ALBANIA - Shkodra Region

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN SHKODRA REGION “Towards Sustainability of Tourism” Final document - June 2011

UNDP ART GOLD 2 Albania www.artgold.undp.org.al TEULEDA www.teuleda.org.al

www.shkodraregionstrategicplanning.eu

The present document was drafted in the framework of UNDP ART GOLD 2 Albania Programme www.artgold.undp.org.al with the financial support of: UNDP Albania Cooperazione Italiana allo Sviluppo - Ministero Affari Esteri UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services with the contribution of: www.inextstudio.org Mr. Andrea Nobili - Senior expert in Strategic Planning Ms. Federica Di Pietrantonio - Junior expert in Strategic Planning Ms. Jonila Prifti and Ms. Maria Grazia Zagaria - iNExTstudio staff (Italy) in close cooperation with: Shkodra Regional Council Staff – coordinated by Ms. Merita Kazazi, Director of the Programming and Development Department at Shkodra Regional Council TEULEDA - Local Economic Development Agency of Shkodra UNDP ART GOLD 2 - Mr. Luigi Cafiero, CTA; Mr. Estevan Ikonomi, National Programme Officer; Ms. Matilda Duri, Communication Officer; Mr. Spartak Sokoli, Local Coordinator for Shkodra Region and ART GOLD 2 staff. in coordination with: ILS LEDA - International Links and Services for Local Economic Development Agencies IDEASS - Innovation for Development and South-South cooperation Universitas Programme - KIP (Knowledge, Innovation and Policies for Human Development) Initiative Acknowledgements It would be impossible to mention all the people who gave their precious contribution to the preparation of this document. Special thanks go to the following institutions and stakeholders: their invaluable help made this work possible.

Albanian Government: Ministry of Interiors, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Tourism, Culture Affairs, Youth and Sports Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Inter Agency Scientific Committee for Human Development Cooperation and Italian Embassy in Albania Italian Cooperation - DGCS UNDP Albania ART GOLD 2 project team UNOPS, UNEP, ILO ILS LEDA Universitas Programme IDEASS Albanian Development Fund Shkodra Regional Council Prefecture of Shkodra Chamber of Commerce Municipalities and Communes of Shkodra Region University of Shkodra - Department of Geography and Faculty of Economy TEULEDA Thanks also to the numerous territorial actors at national, regional and local level who actively participated in the strategic planning process, for their cooperation and commitment.

Shkodra, June 2011

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN SHKODRA REGION “Towards Sustainability of Tourism”

Final document (June 2011)

Table of contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1

INTRODUCTION TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN SHKODRA REGION

5

Why a Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourismt in Shkodra Region?

Background and objectives of the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism How to read this document Methodology of the Strategic Planning process Steps and timeline of the Strategic Planning process Participation - The basis of the strategic planning process CHAPTER 1. ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK 1.1.

1.2.

1.3.

1.4.

1.5.

1.6.

1.7.

1.8.

1.9.

1.10.

1.11.

1.12.

1.13.

Introduction to the Analysis Framework Sharing the analysis - The Kick-Off event Territorial framework Historical highlights Statistical data for the territory Infrastructure for the mobility Environmental aspects Landscape and cultural heritage Value chains Territorial programming S.W.O.T. analysis of Shkodra Region General development goal and Keywords of the Strategic Plan Scenarios for Regional Development

CHAPTER 2. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 2.1.

2.2.

2.3.

2.4.

2.5.

2.6.

Methodological introduction Participation in the strategy definition - The Public Debates Vision for tourism development Strategic Guidelines and Actions Synergies among Strategic Guidelines - Internal coherence of the Strategic Plan Consistency of the Tourism Strategy with the National development policies

CHAPTER 3. ACTION PLAN 3.1.

3.2.

3.3.

3.4.

3.5.

Methodological introduction Participative projects devising - The Focus Groups The 8 Project Boxes for regional tourism development Synergies among Project Boxes Conclusions - Notes on the Strategic Plan implementation

ANNEXES A. B. C. D. E.

Bibliography and References Diagram of the Strategic Planning process Project Boxes and Project proposals Survey of programmes in progress in Shkodra Region Map of cultural and landscape heritage in Shkodra Region

5 7 9 10 12 14 21 21 23 24 25 26 30 33 36 45 50 67 69 71 80 80 81 84 86 95 99 101 101 102 105 130 132

Abbreviations

ADF AGA2 ART ACLI CDP CERAI CPC CTA DGCS EU FG GPP GTZ/GIZ IDEASS ILO ILS LEDA INSTAT ISD KIP LEDA MADA MASH MBUMK MDG METE MITIK MOE MPCS MPPT MTKRS NGO PB RDC SDC SG SNV SP SWOT TSG UNDP UNEP UNESCO UNOPS UTL VIS VKM WB

Albanian Development Fund ART GOLD Albania 2 Articulation of Territorial and Thematic Cooperation Networks for Human Development Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani Coordinated Development Projects Centro de Estudios Rurales y de Agricultura Internacional County Partnership Council Chief Technical Advisor Direzione Generale per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (General Directorate for Italian Development Cooperation) European Union Focus Group Gross Primary Productivity Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German International Cooperation) Innovations for Development and South-South cooperation International Labour Organisation International Links and Services for Local Economic Development Agencies National Institute of Statistics Integrated Support for Decentralisation Knowledge, Innovations and Policies for human development Local Economic Development Agency Mountain Areas Development Agency Ministria e Arsimit dhe e Shkencës (Ministry of Education and Science) Ministria e Bujqësise, Ushqimit dhe Mbrojtjes së Konsumatorit (Ministry of Agriculture) Millennium Development Goal Ministria e Ekonomise,Tregëtisë dhe Energjitikës (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy) Ministri për Inovacionin dhe Teknologjinë e Informacionit e të Komunikimit (Ministry for Innovation and Communication and Information Technology) Ministria e Mjedisit, Pyjeve dhe Administrimit të Ujrave (Ministry of Environment) Ministria e Punës, Çështjeve Sociale dhe Shanseve të Barabarta (Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities) Ministria e Punëve Publike dhe Transportit (Ministry of Public Works and Transportation) Ministria e Turizmit,Kultures,Rinise dhe Sporteve (Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports) Non Governmental Organisation Project Box Regional Development Concept Swiss agency for Development and Cooperation Strategic Guideline Stichting Nederlandse Vrijwilligers (Netherlands Development Organisation) Strategic Plan or Strategic Planning Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Technical Support Group United Nations Development Programme United Nations Environment Programme United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Office for Project Services Unità Tecnica Locale (Local Technical Unit) Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (International Volunteers for Development) Vendim i Keshillit te Ministrave (Decision of the Council of Ministers) World Bank

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

Executive Summary

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, expertise, and resources to help people build a better life. At present, UNDP is operating in 166 countries, assisting them in formulating their own solutions to global and national development challenges. UNDP's main goal is to help developing countries build their own national capacity to achieve sustainable human development; that is, to improve people's lives on an enduring basis. In particular, UNDP Albania supports the country's aspirations towards European Union integration and contributes to national efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) regarding poverty reduction, gender equality, environmental sustainability and good governance.

The UNDP ART GOLD 2 Albania Programme is part of the UNDP Art Initiative (Articulation of territorial and thematic networks of human development cooperation), which promotes national co-operation for governance and local development projects. The Programme is financed by the Italian Government (Italian Cooperation) and supports the Albanian Government to achieve the MDGs and meet the requirements of EU accession through the promotion of partnership with regional councils, in line with the Albanian National Strategy for Decentralisation and Local Governance. The programme works to create links and implement partnership among Albanian and European regional and local communities, local institutions, Local Economic Development Agencies (LEDAs) and other subjects operating in the country (ILS LEDA, Universitas Programme and IDEASS, among others).

Shkodra Region is one of the areas targeted by ART GOLD 2. The Regional Government unit needed support designing a regional tourism development policy, addressing critical territorial issues in a coordinated manner, while maintaining continuity with the existing

Regional Development Concept and with the other plans, programmes, projects and sector policies already ongoing in the area.

Furthermore, UNDP ART GOLD 2 Albania aimed at promoting and supporting democratic participation of local, national and international actors in the decision-making process regarding Shkodra Region tourism development policies, and sought to supply the Regional Government with the required capacities to autonomously draw and manage international funds for development.

To fulfil these needs, ART GOLD 2 launched a Strategic Plan for Tourism (SPT) as a long term programme on territorial governance and sustainable tourism development adopting a participatory approach.

The SPT aim is to engage the local community to create its own vision for the future, and discover the best way to implement it by connecting the cultural, environmental, social and economic aspects of the territory. The SPT mission is to propel a balanced and endogenous tourism development of the area and increase the value of the Region as a tourist destination by strengthening its unique cultural, social, environmental, economic identity and its human resources. By doing so, the Regional Government and community can become more aware of the roles they can play in the development process and become more confident in their abilities to cooperate in development processes.

Within the framework of ART GOLD 2 the strategic planning represents an innovative democratic process necessary to lead Albania towards EU integration and a useful instrument to complete the administrative decentralisation o n g o i n g i n t h e c o u n t r y. I n a c o u n t r y characterised by a scarce tradition in participatory practices, Shkodra Region Strategic Planning for tourism development serves as a democratic and bottom-up process, necessary to strengthen the collaboration and mutual trust amidst institutions, local and foreign actors.

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Furthermore, Shkodra Region SPT represents a coordination platform among donors, international organisations, national, regional and local policies. Hence, donors can allocate funds on projects that best reflect community needs, and be part of a concrete sustainable development.

In order to coordinate, prevent overlapping, develop synergies and optimise results, the tourism strategic planning process in Shkodra Region started with the inventory of territorial policies at national, regional and local level.

Simultaneously, a territorial analysis was conducted, providing an overview of the current regional territorial situation in terms of infrastructure, environment, cultural heritage, economy, social aspects, etc. To this purpose, the analysis started from the information provided by recently published planning and programming documents, and integrated these information with the outcomes of territorial surveys and participatory meetings. There was no need for new research to be conducted, because the strategic planning process did not start from zero rather it maintained continuity with the policies already operating on the territory. The territorial analysis allowed the identification of the Region’s real strengths and weaknesses, summarised in an S.W.O.T. analysis. Subsequently, the Keywords and possible Scenarios for regional tourism development were identified. Keywords summarised the issues and needs emerged during meetings, which the territorial actors deemed crucial for regional development. The Scenarios represented possible future configurations of the Region as a tourist destination, and were based on present conditions, on the trends outlined by the currently operating policies at all levels and on the possible variables that the Strategic Plan can introduce to trigger sustainable and endogenous development.

The territorial analysis gave way to the definition of a shared short, medium and longterm regional tourism development Strategy, consisting of: • A Vision - Suggesting the possible role that Shkodra Region can play in the global tourism market, in coherence with the analysis results and with the outcomes of the participative process.

• Three Strategic Guidelines - The integrated and synergic directions to follow in order to

accomplish the Vision, addressing the main critical aspects of the regional tourist offer.

• Twenty-four Actions - The “tools” to fill the gap between present situation and future tourism development. They are strongly interconnected and help to achieve several goals at the same time. They are realised through projects implementation.

This Tourism Strategy, discussed and approved by territorial actors, attempts to convey the regional community’s desires and needs, as directly or indirectly expressed during participatory meetings and events, and finally adapt them within the current situation of the territory, with ongoing programmes and national policies and goals especially regarding the tourism and agro-food sectors.

The next step of the Strategic Planning process was the Action Plan, which is an integrated system of projects, which need to be implemented in order to attain the SPT goals.

The projects were mainly proposed by local actors and established in a rational and vision oriented framework. The territorial actors involved in the participatory process proposed around 100 project ideas for the implementation of the shared regional sustainable tourism development Strategy, hence representing the satisfaction of territorial requirements. Other ideas were also suggested by SPT experts based on the outcomes of the debates and of the meetings held with national level institutions. Another group of project ideas came from the analyses conducted by one of ILS LEDA experts on the regional value chains.

In order to give a wider perspective to these proposals and ideas, the SPT experts introduced “Project Boxes” or “containers” where projects addressing the same topics and/ or the same parts of the regional territories were clustered around a single theme and integrated, hence developing synergies and interactions. In this way, projects can contribute more effectively to the achievement of the Vision and to the redefinition of the role of the Region in the national and international tourism markets.

The strategic planning methodology adopted in Shkodra Region uses a bottom-up approach.

This means that each step of the Strategic Planning process was characterised by the participation of all local stakeholders (institutions, entrepreneurs, associations, etc.) involved in the definition of the SPT.

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SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

The participation steps had a growing interaction level, where the involvement and collaboration of stakeholders and civil society was constantly sought after, both by arranging face-to-face meetings with significant actors (more than 100 meetings were held in the framework of the Strategic Planning process) and by organising public consultation events: • A Kick-Off event to publicly launch the Strategic Planning initiative • Three public debates to share a draft Vision and Strategy for regional tourism development with all territorial actors • A Focus Groups meeting for the joint identification of integrated projects to achieve the Strategic Plan objectives.

The participation to the events was ample and all actors showed interest and willingness to actively engage in the SPT preparation. During this process the collaboration between regional and local actors, and between ART GOLD 2 and partners, was strengthened. After the required processing and organising activities, the results of the participatory process were all taken into consideration and included in the SPT. Hence, all SPT contents can be considered as mutual and agreed upon by the entire regional community.

The participatory process in Shkodra Region was supported by various information and communication materials aimed to inform territorial actors on Strategic Planning issues, involve them in the process and stimulate discussions during public consultation events.

These materials were designed taking into consideration the scarce tradition of the regional population to be a part of participatory practices.

One of the most important tools created for the Shkodra Region SPT is the website (www.shkodraregionstrategicplanning.eu) where it is possible to find all the necessary information regarding the Strategic Planning in Shkodra Region.

The process described so far led to the following findings, conclusions and recommendations: • The desk analyses conducted and the participation activities performed showed that Shkodra Region has a variety of potential tourist attractors (cultural heritage, natural resources and landscapes, traditions and food), not yet adequately valorised and integrated. This variety can allow the development of a diversified tourist product,

attracting tourist flows throughout the year hence spreading socio-economic growth on the whole regional territory.

• Given the present situation and trends outlined by current national and regional policies, Shkodra Region has four possible tourism development Scenarios ahead: ‣ Scenario 1) Cultural tourism - Based on the surveys conducted by SPT and ILS LEDA experts, Shkodra Region is rich in cultural attractors, both tangible and non tangible.

Furthermore, the Region is considered the richest Albanian region in handicraft activities. ‣ Scenario 2) Rural tourism - Various elements make the development of rural tourism in the Region extremely reasonable. Among them are the great landscape value of regional rural areas, the important role of agriculture in regional economy and the existence of a variety of traditional agro-food products, handicraft and artistic production. Tourists can also become a tool for international promotion of typical local products, thus boosting production, marketing and qualification processes. ‣ Scenario 3) Natural tourism - Shkodra Region has a great potential as a natural tourism destination. The territory is very rich in environmental attractors, and contains a variety of ecosystems in a relatively small area. In addition, sustainable artificial attractors can be established. ‣ Scenario 4) Sun, sea and sand tourism - In proportion to its extension, Shkodra Region has a very small coastal area. Beachrelated tourism in Velipoje has already created environmental problems, due to inadequate water supply systems and waste and wastewater management and to out-of-control urbanisation in the coastal settlements: the development of this Scenario should be carefully controlled.

