center with old artisan products from different life activities (artisan
tradition, old bazaar, Albanian history personalities, culinary specialties, home
sheltering).
Training of new masters so that tradition is preserved, further development of
products as regards quality and competitiveness.
Building a strong relationship between handicraft and tourism, between producers
and the market.
Business Women and Tourism
Business Women are strongly family providers, it influences a lot the way in which they
approach the phenomenon of entrepreneurship, how do they cooperate within family and
with each-other.
They are highly interested to provide more for their families, as well to have more supply
orders and to develop their working capacities further. They affront so many difficulties, as
the majority of them gets engaged in both fronts, family and home service &
entrepreneurship duties.
Markets are distant from their homes/working places and local governance does not
provide info-services as well consulting for business development, meanwhile chamber of
commerce and labor services do not focus at this kind of activities.
The missing “third man” activity means a huge obstacle to developing further this branch of
SME, where predominantly women work.
Women Entrepreneurship Situation in Shkoder
Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Labor are the main government stakeholders dealing with
women entrepreneurship in Albania. Ministry of Tourism is active in promoting Women
entrepreneurship (in further text: WE) through their participation in regional/local fairs and
cooperation on joint programs, but there is not a special government body dealing with WE
in Albania. Chambers of Commerce (membership not mandatory for small business),
Employers associations and other business associations do not have women sections as
well. (Source: Leida Matja, PhD; 2014)
Gender governmental actors are involved in WE according to Department for Equal
Opportunities, through the gender focal points in the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry
of Agriculture. There is no further specification regarding this question. These gender focal
points in the ministries mentioned above are also part of the dialogue between the range of
the key stakeholders and institutional support structures, in place to promote policies and
measures for WE.
According to INSTAT, at present women own 25.7% out of 106 477 business in the
country.18% of private business managers are women. Furthermore, despite the fact that
more than 50% of women in rural areas work in agriculture, they only own and manage 6%
of farms. There are several reasons why the percentage of women who run a private
business is so low. There are constrains in the tax system and there is a high level of
informality of women entrepreneurs. (Source: Leida Matja, PhD; 2014)
World Economic Forum 2012, shows that Albania’ labor force participation stays 56/76

female/male. According to the global index for women’s economic opportunity 2012
Albania is ranked at 54th place with a score of 56.5.
Little is done to remove barriers to women joining entrepreneurship and offer women equal
opportunities, so they can obtain the needed skills, qualifications and support, with a view
to ensuring that all existing resources are efficiently utilized, and that women skills and
strengths are challenged to best effect.
General considerations on THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN
ALBANIA
In 2013 SHGPAZ, financed by ILO, made an Assessment on the environment for woman
entrepreneurship in Albania.
“Albania does not have a specific policy framework for women’s enterprise development.
There is a general reliance on the broader policy framework for women’s entrepreneurship
in general, as: strategy for the Small and Medium Enterprise, National Strategy on Gender
Equality, Reduction of Gender Based Violence and of Domestic Violence and its Action Plan,
along with other policy and program instruments as detailed in the NSDI.” (Source: SHGPAZ
2013)
SHGPAZ was born as a nonprofit initiative to meet the need for supporting and giving voice
to women’s enterprises and to provide business support from the group itself. The
association SHGPAZ (PBWHA) is one of the founders of BiznesAlbania, which is the largest
business group in Albania and from February 2013 SHGPAZ is a member of BusinessEurope.
SHGPAZ strongly suggests that Albanian women dominate the micro-enterprise sector,
demonstrating their true potential as entrepreneurs, employers and economic actors.
Promoting women entrepreneurs could prove the importance of women entrepreneurs in
the economy, and their potential for further growth
Enterprises owned or managed by women, operate mainly in services (34.1%) and trade
(32.9%).
The majority of female owned enterprises engages 1-4 employees. On the other hand,
women entrepreneurs also operate in hotels, cafés, and restaurants (27.5% in 2011), and
industry (19.5% in 2011).

