Project started in 15 December 2020 and ending in 15 December 2021. The project is implementing by DMO ALBANIA, and falls under Co Plan Institute for Habitat Development action titled “ Dialogue for Inclusive Evidence- Based Policy Dialogue in Albania”, funded by the European Union.
About the project: The National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development 2019-2023 is starting to be implemented, but still has many difficulties. The Goal 5 of this strategy is related to Development of a Destination Management model, consolidation of a legal and institutional framework for the management and operation of a Destination Management Organisations and monitoring and supporting this DMOs. Since it was approved, only a meeting was held in September last year with mediation of Ministry of Tourism and all stakeholders working in tourism...
We are DMO Albania and we have created two DMOs, with our initiative, Visit Tirana, which is promoting Tirana, and is not supported financially, and Visit Gjirokastra, which is supported by Risi Albania and is actually the best model of a DMO in Albania. But a legal framework is needed to support the functioning of this DMOs in Albania, without the support of donors. The time is now to start supporting such organisations since they are very important to develop a planned tourism and not chaotic in each destination. Through this project we will start an awareness and lobbying campaign, mobilising all stakeholders and influencing policymakers to start the legal framework regarding DMOs.
Specific objectives:
-Mobilizing the stakeholders to join together in this process in establishing a functioning model of DMO in touristic destinations
-To advocate and to help creation of public and private partnership in some areas, to replicate the model of Visit Gjirokastra, such as Tirana, Pogradec, Saranda, and possibly Berat
-To raise awareness to policymakers, including and mayors of municipalities, and media, for the important role of DMO in developing sustainable tourism in main touristic destinations.
-To discuss in roundtables with stakeholders, some models of DMO, based in the foreign experiences and to choose the best model which is appropriate and adaptable in Albania
-To organize a hearing session in Parliament with the specific group of Sustainable Development Goals and to ask for a legal framework regarding functioning of DMOs
-To advocate in the ministry of Tourism to start drafting a law for DMO in accordance with the approved strategy of sustainable tourism 2019-2023