To achieve a more diversified tourism development, make tourist flows less seasonal and extend them on the entire regional territory, hence avoiding territorial unbalances, these Scenarios should be carried out simultaneously, in an integrated a n d c o m p l e m e n t a r y m a n n e r, m a k i n g sustainability the central thread for regional tourism development.

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• The Vision chosen for regional sustainable tourism development is “Shkodra Region 2020: a Sustainable Tourism District”. In order to become a major tourist destination in the Balkan area and be competitive on national and international tourism markets, Shkodra Region should become an “integrated tourism territorial system”, where different territories and sectors are interconnected in an integrated tourist offer. The development of culture, adventure, sports and eco-tourism can differentiate Shkodra Region tourism product from the neighbouring countries’, and sustainable tourism can represent an opportunity to foster socio-economic development and increase the quality of life.

However, effective tourism development in the Region can not be achieved without the coordinated implementation of urgent infrastructure interventions such as: development of waste collection and treatment systems; improvement of water cycle management; protection of the territory from hydro-geological risk; upgrade of transport networks; diffusion of ICT networks, etc.

• In order to accomplish this Vision, three Strategic Guidelines were identified: 1. Qualification and diversification of tourist offer 2. Quality improvement in tourist areas 3. Development of typical rural productions and handicrafts • These Strategic Guidelines will be achieved through the implementation of 85 shared projects and project ideas, contained in 8 thematic “Project Boxes”: 1. Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra Region 2. Shkodra Region - Heritage tourist itineraries 3. Exploring the Albanian Alps 4. Shkodra Region - Lakes and wetlands tourist itinerary 5. Brands for typical Shkodra Region quality food products 6. Typical Shkodra Region arts and crafts 7. First aid centres network in Shkodra Region 8. Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra Region • The next step to be undertaken for the implementation of the SPT will be to strengthen the Project Boxes relationships with specific territorial locations and to develop their mutual synergies. The outcome of this process will be a set of integrated

complex projects, or Coordinated Development Projects (CDP), focused on specific sub-regional homogeneous geographical areas. CDPs will start from the project proposals contained in the Project Boxes, but at the same time will go further, integrating a number of small projects (also taken from different Project Boxes) into a single one. Examples of possible priority Coordinated Development Projects are: ‣ The Albanian Alps hiking circuit – Creation of safe hiking paths for natural excursions in the areas of Theth and Vermosh, integrated with first aid centres, accommodation structures and places to taste and buy branded typical food products (safe, highquality and certified) and handicraft objects. ‣ The Lakes circuit – Creation of a nature and sports tourist itinerary involving the lakes of Shkodra, Vau i Dejes and Koman, including transportation services, typical cuisine (prepared with safe, high-quality, branded and certified typical food products), accommodation and first aid centres. ‣ The Castles circuit – Creation of a cultural itinerary involving the castles of Shkodra, Drisht, Sarda, Ballezes and Babices, integrated with accommodation structures, places to taste and buy branded typical food products (safe, high-quality and certified), and “handicraft streets” to display and sell artisan objects. ‣ Marketing of regional tourist offer – Establishment of a Regional Tourist Agency that will deal with the mapping of regional tourist resources, the design of a territorial “umbrella brand”, the design and management of a regional tourism website, the creation of a network of trained guides and local agents for tourist assistance, etc. ‣ Regional waste management system – organisation of a solid waste management system at regional level, mostly based on separate collection and recycling, accompanied by awareness campaigns on waste management.

The Coordinated Development Projects shall derive directly from the outcomes of the Strategic Planning process, and will work as the “tangible expression” of the shared Tourism Strategy on the regional territory. Through them, the Actions of the regional SPT will be gradually implemented, always considering the “big picture” represented by the overall Vision and Tourism Strategy.

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INTRODUCTION

TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SHKODRA REGION TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Shkodra lake

Why a Strategic Plan for Tourism Development in Shkodra Region?

Through the support of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) over the last years, Shkodra Region has been elaborating a Regional Development Concept, which serves as the main strategic document for the Region for the period 2010-2016.

The document approved by the Regional Council of Shkodra on September 2010 lists tourism and agribusiness among the five main priorities for regional development, together with education, training and capacity building, infrastructure and services, inter-regional cooperation and cooperation with other partners and flood protection.

Furthermore, the Region of Shkodra has been selected by the Albanian government as priority area for tourism development. The reason of this selection comes from the extraordinary natural value of the regional territory and from the urgency of measures to support disadvantaged local communities overlooked by the development process characterising the country in recent years.

In addition to hosting the National Park of Theth, the regional mountain areas (the so-called Albanian Alps) are part of a major project to create a transboundary Peace Park with Montenegro and Kosovo: the Balkans Peace Park.

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In this context, the regional partners of UNDP ART GOLD 2 Albania Programme suggested the development of a thematic SPT to implement measures that will guide tourism and agribusiness development in the future, as well as ensure sustainable development in these fields.

The SPT should also work as a coordination tool for international donors on the regional territory, hence making their action more effective.

Indeed, at a local level there are different strategic documents addressing these issues: in line with them the SP promotes and enhances the synergic use of the resources made available by the various donors active in the territory.

A Strategic Plan for tourism (SPT) is a coordination platform for territorial development that involves the whole cultural, environmental, social and economic aspects of a particular area to attain an endogenous and sustainable development model. An SPT is an innovative and flexible territorial governance instrument, already applied in several European cities and territories, intended to direct all local

development policies. In Shkodra Region, due to the importance of tourism in local economic development, the SPT focuses mainly on this sector, but its implementation will positively affect other aspects of regional economy, such as agriculture, transport and trade. This is the result of the cross-cutting nature of tourism sector, encompassing also infrastructural, cultural and social aspects, but also to the integrated and participatory nature of the SPT. The start up of a strategic planning process for tourism development, where territorial actors can express their needs and submit their proposals, is necessary to the community and institutions in order to promote democratic participation as an important part of territorial planning.

Through this process, on one hand, tourism will bring economic prosperity in the Region due to positive impacts on the development of other economical sectors; on the other hand, democratic participation will increase the local community awareness of the active role that people can play in policy-making for local development.

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SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

Background and objectives of the Strategic Plan for Tourism Development Shkodra Region for Sustainable Tourism in Shkodra Region is an initiative of the ART GOLD 2 Albania programme, which is part of the UNDP ART Initiative (Articulation of territorial and thematic networks of human development cooperation).

UNDP (the United Nations Development Programme) is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, expertise, and resources to help people build a better life. At present, UNDP is operating in 166 countries, assisting them in formulating their own solutions to global and national development challenges. UNDP's main goal is to help developing countries build their own national capacity to achieve sustainable human development, that is, to improve people's lives on an enduring basis.

In particular, UNDP Albania supports the country's aspirations towards European Union integration and contributes to national efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) regarding poverty reduction, gender equality, environmental sustainability and good governance. ART Initiative promotes national cooperation for governance and local development projects. The programme is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Italian Cooperation and supports the Albanian Government to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to meet the

requirements for EU accession through the promotion of partnerships with regional councils, in line with the Albanian National Strategy for Decentralisation and Local Governance. The programme aims to create linkages and establish partnerships among Albanian and European regional and local communities, local institutions, the Local Economic Development Agencies (LEDAs) and other subjects operating in the country (ILS LEDA, Universitas Programme and IDEASS among others).

ART GOLD 2 promotes a national cooperation framework for governance and local development through the active role of public and private actors as well as of local and central institutions representatives.

Shkodra Region is one of the areas targeted by ART GOLD 2. The Regional Government unit needed support designing a regional tourism development policy, addressing critical territorial issues in a coordinated manner, while maintaining continuity with the existing programmes and policies already ongoing in the area.

Furthermore, UNDP ART GOLD 2 Albania aimed at promoting and supporting democratic participation of local, national and international actors in the decision-making process regarding Shkodra Region tourism development policies, and sought to provide the Regional Government with the required capacities to autonomously draw and manage international funds for development.

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SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

To fulfil these needs, ART GOLD 2 launched a Strategic Planfor Tourism as a useful instrument to support the administrative decentralisation in Albania.

As indicated in the methodology applied by strategic planning experts, an SPT is a short, medium and long-term programme for sustainable territorial development and governance, designed through a participatory, “bottom-up� process.

Therefore, the Shkodra Region SPT Development was guided by principles of participation and negotiation: the main public and private actors operating in the territory were engaged in open meetings and events, during which they jointly identified regional potentials and weaknesses and envisaged possible regional development Scenarios.

Subsequently, the same actors collaborated in defining a common development Vision and the strategic goals to achieve it.

The ample participation in the numerous meetings and events organised during the process, demonstrates the ability of the SPT to trigger and strengthen mechanisms of cooperation within local communities. Hence, SPT is not a product rather an ever-changing process, built through negotiations and

mediations and the use of participatory techniques.

The main goal of the strategic planning process was to identify a list of far-reaching projects, consistent and shared, resulting from a bottomup approach.

The projects identification was guided by the idea that Albania will become a member of the European Union in the near future.

Additionally, SPT incorporated priority projects, submitted by territorial actors for UNDP funding. SPT experts provided technical assistance in the development of these projects, primarily focusing on their consistency with the sustainable regional development direction traced through Strategic Planning.

Within the framework of ART GOLD 2, Strategic Planning represents an innovative and democratic process necessary to lead Albania towards EU integration.

The Shkodra Region SPT is one of the instruments providing a coordination platform among national, regional and local policies and the institutions which promote them (Ministries, local governments, Albanian Development Fund, etc.) and is a useful coordination tool for international donors.

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How to read this document

The present document gives an account of the strategic planning process carried out in Shkodra Region from March 2010 to June 2011.

therefore open, shared and modifiable. If necessary, it can be updated, always through the involvement of the whole regional community.

It also explains how the strategic planning methodology was applied in the target area, the way territorial actors were involved in the process, and the results achieved.

The Regional government should use this document as a memorandum and a guide for the gradual implementation of coordinated tourism development projects in the Region.

It describes the regional territory’s current situation and illustrates the shared sustainable tourism development strategy that was chosen by the regional community.

The participative nature of the SPT guarantees the continuity and legitimacy of the tourism development strategy. The fact that this tourism strategy was approved by most territorial actors should be taken into account by present and future administrators to fulfil local community expectations.

All its contents were shared with territorial actors and/or were drafted on the basis of their suggestions and observations. Hence the SPT does not claim to be exhaustive and can be subject to integrations and additions at any time.

By and large, this document represents a summary of what emerged from the democratic negotiation process that was the basis of the strategic planning exercise. The document is

This SPT was drafted in alignment with the goals of the main regional development plans and programmes.

It also refers to the national strategic goals, stated in the Sector Strategy for Tourism Development and in the National Strategy for Development and Integration.

The Strategic Planning process for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals

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Methodology of the Strategic Planning process Strategic planning is a cyclical process of review and assessment, constantly accompanied by monitoring, communication and participation procedures. It consists of four main steps: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Launch Analysis Framework Strategic Framework Action Plan

1. Launch The Strategic Planning process in Shkodra Region started off with a series of preparatory activities, aimed at introducing the strategic planning initiative to Albanian authorities at all levels, mapping stakeholders, highlighting general goals and programming further activities.

Strategic planning process methodology and its possible outputs were discussed with various territorial actors, emphasising future benefits in terms of development policies coordination, resources optimisation, and local community involvement and awareness. The SPT was then introduced to the public through a Kick-Off event organised in Shkodra and supported by a communication campaign.

2. Analysis Framework Shkodra Region’s current situation was analysed, starting from information contained in recent plans and programmes involving the regional territory. This analysis includes: • an analysis of territorial aspects (historical background, infrastructures, environment, cultural heritage, social and economic context), based on information from existing planning and programming instruments, assessed through territorial surveys and integrated with the participation outcomes • a compared analysis of plans and programmes regarding the Region • a S.W.O.T. analysis, identifying the area’s main potentials and problems • a set of Keywords, synthesising the analysis results, and the Strategic Plan general goal

• the development Scenarios, expressing possible future configurations of the regional tourism sector based on present conditions and on the trends outlined by current policies at all levels.

In this phase, meetings with stakeholders were important to highlight problems and to share objectives for sustainable development.

3. Strategic Framework The territorial analysis was the first step towards the definition of a shared short, medium and long-term strategy for regional tourism development, consisting of: • Vision - Is the future image of an area, directing all tourism development policies. It suggests the possible role that Shkodra Region can play in the global tourism market in compliance with the analysis conducted and the outcomes of the participative process.

• Strategic Guidelines - Are the directions to follow to accomplish the Vision, creating an integrated and synergic system, focused on issues considered crucial for regional development.

• Actions - Are the “tools” to fill the gap between current situation and future tourism development. They are strongly interconnected, help achieve several goals concurrently and are carried out through projects implementation.

The contents of this step were discussed and shared with territorial actors during public debates in Shkodra, Koplik and Puka.

4. Action Plan The Action Plan contains an integrated system of coordinated projects (proposed by territorial actors and organised in a coherent, visionoriented framework), which must be implemented to achieve the Strategic Plan goals. The Action Plan traces possible procedures to implement the projects and suggests the role of institutions and private actors in the implementation process. The Action Plan was discussed and agreed upon by territorial actors during Focus Groups.