For a long time, SHPGAZ studied, interpreted and defended woman entrepreneurship right
as a tool for social growth and for a healthier society.
Cooperative actions with Ministries, Agencies, International partners and especially business
organizations have provided SHPGAZ with enough skills and capacities to be of good service
to women development through institutionalized work, addressing both economic and
social growth. SHGPAZ is involved in all regional initiatives that have a special focus on the
business woman. SHGPAZ participated in several regional and European projects
cooperating with development agencies AIDA, GIZ, EDEP, UNWOMEN, USAID etc.
SHGPAZ could be very instrumental in future development targeting women
entrepreneurship, employment and social growth.
General and specific work related woman position in Shkoder district.
(Source District Council Shkoder)
Population
Employment does not follow the same percentages.
Emigrants bring different skills and knowledge about standards and the way different
occupations are exercised in EU. The pie below shows the professions emigrants exercise in
the countries they emigrated in.
Meanwhile, the tourism economic activity does not find any big space into the
whole panorama of economic activities in Shkoder Region, which means that there is
a wild side of economy developing without proper management and regulation.

In Shkoder, there are approximately 340 women that produce handcrafts and traditional
homemade products. Tourism development could bring the right customers to these
traditional products.
Also, agro tourism could be an alternative for female employment as women have the
ability to prepare traditional dishes that could be marketed as a regional specialty to
prospective tourists.
Furthermore, Albanian hospitality has been proverbial for centuries and women have
traditionally played the key role in this tradition.
SHPGAZ ordered a mapping research related to women entrepreneurship and other
economic development data for Shkoder region aiming to carry out a survey in the city of
Shkoder (mainly suburbs) and three villages (Juban, VauiDejes, Zogaj), which are deemed of
a great potential for cross border Tourism given the interest of women to be involved in
secondary supporting Tourism activities.

We could consider from the survey results as follows:
Twenty five per cent of women do speak at least one foreign language.
It is observed that women who does speak at least one foreign language are better settled
with their businesses whereas women that does not have the opportunity to communicate
with foreigners usually remain with the wish to undertake a business or usually have some
skills which might want to use, but in general if not assisted by other members of the family
their desire for business remains in embryonic steps.
From the same survey it was find out:
The highest percentage of the companies are not yet registered. This means that 64 per cent
of businesses where women operate or manage are not state tax payers and this yet means
that they work in informality. This happens mainly with women engaged with embroidery,
crochet work, carpet production etc. and less with companies that produce curtains,
clothes, marble, wood etc. which might be easily detectable from state tax inspectors.
Sixty four per cent of the interviewers emphasized that their property is not registered, only
36 per cent claim that the property is registered. The reasons for registering or not he
property are given below.
Besides, there is another entanglement with the social situation of those women craft
makers, usually they work alone, so there is no possibility to share and inherit the secrets of
No foreign
Language
75%
One foreign
Language
11%
Two or more
foreign
languages
14%
Foreign Languages
No foreign Language
One foreign Language
Two or more foreign
languages
Registered
36%
Non
registered
64%
Is the company registered
Registered
Non registered
Yes
36%
No
64%
Is your property registered?
Yes
No

those professions.
Husbants and children have other interests and/or engagements.
The same SHPGAZ study shows:
There are no master plans which proceed Tourism development in Shkoder areas and the
facilities devoted to tourist are built in a very chaotic way and sometimes they don’t have
the standards for a tourist accommodation facility.
Lack of grants dedicated to women in entrepreneurship is among issues brought to
attention by those interviewed.
Sometimes, and especially in remote areas women should also be supported with some
grant schemes since they really do not have any financial mean that will guarantee the
repayment of a credit, nor have the propriety which might serve as collateral.
Therefore either a guarantee scheme it is needed or a small start up grant which is of a great
help especially for women that want to be engaged in crafts production. Such grant scheme
is also very profitable even for women that have the facilities and want to open some bed
and breakfast activities. Such grant might be useful to make some investments in visitors’
rooms and so on.
Insufficient number of fairs or total lack of information on fairs – selected from 10 women
Yes
20%
No
80%
Are you working with others from
your family
Yes
No
Bed and
breakfast
58%Culinary
Tourism
23%
Eco - Tourism
10%
Marketing of
Tourism
Products
9%
The skills interested to learn
Bed and breakfast
Culinary Tourism
Eco - Tourism
Marketing of Tourism
Products