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A diagram synthesizing the main steps of the strategic planning process

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

Steps and timeline of the Strategic Planning process Strategic Planning (SPT) steps

Type of activity Performed activities

Participation Desk and other activity field activity

Preparatory meetings with UNDP representatives, TEULEDA and AGA2 staff to share SPT methodology Meetings with Albanian authorities and other significant stakeholders, to present AGA2 SPT methodology, collect information about programmes and projects implemented and under implementation in the target areas, establish cooperation and synergies

FebruaryApril 2010

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FebruaryOctober 2010

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Ongoing plans and programmes collection and analysis Extrapolation, processing and systematisation of data and information useful to outline the Analysis Framework Draft of the analysis framework

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Surveys of the regional territory Preparation of a draft SWOT analysis

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In-depth definition of roles and responsibilities of all people involved in the programme, to optimise the SPT process

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Coordination activities with other UN programmes, especially by assessing their ongoing activities in the AGA2 areas of intervention County Partnership Council meetings Support to the shared identification of priority projects to be funded by AGA2, and to the definition of shared selection criteria

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April 2010

May 2010

May 2010

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JulyOctober 2010

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August 2010

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Technical assistance and training addressed to TEULEDA and AGA2 Local Coordinator for the organisation of the Kick-Off event Technical assistance and training addressed to AGA2 Communication Officer for the communication activities concerning the SPT process, with a focus on the preparation of materials for the Kick-Off event

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Kick-Off event: presentation to the territorial actors of the SPT methodology and of the first achieved results; sharing of the draft analysis

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AugustSeptember 2010

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October 2010

Processing and systematisation of the Kick-Off event outcomes and identification of possible Scenarios for regional tourism development

Strategic Planning in Shkodra Region - Towards Sustainability of Tourism

MarchSeptember 2010

AprilAugust 2010

Preparation of a “Strategic Planning Starter Kit” CD-Rom to support training activities for the benefit of TEULEDA

Launch and Training and technical assistance to Analysis TEULEDA staff in order to prepare the Kick-Off Framework event of the Strategic Plan

Time



October 2010

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SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

Strategic Planning (SPT) steps

Type of activity Performed activities

Participation Desk and other activity field activity

Preparation of a draft Vision and Strategy for regional tourism development according to the analyses and surveys conducted and to the meetings outcomes Improve coordination between strategic planning process, other ongoing ART programmes and activities carried on by significant Albanian and international cooperation actors

Strategic Framework Support and technical assistance to TEULEDA

and AGA2 staff to carry out 3 public debates to discuss the draft Vision and Strategy Three public debates with territorial actors: approval of the draft regional tourism development Vision and Strategy

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Action Plan

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JanuaryFebruary 2011

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February 2011

 

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March-April 2011 April 2011

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Definition of the final version of the Project Boxes, according to the Focus Groups outcomes, and preparation of the Action Plan

Strategic Planning in Shkodra Region - Towards Sustainability of Tourism

FebruaryMarch 2011 February-April 2011

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Definition of draft Project Boxes to implement the Strategy for regional tourism development Focus Groups in Shkodra: sharing and discussing the Project Boxes and devising of project proposals to include in the SPT

NovemberDecember 2010 December 2010

Definition of the final version of the regional development Vision and Strategy, according to the public debates results Monitoring and support to the process of priority projects design in collaboration with TEULEDA and the Regional Council of Shkodra

Time

April 2011

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Participation The basis of the Strategic Planning process

The Kick-Off event in Shkodra

The SPT is a participatory process, a democratic instrument for territorial governance aimed to engage the local community in envisioning its future and finding out how to achieve it. Each step of the strategic planning methodology is characterised by participation, hence encouraging the growing involvement and commitment of territorial actors.

During the first phase, actors are informed on strategic planning methodology and objectives.

Then, they are asked to focus on the identification of potentials and critical aspects of their Region, as well as possible development Scenarios. The third phase is the joint identification of a shared Vision and Strategy for regional development. The last phase encompasses a deeper involvement of actors, who are asked to commit in identifying and starting up concrete development projects.

The active participation of all territorial actors was fostered throughout the strategic planning process in Shkodra Region in conformity with the adopted methodology, and realised by arranging face-to-face meetings with significant actors as well as organising public consultation events.

The participation steps were characterised by a growing interaction level starting from a mere presentation of the strategic planning initiative (the Kick-Off event), to public debates around the strategy, and to Focus Groups in which territorial actors worked together on projects definition.

Meetings with significant stakeholders were held throughout the process, together with the necessary coordination meetings with all the actors involved in the programme.

Participation activities, within the framework of ART GOLD 2, supported the consolidation of the County Partnership Council (CPC) and the establishment of a regional Technical Support Group (TSG). The former is the main advisory and coordination body for the preparation and implementation of regional development policies, and it is formed by institutional subjects and representatives of civil society, education and business organisations), whereas the latter provides the CPC with the necessary technical assistance in defining and implementing development projects.

Participatory activities were effectively supported by the Regional Council staff (which was actively involved in the whole SP process) and by the Local Economic Development Agency of Shkodra, TEULEDA (established by UNOPS/ PASARP in 2001 and object of empowerment policies carried on by ART GOLD 2 and ILS LEDA). Both actors, supported by ART GOLD experts, developed their capacity to gather territorial actors together and devise complex, wide-range projects.

The results of the participatory process – in terms of territorial potentials and critical aspects highlighted, solutions proposed, development objectives identified - were all taken into consideration and included (after the necessary processing and systematising activities) in the SPT. Therefore, all the SPT contents can be considered as shared and agreed upon by the whole regional community.

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Participatory meetings Facts and figures

From February 2010 to April 2011 more than 100 meetings were held in the framework of the regional strategic planning initiative.

The figures of participation • Over 30 meetings with stakeholders • Over 70 coordination meetings •

5 public consultation events

• Nearly

15 hours of public debates

• Nearly 200 participants to the events

Some of the latter were aimed to present the strategic planning methodology to Albanian government bodies, regional and local authorities and other stakeholders operating in the areas, to achieve their consensus and willingness to actively participate in the strategic planning process, and improve the sense of ownership of the process. As a result, the strategic planning participatory methodology was widely shared and agreed upon and cooperation relationships were established, especially between TEULEDA and important institutional subjects (Albanian Ministries, Italian Cooperation, World Bank, Regional governments, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc.).

These meetings were also important to conduct a survey of the activities and projects implemented by national and international actors in Shkodra Region and collect information on the status of implementation of development interventions, including urban planning and local development experiences.

Another group of meetings was focused on the coordination within ART GOLD 2 programme, and involved ART GOLD 2 staff (including the

Local Coordinator and the Communication Officer), TEULEDA and other subjects operating in the country (ILS LEDA, Universitas programme, etc.). These meetings often had a capacity building function, especially towards TEULEDA, which was constantly involved and trained on strategic planning methodology and activities.

Meetings held are listed in the following pages and are divided into the two above-mentioned categories: coordination meetings and meetings with significant stakeholders (Albanian institutions, international cooperation bodies, associations, etc.).

Although the Regional Government is one of the main actors in the SPT, meetings with the Region President are included in the first category, while meetings with the Regional staff are considered coordination meetings.

76 Coordination meetings • 31 Coordination meetings with UNDP ART GOLD 2 Albania staff • 21 Coordination meetings with TEULEDA staff • 11 Coordination meetings with the Regional Council staff • 3 Coordination meetings with Universitas program coordinators • 6 Coordination meetings with ILS LEDA • 1 Meeting with UNDP Cluster Manager • 1 Meeting with UNDP Country Director • 1 Meeting with UNDP-ISD Project Team Leader, and National Project Manager • 1 Meeting with TEULEDA board representatives

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33 meetings with stakeholders • Directory of Strategic Programming, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy • Ministry of Education and Science • Ministry of Tourism, Culture Affairs, Youth and Sports • • • • • • • • • •

Credins Bank AlbInvest Foreign Direct Investment Department Italian Cooperation DGCS Inter Agency Scientific Committee for Human Development Cooperation Chamber of Commerce Region of Shkodra Mayor of Shkodra Deputy Mayor of Shkodra Deputy Mayor of Shkodra and Head of the Municipal development office Shkodra Municipality staff (Statistical Specialist)

• • • • • • • • • •

County Chair of Shkodra County Council Prefect of Shkodra Region Representative of the Prefecture of Shkodra Faculty of Economy of the University of Shkodra ACLI Centro de Estudios Rurales y de Agricultura Internacional - CERAI Department of Geography of the University of Shkodra Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo - VIS Regional Agency of Environment MALTESER International

• • • • • • • • • •

Mountain Areas Development Agency - MADA Decentralized Cooperation Office, Regione Emilia Romagna World Bank Regional Department of the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture DGCS, Cooperazione Italiana allo Sviluppo Central Directorate, Ministry of Tourism Environmental Hot Spot Project, UNEP General Director of the Ministry of Tourism Albanian Development Fund - ADF Netherlands Development Organisation - SNV

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Public consultation events Facts and figures

In order to create involvement and ownership of the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism, five public discussion events were organised.

1 Kick-Off event 12 October 2010 Public launch of the strategic planning initiative and introductory meeting.

3 Public debates 22, 23 and 24 February 2011 Public consultation meetings organised in Puka, Koplik and Shkodra to share, discuss and review with territorial actors the draft regional tourism development Vision and Strategy.

1 Focus Groups meeting 20 April 2011 Public consultation meeting to discuss and define shared integrated project proposals for the Strategic Plan implementation.

All the events have been widely successful: participation was satisfactory (nearly 200 registered participants in total) and all actors proved to be interested and willing to actively engage in the SPT preparation.

Collaboration between regional and local actors, and between ART GOLD 2 and partners, was also strengthened.

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5

e diel 25.07.2010

Ekonomi

Zadrima, vera që tenton tregun e huaj Fisnikëria e Kelmend Lulgjurajt, imazhi i verës "Zadrima"

Shkodër, ART GOLD, kredi lehtësuese për fermerët Agjencia "Teuleda", në ndihmë të zhvillim të biznesit

Çdokush që do të marrte ndër duar një shishe vere "Zadrima", imazhi i një burri flokëbardhë në etiketën e saj do ta tërhiqte. Imazhi i tij fisnik duket sikur të siguron për urtësinë e verës. Është Kelmend Lulgjuraj, agronomi që mban mbi supe mbi 70 vite, imazhi i verës "Zadrima" që fermerët e zonës kanë zgjedhur si logo. Zef Pashuku na rrëfen se imazhi i agronomit të vjetër ishte një ide e mbështetur nga të gjithë. Sipas Zefit, përveç emrit Zadrima, një emër që i përket një zone të përmendur shekuj më parë, për llojin e rrushit të veçantë autokton Kallmet, ata vendosëm t'i shtonim verës një logo të veçantë, ku me miratimin e të gjithë kolegëve të grupuar në këtë kooperativës "Vreshtarët e Zadrimës", u vendos pikërisht për portretin e agronomit më të nderuar e të respektuar në zonën e Shkodrës, cili gëzon një respekt për përkushtimin e tij në bujqësisë. "Koincidenca ka qenë se ai ka qenë agronomi që ka qenë prezent në mbjelljen e vreshtave para 40 vjetësh në këtë zonë. Me

Teuta Shamku Zef Pashuku, një fermer dhe prodhues vere në Zadrimë, zonë e njohur e shtrirë mes Shkodrës dhe Lezhës, tregon se vreshtat premtojmë më shumë prodhim vere. Grupimi i fermerëve në kooperativën "Vreshtarët e Zadrimës", ka rritur ndjeshëm investimet si në vreshta të reja, ashtu edhe në objekte dhe pajisje për prodhimin e verës, falë kredive me kushte lehtësuese që kanë marrë nga programi i PNUD, ART GOLD, i nxitur nëpërmjet agjencisë "Teuleda". Zefi të pret ngrohtë në kantinën e tij, rrëfen me urtësi, ashtu siç edhe verën e shijojnë zadrimorët. Përpjekjet për të krijuar një fermë të përbashkët ku janë grupuar disa banorë të zonës, duke bashkuar tokën e mbjellë në vreshta, ka herët që kanë nisur. Kanë rritur investimet, kanë rritur prodhimin.

Kanë një treg të mirë në vend, por synimet janë për të kapur tregjet ndërkombëtare.

Pse jo, vera e Zadrimës është njohur ka herët në Evropën e vjetër. Një banor rrëfen se 300 vjet më parë, vera dhe rrushi i Zadrimës i çoheshin Papës, e zgjedhur si nga më cilësoret. I gjithë mundi i tyre është investuar tashmë në rrënjët e vreshtave. Kanë marrë kredi dhe presin të marrin në të ardhmen, për të prodhuar sa më shumë verë "Zadrima" e për të bërë atë pjesë të tregut ndërkombëtar. Ndaj do t'i rikthehen agjencisë "Teuleda" të

rimarrin kredi. Projekti ART GOLD, i iniciuar nga PNUD, ka menaxhuar fondin e garancisë dhe me fillimin e ART GOLD 2 po negociohet serish me bankën "Credins" për kushte të reja. Agjencia "Teuleda" ka kontribuar në krijimin e 15 ndërmarrjeve të reja dhe forcimin e 10 ndërmarrjeve të tjera ekzistuese, gjatë periudhës prill 2004 - dhjetor 2007 me anë të mekanizmit të Fondit të Garancisë prej 500.000 USD, të vënë në dispozicion nga programi PASSARP. Shuma e dhënë si kredi deri tani është afërsisht 1 milion USD dhe janë dhënë kredi duke filluar

nga 10.000 USD deri në 150.000 USD (ekuivalentet në euro dhe lek). Janë krijuar 300 vende të reja pune direkte nga krijimi i bizneseve të reja apo nga rritja e bizneseve ekzistuese në Shkodër dhe Vlorë. "Teuleda" nuk është thjesht një institucion financiar për kreditimin, përqasja me biznesin është ndryshe nga ajo e bankave apo e institucioneve financiare në Shqipëri. Pas aprovimit të kredisë fillon puna e vërtetë në asistimin e ndërmarrjes për sa i përket gjetjes së lëndës së parë, tregjeve dhe furnitorëve të mundshëm, makinerive, marketingut etj.

"Teuleda" është duke kërkuar edhe burime të tjera financiare me qëllim krijimin e një linje mikrokredie për bizneset e vogla që hasin vështirësi në sistemin e kredimarrjes në Shqipëri. Nga ky fond garanci ka përfituar edhe një biznes tjetër

mbështetjen e agjencisë "Teuleda" dhe çfarë vlerash kanë pasur ato?

-Kredia e parë ka qenë 1.5 milionë lekë, e dyta 3 milionë lekë dhe e treta 5 milionë lekë (të reja). Ka qenë "Teuleda" që na mbështeti me fondin e garancisë, e cila na lehtësoi kolateralin dhe ne u bëmë të besueshëm. Nga lehtësia e shlyerjes ne kemi gjetur mundësi t'i përsërisim kreditë dhe si rezultat i këtij bashkëpunimi në kohën dhe momentin që ne kemi dashur, kemi arritur të rrisim sipërfaqen e vreshtave. Sot unë zotëroj mbi 3 hektarë vresh-

Sa herë keni marrë kredi me

Pas gjithë këtyre investimeve të

ta me toka të familjes sime dhe në toka të marra me qera, ku janë investuar vetëm në vreshta rreth 50 milionë lekë të vjetra.

Me kreditë e marra të lehtësuara kemi arritur të investojmë në objektet e magazinimit të prodhimit të rrushit, të ruajtjes së prodhimit të verës dhe në makineri dhe pajisje të domosdoshme për prodhimin dhe ruajtjen e këtyre prodhimeve kaq të rëndësohem dhe delikate, siç është vera në kushtet e një kantine të vogël.

bëra, sa verë arrini të prodhoni dhe çfarë marke keni nxjerrë në treg?

-Ne punojmë prej 5 vjetësh me markën verës "Zadrima", e miratuar nga të gjitha organet shtetërore. Kemi hyrë kryesisht në tregun lokal, në zonën e bregdetit të veriut të Shqipërisë dhe në Tiranë. Kapaciteti prodhues është rreth 300 hektolitra (si individ) dhe në rang kooperative ne prodhojmë rreth 1000 hektolitra verë e shpërndarë kjo në dy-tri kantina në këtë zonë. Edhe këta fermerë janë mbështetur nga agjencia "Teuleda" me kredi.

Zoti Zef, është i njohur tashmë fakti se bankat tregtare nuk janë të prira të japin kredi për të mbështetur sektorin bujqësor, pasi e shohin si një sektor me risk në kthimin e kredisë. Në këto kushte frenimi të kredisë nga bankat e nivelit të dytë, sa jeni ndier të mbështetu nga agjencia "Teuleda" nëpërmjet fondit të garancisë dhe sigurimit të kredisë?

-Ne nisëm investimet disa vite më parë në fushën e vreshtarisë dhe nuk e dinim sa do ishin shpenzimet në fushën e tyre, pasi vreshtaria kërkon shumë investim të menjëhershëm dhe fitimi fillon pas 4 ose 5 vjetësh. Vështirësitë ishin prezente. Bankat e nivelit të dytë s'kanë qenë të hapura për ta na kredituar, përveç ndonjë mikrokredie. Ka qenë tepër e vështirë për t'u bërë partnerë femrat me bankat tregtare. Ky është një problem që shqetëson gjithë komuni-

në Shkodër, është Arben Kolaj, i cili ka një fabrikë në Dajç të Shkodrës për përpunimin e qumështit dhe prodhimin e djathit mocarela, i cili me një kredi prej 98 mijë eurosh ka rritur kapacitetet prodhuese dhe cilësinë e tij.

Mocarela prodhohet edhe në Shkodër

Zef Pashuku: Synojmë tregun e huaj Si ka nisur aktiviteti juaj dhe sa të mbështetur jeni ndier nga kredia lehtësuese që keni marrë nëpërmjet agjencisë "Teuleda"?

-Ne këtu kemi ngritur një biznes në fushën e vreshtarisë dhe të prodhimit të pijeve tradicionale, verë dhe rakisë. Kemi mbi 10 vjet që kemi mbjellë sipërfaqe të reja me vreshta, falë një klime të mirë që ka zona jonë, e shfaqur në vreshtari në shekuj. Sipërfaqet e reja u janë bashkuar vreshtave që kanë mbetur që në kohën e monizmit. Kemi investuar në shtimin e tyre me kredi të mbështetura nga agjencia "Teuleda". Ne kemi bashkëpunuar me këtë agjenci prej 9 vjetësh. Gjatë këtyre viteve lindi nevoja që biznesin ta përmirësojmë dhe ta bëjmë sa më funksional.

Nuk ishte lehtë të merrnim kredi në bankat tregtare dhe pa mbështetjen e agjencisë "Teuleda". Arsyeja është e thjeshtë, ne jemi fermerë përbërës të një kooperative, "Vreshtarët e Zadrimës", me qendër në Hajmel. Si vreshtarë ne s'kemi shumë prona, ne kemi fituar tokën me ligjin 7501 dhe detyrimisht tokat tona nuk janë aq të vlerësuara nga bankat si koletaral. Vështirësia në marrjen e kredisë ishte e madhe, nuk kishte besueshmëri në nivelin e duhur dhe shtëpitë tona nuk kishin vlerë të lartë koletarali. Mbështetja e agjencisë "Teuleda" na ndërgjegjësoi për këtë bashkëpunim. Ne jemi një grup i madh fermerësh që kemi marrë disa herë kredi. Unë e kam nisur si fillim me një kredi prej 15 milionë lekësh të vjetra.

këtë logo ne kemi bërë një gjetje, ndofta simbolika u nis tek vlerat e këtij njeriu, por edhe vlerat e profesionit agronomit, i cili mund të jetë zanati më i papaguar në Shqipëri", thotë Zefi. Sipas tij, imazhi i Kelmend Lulgjurajt në shishen e verës është pritur shumë mirë, pasi, siç thotë Zefi, ai ka ende bashkëkohës së tij që e njohin e që e kanë mik, që e takojnë dhe që është pjesë integrale e bashkimit të fermerëve të Zadrimës.

tetin e fermerëve në këtë zonë. Grupi ynë i fermerëve bashkëpunon me agjencinë "Teuleda" dhe disa prej nesh jemi mbështetur nga fondi i garancisë për të marrë kredi. Kjo ka qenë një mbështetje dhe një siguri që na ka bërë me marrë përsipër çdo vit hap pas hapi, investime. Po punojmë me teknologji të reja, duke rritur standardet në mbjelljen e rrushit, përpunimin e tij, prodhimin e verës dhe ruajtjen e saj. Ne jemi një model i zmadhimit të fermës në Shqipëri dhe kjo kërkon investime.

Ne tashmë jemi fermerë dhe kemi lidhur jetën tonë me të, gjithçka është e organizuar dhe jo sporadike. Pa dyshim e gjithë kjo kërkon financime të vazhdueshme për t'u zhvilluar më tej.

Të investosh në vreshtari do të thotë të investosh në mbi 15 vite dhe investosh në verë do të thotë investim afatgjatë.

Ne do të vazhdojmë të kemi nevojë për kredi dhe shpresojmë në mbështetjen e mëtejshme të agjencie "Teuleda" dhe projekteve qeverisë me kredi të buta dhe afatgjatë, duke dhënë kredi me kushte lehtësuese.

Sa ka qenë afati i maturimit të kredive dhe si kanë qenë interesat e tyre?

-Deri tani kemi operuar me kredi 3vjeçare. Interesat në krahasim me bankat tregtare janë më të ulëta, kjo falë fondit të garancisë së "Teuledës".

Kreditë e ardhshme që synojmë të marrim, shpresojmë të jenë më afatgjata dhe me interesa sa më të ulëta.

Ai quhet Arben Kolaj, banor i Dajçit të Bregut të Bunës në Shkodër. Ai merret me përpunimin e qumështit, ka një fabrikë që përpunon mocarelën, një lloj djathi të njohur kryesisht në Itali, në zonën e Napolit. Ai e ka nisur aktivitetin e tij në vitin 1996. Në fillim ai rrëfen se nisi si një nevojë për të mbajtur familjen, duke nxjerrë të ardhura të pakta, më pas duke investuar në këtë drejtim aktiviteti mori formën e një biznesi të plotë. Çdo vit lindte nevoja për të përmirësuar teknologjinë e kjo kërkonte rritje investimi. Ai tregon se kredia e marrë nga "Teuleda" e ka ndihmuar shumë.

A keni gjetur mbështetje financiare me kredi për të rritur investimet?

-Po, kredia ka qenë një ndër mënyrat e investimit. U jam drejtuar bankave të ndryshme. Deri në momentin që jam njohur me projektin e "Teuledës". Nisa bashkëpunimin dhe mora një kredi në bankë që mbështetet me garanci nga agjencia "Teuleda". Duke parë se fshatin bankat nuk e vlerësojnë, atëherë bashkëpunimi me shoqatën "Teuleda" ishte një rrugëzgjidhje e duhur, pasi fondi i garancisë që ata bllokojnë në bankë për ne, garanton tek bankat tregtare kredinë tonë dhe lehtësinë për marrjen e saj.

Sa kredi keni marrë dhe si kanë qenë termat e kredisë?

-Kur unë kam punuar me "Teuledën", kredia ka qenë 98 mijë euro, me një afat kohor 3-vjeçar. Tashmë kjo kredi është shlyer. Por marrja e kësaj kredie pa dyshim ka dhënë një efekt pozitiv në punën time dhe nga ana tjetër ka rritur edhe fitimin.

Press releases of the ART GOLD 2 programme: CPC meeting(top); presentations of the ART GOLD 2 programme (above).

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The materials to support participation

Right: The logo designed by iNExTstudio for the strategic planning process, representing the transition from inputs (analyses) to outputs (projects), passing through the “filter” of participation.

The participatory process in Shkodra Region was supported by various information and communication materials aimed to inform the territorial actors on strategic planning issues, engage them in the process and stimulate discussions during public consultation events.

These materials were designed taking into consideration the scarce tradition of the regional community to take part into participatory practices.

• Graphic layout and contents of brochures, providing basic information on the strategic planning process and its current status • Graphic layout of the folders handed out to the participants, containing selected information and communication materials • Graphic layout of pins with the logo of the strategic planning process, handed out during all participation events.

Since the beginning of the process, in order to ease participation procedures, it was decided to provide territorial actors with a continuous information support.

Presentations were held in each event, summarising the strategic planning methodology and the current status of the SPT (activities performed, achieved results, next steps, etc.).

Each presentation was complemented by a diagram of the strategic planning process, updated for each event.

Other graphics and communication materials were prepared for the events, such as the following: • Logo of the strategic planning process • Draft event agenda and invitations • Layout of the attendance sheets, to collect participants names and contacts • Graphic layout of posters to advertise the events • Graphic layout of events cards, containing contacts of ART GOLD 2 and TEULEDA, handed out to the participants

Above: The poster designed to advertise the Public Debate in Shkodra, Puka e Koplik (February 2011)

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The Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism website www.shkodraregionstrategicplanning.eu In order to disseminate the strategic planning process activities and results, the creation of a website was considered the most efficient tool for information and communication.

SPT experts provided support for an internet page creation and development asserting its importance in communication field.

During the missions, SPT experts drafted and shared with TEULEDA and the Regional staff the guidelines for the creation of a website and defined tasks and responsibilities related to the website management. SPT experts also provided technical assistance to the web design company contracted to carry on the site design and implementation.

In the framework of the regional strategic planning process the creation of a website is meant to:

• encourage participation and support democratic decision making, by giving updated information to the local community about the strategic planning process, methodology, agenda, activities, objectives and achieved results • improve the transparency of policy-making and help to create reliable relations between local communities and authorities, including UN • give support to potential donors in selecting the projects to fund in a particular area, by synthetically describing the development strategy the territory has chosen and the action plan to realise it. The aim is to ensure that funded projects really satisfy territorial needs.

At the moment, the Strategic Plan website www.shkodraregionstrategicplanning.eu is online and is constantly updated by the Regional staff, in collaboration with TEULEDA.

A screenshot from the website of Shkodra Region Strategic Plan, currently in progress

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CHAPTER 1

ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK

The Rozafa Castle in Shkodra

1.1. Introduction to the Analysis Framework An important goal of the Strategic Plan for Shkodra Region Sustainable Tourism is to meet and accomplish local actors needs by taking into consideration the outcomes of the participatory events. The aim is to achieve optimal coordination, integration and synergy with the Regional and National Strategies, as well as enhance their effects on the local and regional territory.

Consequently, the main objective of the Analysis Framework is to study the current situation of the territory starting from the analysis of planning and programming documents (mostly implemented after the year 2005, hence considered as an updated sources of information) identified during the initial desk survey, and integrating this analysis with the outcomes of the experts survey on field.

In terms of methodology, there was no need for new research to be conducted because the strategic planning process did not start from zero rather it maintained continuity with the policies already operating on the territory, coordinating, enhancing and providing them with a wider perspective. Therefore, the analysis was conducted using information collected from different sources.

The Analysis Framework describes the present situation of the Region from different points of view, aiming at building a reference system for the identification of strengths and weakness, opportunities and threats. The expected result was, therefore, the identification of a shared vision and strategy for tourism development.

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Sources for the territorial analysis

As previously mentioned, the Analysis Framework of the SPT gathers territorial information mainly from secondary sources, integrating them with the results of direct observation and of the participatory process. The main sources of information for the territorial analysis of Shkodra Region were the following.

At national level: • National Strategy for Development and Integration • Regional Development Cross-Cutting Strategy • National Tourism Strategy • Albania Culture Marketing Strategy • Agriculture and Food Sector Strategy • Inter-sectoral Rural Development Strategy • National Environmental Strategy • Sectorial Strategy of Transports At regional and sub-regional level: • Regional Plan Shkodra-Lezha (EPTISA plan) • Strategic Concept for Regional Development • Regional Environment Action Plan: Drini river delta - Shkodra-Lezha • Strategic Action Plan for Shkodra Lake • Promoting Regional Development through the Millennium Development Goals

• S.W.O.T analysis for Shkodra Region • ILS LEDA Survey of the resources of Shkodra Region • Guide: “Shkodra - Region of Privacy” (2009) • Guide: “Shkodra in your pocket” (2006-2007) At local level: • Structural Plan of Shkodra City • Strategic Plan for Economic Development 2005-2015 - Shkodra Most demographic data were taken from INSTAT (Albanian National Institute of Statistics), while additional information on the regional history and cultural heritage were extracted from the following websites: Office of Administration and Coordination of the Archeological Park of Shkodra (www.archaeologicalshkodra.com), www.shkodra.net, Albanian Travel Agency (www.tourism-in-albania.com), Albanian National Agency of Tourism (www.albaniantourism.com).

Please note that surveys included in this document are not intended to be comprehensive and can be subject to integrations and additions at any time, in coherence with the process nature of the regional SPT.

Welcome

Language Selection

Kryeministri Berisha viziton Kalane ”Rozafa“ Kryeministri Berisha viziton Kalane ”Rozafa“

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Me date 10 Maj Kalane “Rozafa” e vizitoi Kryeministri i vendit Z. Sali Berisha I shoqeruar dhe nga Kryetaria e Parlamentit Znj. Jozefina Topalli dhe Ministri i Puneve Publike Z. Sokol Olldashi. Ne kete vizite nuk munguan autoritetet vendase si Prefekti i Qarkut Shkoder Z. Maxhid Cungu, Kryetari i Keshillit Qarkut Z. Gjovalin Kolombi, si dhe Kryetari i Bashkise Shkoder Z.Lorenc Luka.

Ne hyrje te Kalase delegacioni u prit nga stafi i Parkut Arkeologjik.Nje informacion dhe pershkrim i hollesishem mbi historikun dhe monumentet me tipologjike dhe arkitekturore ne Kala impresionoj te pranishmit. Disa here Kryeministri vuri theksin ne vazhdimin e punes se mire te bere deri tani per mirembajtjen e ketij monumenti me vlera te rralla. Kryeministri Berisha u interesua dhe vuri theksin dhe ne permiresimin e rrjetit te ndriçimit te ketij objekti dhe kerkoi nga Bashkia Shkoder nderhyrjen dhe bashkepunimin me Parkun Arkeologjik Shkoder ne lidhje me kete projekt.

Nje vizite ne Muzeun e Keshtjelles dhe nje dhurate simbolike nga Parku Arkeologjik Shkoder si dhe nje pushim i shkurter ne nje nga ambientet e lokalit ne Kala shenoi dhe fundin e kesaj vizite. Sigurisht qe ne fund te vizites nje impresion i shkurter per viziten ne Kalane Rozafa dhene nga Kryeministri me shume kenaqesi ne librin e impresioneve. “ Rozafa simboli i perjetesise se Shkodres qe te mrekullon sa here qe e viziton” Z. Sali Barisha Kryeminister i Shqiperise.

Rozafa

SHKODRA HISTORY AKTIVITETE

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Nje vizite e veçante ne Kalane

Ne Kalane Rozafa festohet dita

INFO TURISM CONTACT

“Rozafa”

e Shen Valentinit.

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Nje vizite e veçante ne Kalane “Rozafa”

Ne Kalane Rozafa festohet dita e Shen

Valentinit.

Screenshot from the Office of Administration and Coordination Archeological Park of Shkodra website Me date 22 Prill Kalaja “Rozafa” perjetoi nje dite ndryshe nga te tjerat.E mesuar nga

Strategic Planning in Shkodra Region - Towards Sustainability of Tourism

Per te dytin vit radhazi u festua ne ambientet e Kalase se lashte festa e te

Location

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SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

1.2. Sharing the analysis The Kick-Off event The public launch event of the Strategic Planning of Shkodra Region, titled “Towards Sustainability of Tourism” took place on October 12th, 2010. The event involved over 70 participants, who approved the strategic planning initiative and agreed upon the proposed methodology.