Sometimes women in rural areas do not have the necessary financial means to participate in
regional Tourism fairs which might be very useful to them. There have been some projects,
under which participants could have paid no fee, but these are sporadic and not on regular
basis. Furthermore for a women that does not have a business but just the wish to enter a
business there is a complete lack of information and support in this regard.
Lack of specific trainings – selected from 10 women
Sometimes women do not have the needed skills to compete in regional markets. For
instance the quality of a crochet work might be quite embryonic till the moment that they
have seen the quality of similar works requested by Montenegrin market. Therefore specific
skills training are needed.
Informality and unfair competition – selected from 10 women
Informality and unfair competition which comes as consequence of informality weakens
even more the fragile women businesses and sometimes make them go out of the market.
High business tax rates – selected from 10 women
Opportunities related to support activities for Tourism
Despite difficulties women interviewed have clear ideas on the opportunities that exist in
Shkoder region in relation to the activities that might contribute to the development of
Tourism in Shkoder region either by diversifying the Tourism typologies (such as bed and
breakfast) or by:
Diversification of Tourism arrangements
Combination of Tourism arrangements with crafts
Development of agro-tourism
Funds dedicated to Tourism mainly concerning fairs, trainings, cross border collaborations
Creation on Bed and Breakfast facilities (including improvement of existing houses of
villagers)
Support to handcrafters in terms of technology, skills, marketing, PR, and finance
Development of sport fishing
Future Recommendations
New markets should be reached for handicrafts products
Efforts should be paid to attract tourists that interested in Tourism that might
develop in Shkoder region
The state should support development of crafts with funds for technology
improvement
Greater governmental support for women in entrepreneurship
Enhance and intensify touristic collaboration with neighboring countries especially
with Montenegro
Specific skills’ trainings for women who wish undertake a tourism related business
directly or a tourism supporting business such as handicrafts
Improvement of tourism infrastructure
There is a great interest from women to contribute with their products to further
development of Tourism in Shkoder region with crafts. Fishery and traditional cuisine might
also be an attractive activity in which women from rural areas can give their contributions.
Some areas such as Zogaj, Juban and VauiDejes should also explore possibilities to open
some bed and breakfast activities which not only can be profitable as a business activity but
also a good opportunity to sell craft works to visitors interested in them and produced by

other women of the region. For this they should be supported with cross border fairs
dedicated, exhibitions, grant schemes, trainings, or soft credits and loans.
Experts involved in the project "Support to activate the tourism potential of rural women -
START W" project implementation, in the border zone of Albania and Montenegro, working
for the same goal with the project officers, implemented synchronized duties and
synergized their designations in project implementation.
The first step fulfilled successfully: businesswomen associated with cross-border tourism
potential in rural areas were identified and it was prepared after research study on the
ground / landscape mapping was completed and trainers were committed to increasing the
capacity of businesswomen by providing advanced and specific knowledge in relevant
interest groups.
Shortly after, the second action was done: accessible project activities aiming to promote
the principles of social entrepreneurship (the development of cooperatives and
associations), offering joint cross-border rural tourism based on shared resources,
indigenous, natural and cultural heritage and traditions of the region; Women cooperation,
mutual promotion and marketing cross-border joint rural tourism destination.
To increase the technical understanding and to make women entrepreneurs familiar with
market mechanisms, trainings were organized. Trainings were based on evaluation of
participants / beneficiaries; after choosing the best candidates for continuing with
preparations for the fourth action.
During those interactive trainings with specific groups two obstacles were identified:
1 small size of the manufacturer / product unit
2 substantial difficulties in the formalization of product in the form of registered business,
registered trademark, support and promotion.
During consultations and discussions with business women: involved in offering artisans
production, culinary and hospitality it came out the opinion that we should aim at creating a
common brand for the product of women in the field of rural tourism and the establishment
of a social business contract that allows the formalization / registration of all businesses that
aim it in a common registration number, in the form of a Centre of Women's tourist product.
A product catalog was made. It shall serve the promotion and documentation of goods and
services, hence influencing producers.
The Mentorship methodology implemented, provided practical new deep discussions
centered on the vision of the organization's operating form. Under the leadership of the
SHPGAZ it was built the statutory document for a social entrepreneurship.
Each Mentor led a group of women entrepreneurs, in particular during the consultation
process for the creation of the joint brand, providing at the same time, the photographic
and descriptive material for all products to be included in the joint catalog.