• Regional stakeholders started to highlight territorial problems (waste management, protected areas’ management, etc.) and to suggest possible development actions.

During the meeting, the SPT objectives and methodology were explained, and the following results were achieved: • The necessity of a regional SPT was agreed upon.

• The Local Economic Development Agency TEULEDA was assigned the main role to provide technical assistance for the SPT implementation.

• The close collaboration among local stakeholders was pointed out as an essential assumption to achieve the overall development objectives. The collaboration between regional and local actors, and between ART GOLD 2 and partners ( T E U L E D A , U n i v e r s i t y, e t c . ) w a s strengthened.

• The Regional government showed good ownership of the strategic planning process.

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1.3. Territorial framework

Shkodra Region is one of the 12 regions of Albania, established as a local governmental unit on November 2000 according to the Law no.8653 of 31/07/2000 “On the administrative and territorial division of the local government units in the Republic of Albania”.

Table 1. Municipalities and Communes in Shkodra Region

Municipalities

Communes

Koplik

Kelmend

Shkodra

Shkrel

Vau i Dejës

Qendër Koplik

Pukë

Kastrat

Fushë Arrëz

Gruemirë Bushat Postribë Gur i Zi Dajç Velipojë Ana e Malit Qendër Bërdicë Vig Mnellë Hajmel Rrethina Pult Shalë

The Region has three districts: Shkodra, Malesi e Madhe and Puke. Every district includes one or more Municipalities and different Communes (see Table 1).

Shkodra Region is situated in the northwestern part of Albania and is 3.561,25 km² in size, which is 12% of the surface area of the country.

The Region has a land and a lake national border, 172 and 38 km in length respectively, with Montenegro.

The regional topography is very varied, ranging from the lowlands of the Adriatic coastline up to the Albanian Alps with the second and the third highest peak in the country, respectively, Jezerca (2.694 m) and Radohima (2.570 m).

The National Park of Theth, located in the Albanian Alps, is the most important tourist destination of the Region, covering an area of 2.630 hectares.

Mountains can be found in the northern part, while the lowlands, particularly around the lake of Shkodra and near Buna river, provide vast tracts of fertile land for agriculture.

The Region is abundant with rivers that flow from the mountain areas to the plains near Shkodra city. During a large flood in 1846 the Drin river was split in two branches creating a new branch in the direction of Shkodra where it joints with the Buna river. Buna is the only river in Albania which is entirely navigable by small and medium size boats.

Shllak Shosh Temal Fierzë

Shkodra Region general data

Gjegjan

Name of the Region: Shkodra

Iballë

Capital city:

Shkodra

Qerret

Nr. of Municipaliies:

5

Blerim

Nr. of Communes:

29

Qelëz

Total surface:

3.561,25 km²

Total population:

246.016 inhabitants

Qafë Mali Rrapë

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1.4. Historical highlights

The city of Shkodra is one of the oldest cities in Albania. The name itself has a meaning in the Albanian language, related to the Drin river: “Shkodra” is derived from "Shko-drin" which means “Go Drin” or “Drin goes".

It is known that the Illyrian population from the tribe of Labeati inhabited the area from the early Bronze Age and in the 3rd century B.C. the predominant tribe in the area was Ardea. In this period the city became the capital of the region under the government of Agron, son of Pleuratus, who ruled from 250 to 230 B.C. The last Illyrian King Gentius was defeated in Shkodra by the Roman army and the kingdom was consequently incorporated into the vast Roman Empire. Byzantium ruled the area for many centuries but by the end of the 6th century to the 15th century other populations like Slavs, Bulgarians and Ottomans attacked it.

city of Shkodra. After six months of hard battles and struggles the city surrendered, however due to international pressure and the inhabitants determination it was set free.

The Italian administration that emerged from the 1939 invasion turned soon into occupation; the same did Germans from September 1943 to the Liberty Day (November 29, 1944).

After the end of the occupation the Albanian Communist regime banned the religious institutions throughout the country. Shkodra was an important institutional and historical centre of the religious life, so the new regime was not easily accepted by the population.

Koplik and Postribe were characterised by several riots against the communist rule.

In 1990 the anti-communism mobilisation caused the fall of the dictatorial regime and the beginning of a democratic era.

After the death of Scanderbeg in 1468 Shkodra Region and all the country became part of the Ottoman Empire.

During the centuries under the Turks domination Shkodra was dominated by local families and governed by unwritten rules.

At the beginning of the 20th century revolts against the Turkish domination in northern Albania, with the active participation of the inhabitants of the mountains, marked the end of the Ottoman rule. After the proclamation of independence (November 28, 1912) the army of King Nicholas of Montenegro attacked the

Above: Image of Shkodra in the XIX century On the left: Shkodra in the XV century On the right: Shkodra in the XIX century

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1.5. Statistical data for the territory

Demographic profile Shkodra Region has a population of 246.016 inhabitants (INSTAT, January 2009) and a density of about 7 inhabitants per hectare. It represents 7,7% of the total population of Albania.

There is a noticeable difference in the population numbers between the data released

from the local administrative sources and those from 2001 INSTAT Population Census.

According to the administrative data, the population of the Region is 337.000 inhabitants, while according to the Census results it is approximately 256.000 inhabitants. This might be the result of several difficulties in updating data due to frequent migration toward the bigger cities or abroad.

Figure 2. Population of Shkodra Region compared to the Albanian population (INSTAT 2009)

75% of the population of the Region lives in the district of Shkodra. The major part, about 61% of the total, represents the rural population and

the other 39% represents the urban population of the County.

Figure 3. Urban and rural population in the region (IIndicators by perfectures - INSTAT 2007)

From January 2003 to January 2009 the population of the Region decreased about 5,4% (- 13.878 inhabitants). The most probable reason of this change is the large number of people who have migrated to Tirana or to other regions and countries. The District with the major number of emigrants during this period is

Puka, which counted about 34.802 inhabitants in 2003 and 24.319 inhabitants in 2009, in other words 30% less of the population. Table 2 shows how the population of Shkodra and Malesi e Madhe districts have not undergone through significant demographic changes.

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District

2003

2009

Difference in %

187.878

185.612

- 1%

Puka

34.802

24.319

- 30%

Malësi e Madhe

37.214

36.085

- 3%

246.016

259.894

- 5.5%

Shkodra

Total

Employment The statistical data of the employment is strongly connected to the population size divided by age. It depends on the number of people under 16 years old and over 65 years old that are considered economically not active.

Table 3 reports the population size of three different age groups in the three districts of Shkodra Region. 65% of the total population is of working age, 8% of retirement age, and 27 % younger than 15 years old.

Table 2.

Population size per districts in Shkodra Region (INSTAT)

Table 3.

Population size by district and age (January 2004) (INSTAT Yearbook 1995–2004)

District

0-14

15-64

65+

Malësi e Madhe

27%

65%

8%

Puka

32%

61%

7%

Shkodra

27%

65%

8%

Total

27%

65%

8%

Data are not available for the municipal and commune level.

Based on the table above we can assume that at least 35% of the population is not economically active. Note that this data does not include the percentage of non-active population between 14 and 16 years old and women over 60 years old. The large number of unemployed people is also the result of the rural character of the Region that does not offer many job opportunities for young people.

Almost the 67% of the regional population is employed in the private agricultural sector whereas the 17% work in the public sector and the other 16% in the private non-agricultural sector.

Figure 4.

Active population (Indicators by prefectures - INSTAT 2007)

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Figure 5.

Employment sectors (Indicators by prefectures - INSTAT 2007)

This employment structure is different from the overall national situation in two aspects: • the share of the active workforce employed in the agricultural sector is considerably higher than the country’s average • the share of the active workforce employed in the private non-agricultural sector is much lower than the country’s average.

In Shkodra district the part of the population employed in agriculture is smaller due to higher rates of urbanization compared to the other districts of the Region.

More than 12% of the surface area of Albania lies within the administrative jurisdiction of Shkodra Region. About 50% of the regional territory is woodland, 14% agricultural, 8% grassland and pasture while 28% is classified as other. Shkodra Region has a higher proportion of woodland than the national average, but a lower proportion of agricultural land, grassland and pasture, which is not surprising given the mountainous topography. But despite this landscape, there are large tracts of fertile land for both agriculture and animal husbandry. A large part of the agricultural land is abandoned.

At a regional level this represents approximately 30% of the overall agricultural land.

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Tourist trends Shkodra Region has enormous potential for tourism development. The Region is characterised by a variety of tourist attractors, from natural beauties to historical buildings and cultural identities. Its favourable geographic position is undoubtedly a crucial asset for its tourist development. Human, cultural and historical traditions add more value to such potential.

Over the last few years, the number of tourists visiting Albania has steadly increased and many of them arrive from Montenegro through Shkodra Region. According to statistical data (source: Albania in figures 2010), during 2009 the number of foreign visitors arrivals for holidays in Albania was about 1.544.218 people, twice the 2006 figure. The average overnight stay in Albanian hotels was 2.6 nights.

There are several types of accommodation available in the Region, from four-star hotels to rooms in farmhouses in rural villages. The County offers accommodation to national and foreign tourists in its hotels and resorts almost during the entire year. Shkodra and Velipoja (where the accommodation capacity of hotels is more than two thousand rooms) are, at the moment, the destinations that are better equipped for tourist reception. Hotels and restaurants in downtown Shkodra are currently able to absorb the demand. On the other hand, the massive presence of hotels and restaurants in Velipoja is probably excessive, if compared to the real tourist influx, presently related only to sea and not to the other environmental resources. Rural areas are characterised by a scarce presence of agro-tourism activities, Bed & Breakfast structures and organised camping areas.

8.753 of which were foreigners. Unofficial data reveal about 20.000 tourists per season in the National Park of Theth, staying for one or more nights in Bed & Breakfast structures or individual backpacking tents, especially during the summer months.

Nonetheless, regional tourist products are consumed mainly within the country or by tourists from Kosovo and Macedonia and not by foreign tourists, who visit the Region mostly for business reasons.

Regarding the natural offer of the Region, tourists can engage in four main types of tourism: • Mountain tourism, based on the attractions offered by the Albanian Alps and the surrounding areas in Malesi e Madhe. The main tourist destinations for mountain lovers are Razma, Boga and the National Park of Theth.

• Coastal and river tourism, based on the attractions offered by the Commune of Velipoja with a 14 km seashore, river Buna delta and the Viluni lagoon.

• Lake tourism in Shkodra lake (the greatest freshwater resource of the Balkan region), with the touristic villages of Shiroka and Zogaj.

• City tourism, based on the religious monuments, traditional houses and historical monuments in the city of Shkodra.

Local and traditional products are appreciated by both national and foreign tourists and, if properly integrated in the tourist offer, can represent an important potential for its further development.

There are no statistical data available for overnight stays in Shkodra Region. The only data available refer to the number of tourists of Rozafa Castle during 2008: the total number was 10.096,1.343 of which were Albanian and

Table 4. Arrivals of foreigners and Albanians in hotels during 1995 – 2008 (in thousands) (INSTAT 2008)

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

214

86

165

171

93

161

212

Foreigners

64

22

32

36

32

60

56

Albanians

150

64

133

135

61

101

156

Total

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1.6. Infrastructure for the mobility

Road infrastructure Geographically, Shkodra Region is located at the crossroad between Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. Therefore, it is the northern gateway to Albania. It is well connected to the rest of the country through national roads, railway and has access to the Adriatic Sea. Nevertheless, the regional road system is largely inadequate. Unpaved roads are common, lacking any security system at high altitudes and, therefore, not easily practicable.

Besides long travel times, the road condition requires the use of appropriate vehicles and hinders (or at least discourages) the access to potential tourism areas.

Rural roads ensure connection between villages and with the cities of the Region. Most of them are poor or very poor. The poor status

of rural roads limits the communication among villages as well as between villages and urban areas. It also limits the access to local services.

The inadequacy of the road system leads to the complete isolation of the villages in winter, especially during snowfalls.

Public transportation is limited in terms of frequency of services and extension of the served areas. Private vehicles are the main means of transportation.

Table 5 and Figure 9 show that the Region has 14.5% of the country’s motorcycles and 6.2% of the country’s automobiles. The major parts of the vehicles are concentrated in the city of Shkodra. The preferred vehicle for the displacement is, of course, the private car but, in comparison with national data, the percentage of motorcycles owned in Shkodra Region is double the national figure.

Cars

Buses & Minibuses

Motorcycle

Total

Shkodra

15.348

2.197

2.661

20.206

Albania

248.938

30.578

18.329

297.842

Table 5.

Number of road vehicles for passengers in Shkodra Region and Albania (Indicators by prefectures - INSTAT 2009)

Figure 9.

Percentage of specific road vehicles in Shkodra Region and Albania (Indicators by prefectures - INSTAT 2009)

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The diagram below shows that the Region of Shkodra had the largest budget in the country for road maintenance for the period 2005–2009: the 5 year average is about 156.613 US dollars per year.

This means that the central government has given to the Region a top priority with regard to regional development, starting with the release of funds for infrastructural projects.

Figure 10. Road maintenance budget for the national roads by prefecture 2005 - 2009 (First five year review of Albanian National Transport Plan 2010)

➡ In the pipeline ➡ Local roads ➡ National road

Figure 11. Existing road infrastructure and road infrastructure in the pipeline (Albanian Development Fund)

Bicycles are mainly used in Shkodra city in areas that are flat and dense, in spite of the poor road condition and accident hazards.

There are no separate bicycle lanes, either on or off the carriageways.

Even in downtown Shkodra, particularly around public squares or university buildings, where it is safer to ride a bike, there are only a few cycle parking spaces. There are no facilities for cyclists at the railway station and there is no special access to public parks, schools and markets. Currently almost 14% of the people in Shkodra city use this transportation for internal movements. Although it is widely accepted that cycling is the best and less expensive mean to reduce the number of short-distance vehicular trips (thus helping to reduce air pollution), the authorities have not given any official support to cycling activities in the city.

Strategic Planning in Shkodra Region - Towards Sustainability of Tourism

Shkodra, Marubi photo

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SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

Railway infrastructure The Albanian railway network is 424 km in length, with gauge of 1,435 mm.

The country only international railway connects Durres station, which is part of the Corridor VIII, with the city of Shkodra and it then proceeds to Podgorica in Montenegro.

Between 2003 and 2005, the amount of freight transported by rail fell from 517 thousand tons to 404 thousand tons. In 2006 these figures increased again, to 450 thousand tons.

Bajza international railway station has been revived in recent years and is expected to assume an important role within the implementation of the project for the construction of the industrial area of Koplik.

In 1995, 3,7 million passengers used the country’s railway network, while in 2003, 2006 and 2009, the number has fallen: 2,1 million, 1,7 million, 0,6 million respectively (INSTAT, 2010).

Investments in this railway are necessary for the development of Shkodra and to foster economic relations with Montenegro, with regard to both people and goods exchange.

Figure 12. Road interventions in the pipeline in Northern Albania (Albanian Development Fund, 2009)

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1.7. Environmental aspects

Physical context

Altitude A.S.L. from

Shkodra Region is predominantly mountainous, especially in the northern part characterised by the Albanian Alps. They are an extension of the Dinaric Alps, specific of the calcareous plateau of Montenegro and constituted by layers of limestone and Dolomia stone.

The southern area of Malesi e Madhe and Shkodra District is characterized by the presence of alluvial plains, extended to the shore of the lake of Shkodra and to the seashore. Alluvial plains, due to seasonal precipitations, are often subject of floods that cause devastating consequences. Therefore, the quality of their agricultural land is rather scarce. Agricultural land of good quality can be found in fluvial valleys, on the hills and on the areas of average altitude.

0m (sea shore of Shkodra, Adriatic Sea)

to

2.694 m (Mount Jezerca, Albanian Alps) Coordinates

Lat

from to

41°50’01” N 42°39’43” N

Long

from to

19°16’56” E 20°15’15” E

The presence of carsic phenomena is the cause of the existence of caves of geological and speleological interest, mainly situated in Shkodra and Puka Districts.

The seashore is included in the administrative border of Velipoja Commune It has a length of 14 km and a fair width of 200 m, and is characterised by mainly sandy shores.

The rivers flow in deep valleys and some of them are navigable in several parts. The main existing rivers are: Drin, Buna and Kir.

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Floods Heavy rainfalls, river flows and heavy multiple releases of water from the floodgates of Vau i Dejës hydropower plant often cause floods in Shkodra Region mainly in the area of NënShkodra, in the southern part of Shkodra city. The maximum water capacity that Drin river can flow at is 800m³/sec but, after opening the dike gates, the water flow parameters can grow up to 2.450 m³/sec. Rivers Kir and Buna have higher flooding potentials due to the larger quantity of sediments deposited in the riverbeds.

Kir river water is rising due to the snowmelt coming from the mountain and the east of Shkodra city is at risk.

In Shkodra District the most affected areas are the Communes of Ana e Malit and Velipoja with 1.200 ha of land at risk each, Dajçi and Bushati Commune with 800 ha of land at risk each and Guri i Zi Commune with 600 ha of land at risk.

These areas are subject to floods almost every year, mostly after heavy rains.

Agricultural and transportation infrastructures were damaged making the area around Shkodra accessible only by small boats.

Figure 7. Flood risk areas

The Drin flew until 1848 completely into the Adriatic Sea near Lezha, about 25 km east of the present Bojana-Buna delta. Floods in 1848, 1858 and 1896 let the river breakthrough into the Buna River (drainage of Shkodra Lake) by natural channel shift supported by canals to use hydropower for mills south of Shkodra and partial closure of its former river bed. The 1896 flood had a rate of flow of 7.000 m³/s, which is outstanding for such a catchment (the Albanian Alps have very high precipitation values).

Usually the water level of Shkodra Lake rises up to 3 meters during flood season. The last Drin tributary is the river Kir which shifted its path in 1750, moving from west of Shkodra town into Shkodra Lake to the Buna (southeast of the castle, currently part of the Drin) and destroying the northern suburbs of the city.

At the beginning of November 2009, heavy rains in northern Albania caused severe floods in the Shkodra and Lezha Regions and in the flood plain between Lezha and the Adriatic Sea. On December 2010, the large dams of Drini river were releasing water at an average rates of nearly 1,500 cubic meters per second, resulting in additional flooding downstream. According to the United Nations data, floodwaters covered approximately 10.270 hectares of land and isolated or damaged more than 2.000 houses, leading to the evacuation of approximately 4.000 residents and other 20.000 remained in danger.

Figure 8.

Floods of January 2010 of south Shkodra (Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information, January 2010)

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Ecosystems One of the most important characteristics of an ecosystem is its productivity. This reveals a great deal about the condition of a particular ecosystem and different systems can be compared directly on the basis of productivity. The process of building an organic matter in an ecosystem depends closely on the availability and movement of energy through the system and the movement is ultimately driven by solar energy.

According to ILS LEDA methodology, The ecosystems have been here considered as

biological communities and classified on the basis of their Gross Primary Productivity (GPP the total energy fixed by plants in a community through photosynthesis, per unit area and time, since they are the primary producers). Table 6 divides the ecosystems per category of GPP: negative, low, medium, high and very high.

The table shows that the ecosystems with a negative GPP represent urban areas and those with a positive GPP are naturalistic areas. The ecosystems of low, medium, high and very high GPP have to be protected, preserved and expanded with the intent to maintain and/or increase their productivity capacities.

GPP (x 103) (Kcal/m2)

Typology

Sites

Negative GPP (GPP < 0)

Urban areas

o Downtown Shkodra

Low GPP (0 < GPP < 0.5)

High mountain areas

o Albanian Alps (“Cursed Mountains”)

Medium GPP (0.5 < GPP < 3.0)

Mountain forests

o Albanian Alps (Theth, Vermosh)

Mediterranean maquis

o Velipojë coast (bank)

Lake banks

o Banks of Shkodra Lake o Banks of artificial basins

Sea coastal waters

o Velipoja coast (sea)

Deep lakes

o Shkodra Lake

Forests

o Malësi and Madhe district (average altitude areas) o Puka district (average altitude areas)

Agricultural lands (small production)

o Fluvial valleys o Hill areas

Marshes

o West - South West plains of Shkodra

Not very deep lakes

o Artificial basins of Shkodra district

Rivers

o Buna – Drin Rivers system

Lagoons

o Velipoja Lagoon

River outfalls

o Buna River outfall

High GPP (3.0 < GPP < 10.0)

Very high GPP (10.0 < GPP < 25.0)

Table 6. Identified ecosystems of AGA 2 Area of Shkodra (Valorisation of endogenous territorial potentials for the ART GOLD Albania 2 Program, 30/11/2010)

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1.8. Landscape and cultural heritage

Landscape and Protected areas Table 6. List of protected areas in Shkodra Region (Ministry of Environment Forests and Water Management, Protected areas in Albania 2010)

National Park Theth

VKM nr. 96, 21.11.1966

Natural reserve Buna - Velipoja

VKM nr. 682, 02.11.2005

Shkodra Lake

VKM nr. 684, 02.11.2005

Natural Parks Theth National Park The area of Theth has a surface of 2.630 ha, from which, 1.680 hectares are forest and the other part is pasture and rocky surfaces. It is now declared a “National Park” and is overseen by the Forest Service Department of Shkodra.

Theth is the only National Park in Shkodra Region and also the second largest National Park in Albania after Dajt.

Theth is located about 70 km from the city of Shkodra in the northern part of Shale Commune.

It is 740-950 metres above sea level and is surrounded by the Albanian Alps, with a height up to the 2.694 metres of Mount Jezerca. Theth has about 70 water sources with a high quality of water and cleanliness. Flora and fauna of the area are quite rich, with 1100 species of plants that constitute almost 1/3 of plant species in the country. Theth is also interesting for its cultural attractions like the special constructions called “Kulla” (“towers”), characteristic of northern Albania mountainous areas.

Theth is part of the Balkan Peace Park project, which aims to facilitate the creation of a transnational, cross border park in the mountains of Kosovo, Montenegro and Northern Albania as a symbol of peace and cooperation. Its objectives are to promote environmental conservation, stimulate local employment and promote sustainable activities in the region.

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Natural Reserves

Velipoja Lagoon

Shkodra Lake

In January 2005, the Albanian Government under the Albanian law on protected areas, declared Buna river and its surroundings “protected water/landscape”, such as the island of Franc Jozef, the reservoir of Velipoja, the lagoon of Viluni, the beach of Baks-Rrjoll and the marsh of Domni. Velipoja lagoon has a very rich fauna, including species of national and global conservation concern.

Shkodra Lake is situated in the northwestern part of Albania and at the border with Montenegro. It has an average height of 5 m above sea level and it is the biggest lake in the Balkan Peninsula with an area of 368 km2 (of which 149 km2 are included within the territory of Albania and the rest in Montenegro). Shkodra Lake represents the largest network of freshwater in the Mediterranean.

Shkodra Lake biodiversity developed in unique geomorphological, geographical, climatic, hydrological and ecological conditions.

International inventories in the area recorded 216 fauna species with national unfavourable conservation status and 36 fauna species with global unfavourable conservation status. Illegal lumbering and fires are very rare.

During the last glacial period, the lake represented an extraordinary refuge for the species of that time. As consequences, today, we can find a large number of relic and endemic animal and plant species inhabiting the area.

The lake has rich flora and fauna: there are about 65 fish species, 240 species of birds, over 850 species of plants and 600 species of animals. Salmonids are also present and sturgeons inhabit the lower reaches of Buna river. The lake is rich in avifauna, with 281 bird species recorded. There are 123 species of animals and 20 species of plants that are endangered. The Region is considered to be a significant biogenetic reserve even on European scale. The Albanian part of the lake area was declared as a Ramsar site (Ramsar Convention “On internationally important wetlands, especially as waterfowl habitats”) by the Ramsar Secretariat and by the decision Nr. 683, 02. 11.

2005 of the Albanian Government. For these reasons and for its healthy climate, Shkodra Lake and the surrounding area have a fairly high potential for tourism development.

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Figure 7. Existing Network Protected Areas (Ministry of Environment, Forest & Water Management)

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Figure 8. Proposed Protected Areas in Albania (Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan)

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Cultural heritage

Kuka, a characteristic house of the middle of the 19th century, with high ethnographic value.

Shkodra Region is composed by different subregions that have specific differences regarding cultural heritage. Different areas of the Region have developed distinctive elements of tradition in dialect, rituals, costumes etc. The city of Shkodra seems to have a major detachment from tradition in comparison to the rural areas.

Beside the geography of the area, religion had also an impact on regional culture. Churches and mosques can be found throughout the Region. This co-existence and tolerance was not easy to accomplish. Nowadays, this tradition attracts a large number of tourists from outside the country.

The so-called “Sofra Shkodrane” is a festival that shows the cultural values of the Region, with humour, songs and dance and it is one of the most interesting in Albania. Songs are generally accompanied with a traditional instrument called “cifteli”, made of a twin wire (cift means duo) or/ and violin, lute and flute.

The Region is also well known for the traditional costumes, handmade carpets and tapestries, woollen covers, embroidery etc. Some of these costumes are commonly used nowadays, especially in the villages of Malesi e Madhe and Puka districts. One of the most particular and oldest is the “xhubleta”, a female dress that was part of the dowry in wedding and is still in use in mountain areas. There are different types of xhubleta: for women, for girls and for elders. The traditional male dress is the "tirak" that is also handmade. Costumes differ depending on the social class, religion, season, age, but also to use or destination (clothing for festive occasions, for daily use, etc). In the Marubi photo library collection various 19th century photos of traditional costumes can be found. Marubi Archives represent a genuine memory of the city, and a true reference for the history of Shkodra city, of Albania and of the Balkans. Today, this collection is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

In the Region there is only one museum, the Historic Museum of Shkodra, founded in 1947 and located downtown, in the house of Oso Karajfilat që i ka Shkodra

Lulebore

Karajfilat që i ka Shkodra Medet sa t’bukur janë Gonxhe t’mdhaja, gonxhe t’vogla Me erë mbushin’ dynjanë...

Tuj shetitun n'mal e n'koder, tuj prek lulet t'gjith me dore, vec n'nji kopsht ma t'bukurin n'Shkoder, ty te gjeta lulebore....

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Archaeological heritage Rozafa castle The castle stands on a rocky hill, 130 meters high, south of Shkodra city, overlooking Drin and Buna rivers and Shkodra lake. With a perimeter of 881 meters, surrounded by the so-called “cyclopean walls”, ithe fortress has a 4-hectare area. The construction of the fortress dates back to the middle of 4th century B.C. when the surrounding areas where inhabited by the Illyrian tribe of Labeat. By that time the town underwent considerable economic development, evidently testified by the coin mints in the town in 230 B.C. In 181 B.C. Shkodra became the Capital of the Kingdom of Illyria, whose ruler was Genti. It used to be the centre of the Illyrian state of Ardians but in 168 B.C. it was invaded by the Romans. In the 13th century, within its walls, the Roman-style Saint Stephen’s Church was built.

The church was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman invasion. The castle still preserves traces from the classical medieval time. It was shaped in the middle of the 16th century during the Balshaj domination and got further accomplished during 1407-1468 by Venetian constructions. During the Ottoman invasion in 1479 (after the death of the national hero, Skanderbeg) the castle was restored in an Ottoman-style.

Tumuli Burials of Shtoj The Plain of Shtoj is situated about 5 km northeast of the city of Shkodra, near the villages of Boks and Dragoç, on the western side of the Kir River. The excavated tumuli, or burial mounds, appear to have been used for centuries, from the early Bronze Age until the late Iron Age. Most of the unearthed features of these tumuli are artefacts of the Iron Age, specifically from the 7th-5th centuries B.C.

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Castles and historical buildings Castles • Drisht Castle is situated 6 km far from the Mesi Bridge on the Kiri river, on a hill 800 meters above the sea level. In ancient times it was one of the complex of fortresses defending Shkodra. The current castle was constructed in the 13th century as a Byzantine fortress. The town flourished in the 14th century. In 1442 Drisht was occupied by Venetian forces but soon liberated by Skanderbeg. The Turks occupied it again, in 1478, after the death of Skanderbeg. Within the castle walls there are eleven houses forming a neighbourhood.

• Shurdhahu Castle and the ruins of the medieval town of Sarda can be found on Shurdhahu Island in the artificial lake of Vau i Dejes, 35 km away from Shkodra city. The ruins of a castle, dating back to the 6th - 8th centuries A.D., are also on the island. The main attraction of the island is the residence of the Dukagjini family, one of the most important Albanian feudal families in the 11th century. Among the remains there are the defensive walls, church ruins and the gate to the Dukagjini palace.

Historical buildings • The English Watch Tower is most peculiar sight of the city of Shkodra. The small stone clock tower was built in the 1868 by an English protestant evangelical missionary, Lord Paget, who wanted to use it as a church.

After his death, the house became a fire watchtower because it was taller than most of other buildings in the town.

• Mesi Bridge is the most well-known bridge in the Region. Situated in the northeast of Shkodra, where the Drin river divides the fields from the hillside of Drishti and the Cukali’s highland, it is a stone bridge with many arches, named after the nearby village. The monument is one of the largest of its kind in Albania, constructed around the 18th century B.C. by Mehmet Pasha Bushatlliu: it is about 120 meters long and 3.4 meters wide; it is sustained by thirteen cantilevers, and it turns 5 m away from the central cantilever at a 15-degree angle.

The track has the form of a staircase. The bridge made it possible to transport carriages and agricultural products from the farmers living in the highland areas to the Adriatic coast.

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Places of worship and culture Places of worship • The Lead Mosque is a historical mosque in the city of Shkodra named after the material that covered its cupolas. It was built in 1773 by pasha Mehmet Bushati of the well-known Bushati family, who was personally involved in the construction. It is an example of the classical Ottoman architecture of Istanbul.

From the beginning of the 20th century the lead was gradually stolen.

• The Catholic Cathedral was built between 1856 and 1898. At the time, it was the largest of its kind in the Balkans. After 1967 it was converted into a sports hall. In the 1991, it was restored by Italian specialists and inaugurated by Mother Teresa.