The trainees got very interested in Branding, as a new and promising practice to promote
better their products in the market. From first concepts on branding, supported by Mentors
and led through an interactive participatory process, business women asked for more support
to enter the process for brand registering. It could serve them a better developing future for
their business and social business.
This very first training of its kind offered EU standards for branding.
Experts guided and established a process for envisioning and a consultancy program for
building a Business Service Center Advisory (BSCA) for women entrepreneurs. It will be
introduced in the form of a designed further project within the same framework.
The participants were trained on Fund "Creativity" and other microfinance loans. SHPGAZ
provided leadership during applications.
Mentors guided preparations to organize joint fairs in Shkoder and Montenegro by
assembling and leading women entrepreneurs that participated in these fairs. Different
Tourism Entrepreneurs were offered to participate. Development offices were informed.
They were invited to cooperate.
After consultations in both Podgoritza (MN) and Shkoder (ALB), it was decided together with
Montenegrin Partners to organize together with women entrepreneurs from both sides of
the boarder a general fair of their handicraft and other tourism related products. It took
place at DELTA shopping center in Podgoritza.
In the fairs, particular attention was paid to creating business links with partners across the
border and successful businessmen who have interest to build and develop such cross-
border businesses. Experts created personal and group connections.
It was drafted a feasibility study of the Business Service Center Advisory for women
entrepreneurs in the form of the Counseling Center for Women Entrepreneurs in Cross-
border Tourism in Shkoder, mentors guided the curative debate over this study and
approved it.
Mentors became representatives of this group in the Media, providing increased project
visibility and improving their entrepreneurial skills.
A Parliamentary consultation among SHPGAZ’ project team, AIDA and the cohesive group of
women parliamentarians, took place at Albanian Parliament’s facilities. A special attention
was paid to findings and results from this process. Both sides pledged to accentuate
cooperation.
Another conference addressed the results of Project Implementation and draw the vision
for a second stage.

Cross Border Cooperation aspects
The value chains and the production systems for LED interest identified during action –
research activities, carried out by ILSLEDA in the region of Shkoder from 08/06/10 to
30/11/10 in the frame of UNDP AGA2 Program, are listed in the following table 2.
LED value chains and production systems identified in Shkoder
Description
1 Bee value chain
2 Culture production system
3 Fish value chain
4 Forest production system
5 Fruit and Vegetables value chain
6 Handicraft production system
7 Herbs value chain
8 Industrial Plants value chain
9 Liquors value chain
10 Meat value chain
11 Milk value chain
12 Olive value chain
13 Tourism production system
14 Wine value chain
The same value chains and production systems apply in Montenegro. One can just imagine
how it could benefit all the entrepreneurs and managements if they worked together
without restrictions on borderlines.
In fact, after a long history of violent clashes and reciprocal hatred and mistrust, there are
two decades now, people and managements from both sides of the boarder are increasing
cooperation and transferring goods, services, ideas and business practices to each other.
But, it has not reach the deflection point were only cooperation prevails, as there are more
miles to go, more projects to be nurtured and more people to meet each-other in the realm
of the practical life and the common ground of working together.
There have been successful efforts to produce common Cross-Border approaches and
solutions, where both sides worked together when consultancy and technical assistance was
provided.
Facts:
March 2007 – Shkoder Lake Concept on Cross-Border Development, a spatial
perspective (GIZ-former GTZ)
o It provides the basis for economically and ecologically sustainable
development of Lake Shkoder.
2013 – Tourist brochure 2012 Montenegro & Albania by hospitality and skilled
crafts. (Delegation of EU in MN-Cris No.254 243)
2014 – Joint Tourist Brochure Montenegro-Albania. (Funded EU, ZanaPredaK MN,
Montenegrin Hotel Association MN, Commune of Shkreli)