• The Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel is situated at the entrance of Shkodra right below the Rozafa Castle and it was restored in the 17th century. It is famous for the fresco of Our Lady of Good Counsel that disappeared during the Turkish conquest in 1467. The tradition says that the Virgin Mary appeared to two soldiers in a dream and ordered them to leave the country with the fresco in order to prevent the Turkish from profaning the holy image. The two soldiers settled it in Genazzano.

Places of culture • Marubi Atelier of Photography was founded

by Pietro Marubbi (1834–1905), who was born in Piacenza, Italy. For political reasons he fled his country and moved to Shkodra in 1856. He became a photographer and architect with the name Pjeter Marubi. After two years he set up the first photo studio of the country. In 1971 the whole collection was donated to the Albanian State. By that time, the family photo collection had grown to 150.000 glass negatives. Today, the Marubi collection consists of about 250.000 negatives and represents a unique documentation of the regional and Albanian history over a period of nearly 100 years.

• The Historic Museum of Shkodra was founded in 1947 and is located downtown, in the house of Oso Kuka, a typical house of the middle of the 19th century, with specific ethnographic value. The house features a monumental outer gate and a spacious green yard with a well, where many archaeological objects are on display.

On the left: the Lead Mosque (top) and the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel (bottom) On the right: the entrance of the Marubi Atelier of Photography (top) and the Historic Museum of Shkodra (bottom)

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E

G

Dajc

Velipoje

F

H

9

D

12

Barbullush

Bushat

Rrethinat

Gruemire

14

Berdice

SHKODER

Koplik

Ana e Malit

SHKODRA LAKE

Qender

8

Kastrat

Guri i Zi

5

13

B

Hajmel

7

10

Postribe

Shkrel

Kelmend

4

Shllak

6

Vig-Mnele

Vau i Dejes

3

11

Pult

Shale

2

1

Qerret

Temal

Shosh

A

C

Puke

Qelez

Rrape

Iballe

Gjegjan

Fushe Arrez

Fierze

TERBUNI MOUNTAINS VILUNI LAGOON FRANZ JOSEPH ISLAND

BUNA RIVER SHKODRA LAKE

C D E F G H

MONUMENT OF WORSHIP ANCIENT BRIDGE NATIONAL PARK NATURAL RESERVE

Qafe Mali

Blerim

14

13

- BEZISTANI PAZARI VJETER

- MYFTI PLAKU’S HOUSE

- MASHE MAZREKU’S HOUSE

- HOUSE, EX- KULLA OF GJON MARK

- SELVI’S MOSQUE

- MUSA DULE’S HOUSE

- POPULAR MUSEUM HOUSE

- PIONEER’S HOUSE

- MEHMET GJYLI’S HOUSE

- HASAN ZENELI’S HOUSE

- YMER RAMADANI’S HOUSE

- ZEF MUZHANI’S HOME

- KOL SUMA’S HOME

- FILIP CEKI’S HOME

- RESIDENCE IN JORGJI KALAMITRI STREET NR .12

- ZEF SUMA’S HOME

- SEIT BUSHATI’S HOME

- HAMAMI NEAR BUNA RIVER

- ROZAFA CASTLE

- PLUMBI MOSQUE

SHKODER

MESI BRIDGE

SHENGJIN CHURCH RUINS

SHURDHAHU CASTLE

12

SAPA CASTLE

DRY TORRENT BRIDGE

11

MARSHEJ CASTLE

9 10

DRISHT CASTLE

GAJTANI CASTLE AND RUINS

5

8

SAINT MARY CHURCH

4

VIGU CASTLE

VAU I DEJES CASTLE

3

7

KOMAN CEMETERY

2

6

DALMACA CASTLE

1

HISTORIC ELEMENTS

DOMNI WETLAND

RAZEM PARK

B

CASTLE

ANCIENT CEMETERY

NATIONAL PARK OF THETH

A

TYPICAL HOUSE

PROTECTED AREAS

B

A

DOMNI WETLAND

F

BUNA RIVER - SHKODRA LAKE

VILUNI LAGOON

RAZEM

THETH

SHKODRA LAKE

TERBUNI MOUNTAINS

THETH

A map of the main cultural and environmental heritage sites of Shkodra Region, drafted within the framework of the strategic planning process.

H

G

D

C

A

MESI BRIDGE

DALMACA CASTLE

PLUMBI MOSQUE

POPULAR MUSEUM HOUSE

ROZAFA CASTLE

13

1

14

14

14

SHURDHAHU CASTLE

GAJTANI CASTLE AND RUINS

PLUMBI MOSQUE

TYPICAL HOUSE

ROZAFA CASTLE

11

5

14

14

14

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1.9. Value chains

From the socio-economic viewpoint, Shkodra Region is characterised by different development conditions. The difference in the quality of life between the urban area of Shkodra city and rural areas is apparent and can be considered as the cause of several problems of social and economic nature.

Analyses of the local economic context, conducted by ILS LEDA with a special focus on rural and remote areas, highlighted significant potentials for development, such as several agricultural and agro-food value chains representing “resources of excellence” (endogenous competitive resources that can be considered rare, unique or owning primary qualities, and, therefore, they are comparable or even preferable to similar resources expressed by other territories), such as: • all the products of bee value chain • some varieties of fruit and vegetables • all kind of herbs • all forest products • some alcoholic liquors • Vermosh cheese • some kinds of freshwater fish • Kallmet and Shesh wines • cultural resources • handicraft products

Food products Food products include the following main value chains:

‣

Bee value chain

Many varieties of mono-flower honey were identified in the Region (chestnut, clover, heather, mountain savory, sage and thyme), together with different varieties of multi-flower honey, whose origin flowers are also added to wild flowers, as pomegranate, Jerusalem thorn, strawberry tree.

Beekeepers also produce propolis (processed in a very simple and traditional way to produce tincture), and small quantities of higher added

value products such as royal jelly, pollen, bee poison and bee wax that are mostly not sold on domestic market, because of the lack of local processing laboratories. Production is small, if compared to regional potentialities of sustainable

production, mainly because of the obsolete instruments used. The Bee value chain products, if really natural and unpolluted are generally very appreciated by all the markets in the world; a good competitive advantage of Shkodra Region products derives from the characteristics of regional environment: there are many extended areas, belonging to different ecosystems and not yet degraded; moreover, the quantity of medicines used in bee breeding activities is very low, and agricultural production in many areas is characterised by low intensity. Therefore, all kinds of honeys here have excellent organoleptic characteristics and can aspire to achieve organic and quality certifications.

All products are sold prevalently without packaging or brands. Honey, honey-dew, royal jelly and propolis are, mostly, directly sold to store owners and consumers. As for foreign markets, thanks to the participation of Shkodra Associations in the Mediterranean Beekeeping Forum, the Albanian Bee value chain products started to be appreciated abroad, but, until now, international exporters have not been identified.

Both honey and no honey products are expensive both for domestic and foreign markets, hence a productive optimisation is needed.

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Fish value chain

The Fish value chain ideally starts with the biodiversity of territorial ecosystems and arrives to the final commercialisation of fresh, raw and processed products of fishing and fish breeding activities. In the Region, neither sea nor freshwater fish is processed. Freshwater fish breeding activities have been identified in the mountains, close to streams and artificial basins. Both sea and freshwater fish production is small, if compared to regional potentials of sustainable production and to the potential market. Nevertheless, organoleptic features of all kinds of fish in this area can be considered excellent and its use in regional gastronomic specialities can represent an added value for tourist activities (hotels and restaurants).

Moreover, some endogenous varieties of freshwater fish exist in the Region, such as Shkodra Lake carps and brown trouts in mountain streams.

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Forest production system

The forests of Shkodra Region are a good environment for the production of valuable organic products in an environmentally sustainable way. The Forest production system ideally goes from the biodiversity of different ecosystems to the final commercialisation of its products (fresh, raw and processed). In Shkodra Region, many productions can be identified, related to soft fruits, mushrooms and chestnuts. The production is small, if compared to local potentialities of sustainable production and to potential (mainly foreign) markets.

Presently, the most part of the forest products of Shkodra Region is sold at sustainable prices for local markets.

and alcohol, juices (in small quantity) and distillates and alcoholic infusions.

The Mushrooms value chain (including gathering and processing activities) was identified mostly in Puka district. Despite good environmental possibilities of cultivating mushrooms, this practice seems to be not in use in the Region. With regard to processing, only dried edible boletus (produced through

artificial processes and sold mostly packaged and labelled) were identified.

Chestnuts, on the other hand, are simply collected and not processed.

All the regional forest products can aspire to receive organic and quality certifications, due to their good organoleptic characteristics and good environmental conditions of the production areas.

In particular, soft fruits are very valuable rural products, and are both gathered and cultivated, especially in Puka district. Soft fruits are also processed in a traditional artisanal way, to produce jams, compotes, preserves in syrup

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‣

Fruits and Vegetables value chain

Shkodra Region is not renowned for fruits and vegetables production, mainly constituted by so called “common” fruit varieties. Nevertheless, many varieties of fruits and vegetables are traditional (not “global”) and, consequently, their flavours and tastes are typical and recognisable.

Furthermore, typical varieties can be found here: with regard to fruits, quinces of Puka, figs, pears (19 varieties, some endogenous), local cherries; with regard to vegetables, bamia (Hibiscus esculentus), scallion of Drisht, pepper and eggplant of Oblik, potato of Vermosh, bean and garlic (local varieties). The production of the potato of Vermosh (considered a high quality product) is seriously limited and endangered, mainly due to the closure, since the end of past regime, of the storage areas to protect harvested potatoes from the coldest winter temperatures.

Identified processed products are jam, juice and dried common varieties of fruit, quince jam, vegetables preserved pickled or in brine. The jam of the endogenous quince and the pickled scallion of Drisht are considered very valuable.

Farming and processing techniques are mainly ordinary (not organic) and the organoleptic characteristics of all value chain products can be considered as good. A significant part of fruit preserves is sold packaged and branded by the same local small processing enterprises. The most part of the Fruit and Vegetables value chain products of Shkodra Region is sold at sustainable prices for local markets.

‣

Milk value chain

Raw fresh milk is produced by cows, sheep and goats. Nothing remarkable has been pointed out about sheep and goat diary products in the Region. Bred cows are fed with no organic forages or processed “concentrate” fodders. Milk production is not steady: it can also happen that dairy factories have to stop their activities for one or more days because milk suppliers have sold their milk to other factories. When milk is produced by feeding animals with natural grazing or natural forages, its quality is good and in some cases excellent, but presently the quality of most of the milk produced for “industrial” purposes is very scarce. Endogenous cheeses like Albanian feta and kaçkavall and Vermosh cheese, if produced according to traditional recipes and from good ingredients (good milk and natural rennet), could be very valuable and appreciated by consumers.

“Foreign–like” cheeses are also produced, but are characterised by a low quality level.

‣

Olive value chain

The Olive value chain starts with activities of olive farming and arrives to the final commercialisation of the products. Neither mono-cultivar nor extra virgin olive oil is produced, in the Region. Olive oil production is mainly carried out for family use: only one, very obsolete and untreated oil mill is still working in the Region and the oil produced there is not bottled. The very valuable variety of Kalinjot olive was identified. The extra virgin version of this oil (not produced in the Region) is excellent.

‣

Wine and Liquors value chains

Kallmet and Shesh can be considered good Albanian endogenous grape varieties, having significant distinctive features. Many of these grapes produce a good wine.

Liquors value chain in Shkodra Region starts from the biodiversity of different territorial ecosystems and arrives to the final commercialisation of produced alcoholic distillates (rakì of grape, of plum, of mulberry, of cornel) and alcoholic infusions of nut, basil and mint. The distillation is carried out using copper distillers, and it is generally familiar-artisanal.

Production is small, if compared to regional potentialities. Most of the value chain products are sold, bottled and mainly not branded, at sustainable prices for local markets. All liquors are excellent, thanks to a processing techniques used around the Region, and they are very easy to identify because of the Mediterranean typicality of the essences used.

Also in consideration of the good quality of raw materials, all the liquors value chain products can aim at receiving certifications of quality, safety and organic origin.

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Herbs and industrial plants The Industrial plants value chain starts from the plants farming and arrives to the final commercialisation of fresh, raw and processed products. Information collected during ILS LEDA action-research activities has the underlying assumption of the existence of cotton production, forages and soy, to be probably found in the plain of Shkodra. This is the only area characterised by a positive high GPP. Herbs (clover, lavender, mint, mountain savory, “mountain tea”, oregano, sage, thyme) are collected mainly in wild mountain areas. In many cases, regardless of the need of safeguarding natural cycles and chances of reproduction of the wild germplasms, herbs collectors prefer to uproot all the body of the plants, instead of taking only the leaves. The collectors often do that before plants reproduction. In this way, they both save time and obtain more products to sell.

This devastating collecting technique is forbidden by law, but Forestry Police is not able to prevent it from happening. As a result, both wild herbs colonies and the production of some kinds of honey (mainly sage and mountain savory honeys) are nowadays seriously endangered. No processed products of the Herbs value chain, beyond the traditional dried products, have been identified. Farmed herbs productions are small, if compared to regional potentialities of sustainable production. Fresh and dried products are, mostly, directly sold, neither branded nor packaged, to store owners and consumers. Most of the Herbs value chain products of Shkodra Region are sold at sustainable prices for local markets. Herbs products are probably sold undervalued to the brokers.

creativity. Although these productions can be considered good in Shkodra Region (especially in the fields of figurative arts and of traditional and contemporary folk music), the lack of “crossed” interactions (among different fields) and of primary interactions (in the frame of the same field) have to be highlighted.

‣

Handicraft production system

Shkodra Region is considered the richest in Albania with regard to handicraft activities.

Many productions are here carried out in a traditional way, and each of them can be considered as a “micro” value chain in itself.

Silver filigree jewels and artworks are a good expression of the eastern–western context in which they are designed, and have therefore no similar foreign competing products. In spite of their potential interest on foreign markets, at the moment silver filigree jewels are probably undervalued on the domestic market: they are prevalently sold, unbranded, directly or to the brokers. In this case, they can be found in small shops in Tirana.

Textile products (carpets, embroidery, etc.), when handmade, produced with natural raw materials and embodying territorial identity values, are considered as very valuable products on the market. In Shkodra Region, the weaving happens through the use of traditional wooden and iron hand looms. The tradition and the know-how of handicraft textile products has an Ottoman origin: this gives an added value to all the products, as well as a very important market chances, especially on foreign markets.

Despite this traditional features, textile raw materials are all imported, mainly from abroad, because local wool is not considered good for the handicraft textiles production. With regard to local production, cotton is lacking.

Culture and handicraft These products include the following value chains:

‣

Culture production system

The Culture system related to a territory is generated by the interactions among all those territorial actors whose activities are related to existing heritages and to new productions of scientific, technical, humanistic knowledge and of material and nonmaterial works of human

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Main potentials and problems

During this phase of research and analysis a number of problems emerged. They can be summarised as follows: ‣ Productivity effectiveness: though most Shkodra Region products have a potential for a sustainable increase of production, there is now a lack of effectiveness of production because of the scarce use of technologies, especially in the agricultural and livestock production. Furthermore, the lack of awareness about the value of the relational capital increases fragmentation of productions and makes it difficult to enter new markets. The lack of processing activities and of local production of high added value products in most sectors (mainly in the fish, bee and herbs value chains) hampers the potentials of local products. ‣ Safety and quality: today, more than ever, food quality and safety are a constant concern for consumers and public authorities.