And now we have this effort to further advance cooperation by going to organize together a
project directly involved with woman entrepreneurs, marketing together their product as a
tourism related cross-border initiative, including the mobilization of private sector actors in
the context of cross-border cooperation was also significant. Differences in language,
customs and legal framework were crossed giving hope for further intensification of joint
projects and initiatives.
Recommendations:
A special attention is to be paid to „People-to-people-projects“(small projects) which have
proved to be successful instruments for sustainable regional development of cross-border
areas that create added value. They strongly promote and facilitate important cooperation
in legal and administrative questions as well as cooperation between institutions and
citizens.
They create the necessary conditions for the establishment of functional networks by
stakeholders from both sides of the border, the exchange of knowledge and experiences,
the elaboration of joint solutions to problems and in particular for the elaboration of real
cross-border projects, particularly by private stakeholders.
Accordingly, they prove to be an engine accelerating current and future cross-border
cooperation in economic / infrastructural and socio-cultural field. In particular, through
„people-to-people projects“ (small projects) European funding policy becomes visible and
tangible for citizens: cross-border cooperation in daily life. (Source:
http://www.aebr.eu/files/publications/130416_Argumente_Kleinprojekte_EN.pdf)
The less worrier style approach, women provided, made it easier to have a joint project of
these dimensions, where people from different cultures would promote together in
togetherness the whole range of their products.
The successful implementation of this project gives us hope and motivation to a second
stage aiming to establish a sustainable developing cross-border practice among women
entrepreneurs building social capital and successful entrepreneurship.
It is up to EU Adriatic Euroregion program providers to consider supporting such a successful
practice to a further level.
CONSIDERATIONS:
It was a “learn by exercising together” cross-border joint practice of NGOs,
Government agencies, Local Government Officers, Experts, Women Entrepreneurs
which produced good results and product.
The project Increased Lawmakers awareness toward a specific category of woman
entrepreneurs.
The project increased public awareness on potentials to further develop cultural
products under the form of goods and services.
Woman factor’ visibility was enhanced by televised approaches.
Cross Border get together increased the chances for a further, highly intensified
socio-economic cooperation.
Knowledge and Findings offered a mixture of expertise and practitioners’’
contribution.

Ad hoc teams working together accentuated the importance of a common goal to
compacting different actors’ involvement.
Data entries enriched rational perception on economic system’ instruments need
for improvements.
Studies offered rational evaluation over socio-economic situation of small business
women entrepreneurs and respective NGOs “call of duty”.
CONCLUSIONS
Tourism is of growing economic significance. Tourism does not affect only the
economy but it also can result in a significant social influence. Tourism also helps in
strengthening communities and building peace.
The main guiding principle in achieving the vision and the strategic objectives for the
development of tourism in Albania is the sustainable development of tourism in this
country. Sustainable development is considered as essential to the development of
tourism worldwide.
Being one of the largest cities of Albania endowed with rich cultural and historical
tradition, Shkoder is also a very important cultural center that attracts tourists.
Informality reigns the sector; there are no master plans which proceed Tourism
development in Shkoder areas and the facilities devoted to tourist are built in a very
chaotic way and sometimes they don’t have the standards for a tourist
accommodation facility.
In general, handicraft is one of the important links in the chain of touristic offer in
the city of Shkoder and an effective way must be found to integrate it successfully in
this chain, completing the complex touristic product.
Developing links between tourism and handicraft must consist on finding ways
and possibilities to create new employment positions, increase income and possibly
decrease poverty; acknowledging the importance of locally made works in the
development of tourism, and vice- versa
In Shkoder, there are approximately 340 women that produce handcrafts and
traditional homemade products. Tourism development could bring the right
customers to these traditional products. Also, agro tourism could be an alternative
for female employment as women have the ability to prepare traditional dishes that
could be marketed as a regional specialty to prospective tourists.
Business Women are strongly family providers, it influences a lot the way in which
they approach the phenomenon of entrepreneurship, and handicrafts pertain
mainly to them.
The women entrepreneurship is underdeveloped concerning managerial skills and
financing support. There is employment disparity harming the position of women in
the job market.
“Third Man” practice for promotion and marketing is missing.
“Social Capital” still at the embryonic phase needs support and guidance.
Cross-Border joint projects bring peace and well-being.
There is a pressing need for reliable disaggregated information on women-owned
start-ups and existing businesses on a regional basis in Shkoder.
Strong NFPO connections, in this instance represented by SHPGAZ directly influence
decision makers and policy makers.

RECOMANDATION:
Establishing RCWTE represents a MUST; including advocacy; sensitizing and
educating key stakeholders; promotion of enterprise to women; development of
training programs and business support; sourcing of expert advice and guidance;
research; developing linkages in women’s enterprise beyond Shkoder; establishing
strong networks for women in business and developing new spin-off initiatives and
developing “third man” practice.
Everything handmade!

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