Though most regional food products usually have good quality and organoleptic properties, they do not have the appropriate certification to attract foreign markets.

Certifications of food security and organic quality represent a potential reason for competitiveness development. ‣ Vitality of the cultural and tourism systems: cultural and tourists destinations are not supported by promotion of activities

and events to increase the quality of life and the vitality of the areas for tourist interest. ‣ External marketing: most local products have the potentiality to acquire larger and a more steady space in domestic markets (also in connection with tourist activities such as hotels and restaurants), and achieve new spaces in foreign markets. Nevertheless, the lack of structured marketing activities (including branding and packaging) in most value chains, the small and uneven quantities produced, and, most of all, the lack of safety and quality certifications cause a lack of export activities towards the foreign market.

Moreover, the ecosystems biodiversity and the good environmental conditions that ensure the good quality of agro-food products are heavily endangered by the lack of organised systems of waste and water management, causing land, water and air pollution and threatening the animals’ health.

The lack of training also represents a negative element for the identified value chains.

Specialistic capacity building for farmers, breeders and gatherers is needed, but also training activities aimed at raising and maintaining awareness about the importance (also for tourism development) of typical and recognisable quality products. This is crucial to avoid the irreversible deterioration of typical products or their disappearance in favour of “foreign-like” products.

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1.10. Territorial programming

A view of Shkodra Lake

Analysis of plans and programmes Adopted methodology The analysis of planning and programming instruments at municipal, inter-municipal, regional and interregional levels contributes to building the reference frame for tourism development strategies of Shkodra Region, focusing on the ongoing projects in the area.

• Summary of the main goals emerged from the instruments analysis: starting from the data sheet analysis, a list of the main objectives for each document was prepared, taking in consideration also the type of instrument and its field of interest (see table 1).

The analysis was conducted taking into consideration different kinds of planning and programming instruments: general and sectorial plans and programmes, development plans/ programmes, environmental plans/programmes, city planning and feasibility studies. Several data sheets were developed, in which every document was analysed separately, pointing out its main goals.

• Identification of common goals in different instruments, to identify which objectives are the most common and which are less considered in the analysed instruments (see table 2). Common goals were grouped in four categories: “Environment protection and infrastructure network”, “Cultural heritage”, “Agro-food production and rural tourism” and “Social issues”.

This chapter, therefore, intends to provide an overview of the ongoing programming, highlighting the necessary elements for the construction of possible scenarios for regional tourism development and the strategy required for their realisation. The synthesis process has followed a path divided into 3 phases:

• Analysis of the compatibility among the various instruments goals, aimed to assess the overall consistence of the plans and programmes involving Shkodra Region (see table 3), and verify the possibility to create synergy among them, in order to use the Strategic Plan as a coordination tool for regional tourism development.

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Survey, analysis and comparison of existing plans and programmes

32 planning and programming instruments were collected and analysed, and then placed on maps, which are shown in the following pages.

Municipal Area Planning Instruments

Regional Area Programming Instruments Development programmes 1) Promoting Regional Development through the MDGs (2006) 2) Decentralisation and Local Development Programme in Shkodra Region (2006) 3) Supporting Regional Development in Albania - Feasibility Study for a Joint Swiss and Austrian Programme (2008) 4) Decentralisation and Local Development Programme in Shkodra Region (2010) 5) Strategic Concept for Regional Development (2010) Sectorial programmes 6) Water Supply and Environmental Lake Protection - Shkodra (2008) 7) Albanian Vocational Education and Training Support Program (2009) 8) Dam Safety Feasibility Study on Drin and Mat River Cascades (2009) 9) Benefits from Cross Border Management of Natural Resources (2009) 10) Sustainable Agriculture Support (2009)

City planning 1) Structural plan of Shkodra (2009) 2) Regulatory Plan of Koplik (2008)

Programming Instruments Development Plans 3) Local Development Plan - Velipoje (2005) 4) Strategic Plan for Economic Development 2005-2015 - Shkodra (2006) 5) Strategic Development Plan - Dajc (2008) 6) Strategic Development Plan - Vau i Dejes (2008) 7) Strategic Development Plan - Puke (2008) 8) Strategic Development Plan - Fushe Arrez (2008) 9) Strategic Development Plan - Koplik (2008) 10) Strategic Development Plan - Guri i Zi (2008) Environmental Plans 11) Local Environmental Action Plan Velipoje (2006) 12) Local Environmental Action Plan Bushat (2008) 13) Local Environmental Action Plan - Koplik (2008) Feasibility studies 14) Feasibility Study for the Development of the Industrial Area of Shkodra (2007) Sectorial Programmes 15) Enhancing the Territorial Capital in the Commune of Reç (2009)

Inter-regional Area Programming Instruments

Inter-municipal Area

Development plans 1) Shkodraâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Lezha Regional Plan (2006) 2) Regional Development Programme (2010)

Programming Instruments

Environmental plans 3) Regional Environmental Action Plan: Drini River Delta Shkodra-Lezha (2006) 4) Strategic Action Plan for Shkodra Lake (2007)

Sectorial Programmes 1) Integrated Rural Development Project Kelmend-Shkrel (2008) 2) Strategic Document for Ecotourism Development in the Albanian Alps (2008) 3) Promotion of Agriculture in the District of Puka (2008)

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A map of the plans and programmes at local level involving the Region of Shkodra (first part, updated September 2010)

CO-PLAN

Funded by SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

CO-PLAN

Funded by

SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

REC ALBANIA

Funded by SPANISH AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

APAWA, CETI SNV MONTENEGRO

Funded by

SWISS COOPERATION ALBANIA

Funded by SWISS STATE SECRETARIAT FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

GEF, World Bank (WB)

TEULEDA Interconsulting

Funded by EUROPEAN UNION

SHKODRA MUNICIPALITY

Funded by

HYDEA

Funded by

LAMP - WORLD BANK

WORLD BANK, SOROS

CO-PLAN

Funded by SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

Implemented by REC ALBANIA, JACOBS, LUIS BERGER S.A

Funded by EU/MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS & WATER MANAGEMENT

LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN - VELIPOJE (2006)

Implemented by

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN - DAJC (2008)

Implemented by

STRUCTURAL PLAN SHKODER (2007)

Implemented by

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 2005-2015 - SHKODRA (2006)

Implemented by

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRIAL AREA OF SHKODRA (2007)

Implemented by

WATER SUPPLY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAKE PROTECTION SHKODRA (2008)

Implemented by

STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN FOR SHKODRA LAKE (2007)

Implemented by

LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN - KOPLIK (2008)

Implemented by

REGULATORY PLAN - KOPLIK (2008)

Implemented by

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN - KOPLIK (2008)

VELIPOJE

DAJC

REC

Barbullush

Berdice

Pult

Shllak

Vig-Mnele

VAU I DEJES

Postribe

Hajmel

GURI I ZI

BUSHAT

Rrethinat

Gruemire

SHKODER

Koplik

Ana e Malit

SHKODRA LAKE

Qender

Kastrat

SHKREL

KELMEND

Qerret

Temal

Shosh

Shale

THETH

PUKE

Qelez

Rrape

Iballe

Gjegjan

FUSHE ARREZ

Fierze

Qafe Mali

Blerim

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

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A map of the plans and programmes at local level involving the Region of Shkodra (second part, updated September 2010)

VELIPOJE

DAJC

REC

BUSHAT

Barbullush

Berdice

Postribe

Pult

Hajmel

Shllak

Vig-Mnele

VAU I DEJES

GURI I ZI

Rrethinat

Gruemire

SHKODER

Koplik

Ana e Malit

SHKODRA LAKE

Qender

Kastrat

SHKREL

KELMEND

Qerret

Temal

Shosh

Shale

THETH

PUKE

Qelez

Gjegjan

FUSHE ARREZ

Rrape

Iballe

Fierze

Qafe Mali

Blerim

Funded by

UNDP-ART GOLD ALBANIA

Funded by

VIS, COOPERAZIONE ITALIANA

Funded by SPANISH AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

Funded by

SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

Funded by

SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

Funded by

EU/MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST & WATER MANAGEMENT

Funded by

SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

Funded by SPANISH AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Implemented by URBAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE Funded by ALBANIAN DEVELOPMENT FUND

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN VELIPOJE (2005)

Implemented by REC ALBANIA

LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN - BUSHAT (2008)

Implemented by CO-PLAN VAU I DEJES MUNICIPALITY

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN - VAU I DEJES (2008)

Implemented by REC ALBANIA, JACOBS LOUIS BERGER S.A

REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN DRINI RIVER DELTA (2006)

Implemented by CO-PLAN GURI I ZI COMMUNE

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN - GURI I ZI (2008)

Implemented by CO-PLAN PUKE MUNICIPALITY

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN - PUKE (2008)

Implemented by CO-PLAN Funded by FUSHE-ARREZ MUNICIPALITY

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN - FUSHE ARREZ (2008)

Implemented by CERAI

ENHANCING THE TERRITORIAL CAPITAL IN THE COMMUNE OF REC (2009)

Implemented by VIS, AdP, COL’OR

INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT KELMEND - SHKREL (2008)

Implemented by IDEASS

STRATEGIC DOCUMENT FOR ECOTURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE ALBANIAN ALPS (2008)

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

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A map of the plans and programmes at regional level involving the Region of Shkodra (updated September 2010)

VELIPOJE

Berdice

SHKODER

Koplik

DAJC

Ana e Malit

SHKODRA LAKE

Qender

Kastrat

Barbullush

BUSHAT

Postribe

Pult

Hajmel

Shllak

Vig-Mnele

VAU I DEJES

GURI I ZI

Rrethinat

Gruemire

REC

SHKREL

KELMEND

Qerret

Temal

Shosh

Shale

THETH

GTZ, SHKODRA REGIONAL COUNCIL Funded by

GERMAN TECHNICAL COOPERATION (GTZ)

PUKE

Qelez

Rrape

Iballe

Implemented by

Gjegjan

FUSHE ARREZ

Fierze

Qafe Mali

EPTISA INTERNACIONAL

Blerim

Funded by EUROPEAN UNION

REGIONAL PLAN SHKODER - LEZHE (2006)

Implemented by

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT (2010) SWISS COOPERATION OFFICE ALBANIA

Funded by

SWISS STATE SECRETARIAT FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

SWISS COOPERATION OFFICE ALBANIA

SWISS AGENCY FOR Funded by DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

E. SCHLAPPI et al.

SWISS AGENCY FOR Funded by DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

TEULEDA

SHKODRA REGIONAL COUNCIL Funded by SHKODRA MUNICIPALITY

SWISS COOPERATION OFFICE ALBANIA

SWISS AGENCY FOR Funded by DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

SWISS COOPERATION OFFICE ALBANIA

SWISS AGENCY FOR Funded by DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

GTZ

Funded by

GTZ

SWISS COOPERATION OFFICE ALBANIA

SWISS AGENCY FOR Funded by DEVELOPMENT & COOPERATION

Implemented by

SWISS COOPERATION OFFICE ALBANIA

Funded by SWISS STATE SECRETARIAT FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

DAM SAFETY FEASIBILITY STUDY ON DRIN AND MAT RIVER CASCADES (2008)

Implemented by

BENEFITS FROM CROSS BORDER MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (SDC/REC Balkan Tranbourdary Projects 2000-2008)

Implemented by

GTZ-s SUPPORT TO THE QARKS OF SHKODRA AND LEZHA FOR THE ELABORATION OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONCEPTS (2009)

Implemented by

ALBANIAN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING SUPPORT PROGRAM (2009)

Implemented by

DECENTRALISATION AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN SHKODRA REGION - DLDP (2006)

Implemented by

UNDP

Funded by FOUNDATION FOR LOCAL AUTONOMY & GOVERNANCE

PROMOTING LOCAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (2006)

Implemented by

SWOT ANALYSIS OF SHKODRA REGION (2008)

Implemented by

SUPPORTING REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHERN ALBANIA - Feasibility study for a joint Swiss and Austrian programme (2008)

Implemented by

DECENTRALISATION AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN SHKODRA REGION - DLDP II (2010)

Implemented by

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE SUPPORT (2009-2011)

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

REGIONAL LEVEL

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

Table 1. Summary of the main goals emerged from the instruments analysis (*) Reference document STRUCTURAL PLAN - SHKODRA

Instrument

Main goals

City planning

• Re-vegetation of the Buna, Drin and Kir rivers system to reduce erosion • Improve collection, selection, transport and recycling of urban waste • Preserve the historic centre • Create tourist facilities (a port, a resort area, etc.), a University Campus and a sport and recreation area connected to the Kiri River • Create the Shkodra City Ring and of the Shkodra City West–North and South-East Bypass • Social integration of Egyptian & Roma ethnic minorities

City planning

• Promote mixed functions especially in the areas near the centre of Koplik city • Identify sub-urban areas based on existing construction layout • Define potential future expansion areas of the city of Koplik, beyond the time limit provided by the Regulatory Plan

Development plan

• Define a clear vision and actions for the future of the municipal community • Develop tourism, agriculture, fishing and hunting for sustainable economic development • Draft an urban study of the coastal zone • Establish tourist villages in Maja e Zeze and Baks-Rrjolle • Put into operation the livestock complex in Cas and Rec i Ri • Define policies to award credit relief for farmers • Increase vineyards planted area • Define policies for the protection and maintenance of existing forests • Establish a centre for the storage and processing of medicinal plants • Promote and support business development in the sector of the inert materials extraction and processing

Development programme

• Develop a regulatory urban plan for the city • Establish a One-Stop-Shop in Shkodra City Hall • Rehabilitate existing public services and create new ones: market, youth centre, health centre, sport areas, green areas, etc.

• Reconstruct existing roads • Preserve, restore and develop the town museum and its collection, as well as other historical, cultural heritage sites in the city

Implemented by: HYDEA Funded by: WB-LAMP Project REGULATORY PLAN - KOPLIK Implemented by: Co-Plan Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN VELIPOJE

Implemented by: Albanian Development Fund, Urban Research Institute, Urban Institute(Washington DC) Funded by: Albanian Development Fund STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 2005-2015 – SHKODRA

Implemented by: Shkodra Municipality Funded by: SOROS, World Bank STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN - Development DAJC programme

Implemented by: Co-Plan Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

• Promote the creation of large agricultural and livestock farms • Prepare a detailed plan for the development of agro-tourism activities in the municipal territory • Protect agricultural land and urban areas from erosion and degradation • Evaluate and determine a waste storage point • Prepare technical projects for the rehabilitation of roads in the municipal area • Create the necessary technical basis for the generation of new financing • Improve physical conditions of the Buna river green corridor

(*) Colours in the table refer to the colours assigned to each category of plan/programme in the maps in the previous pages

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Reference document STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN VAU I DEJES

Instrument

Main goals

Development programme

• Define an annual financial aid package for farmers in the municipality and evaluate opportunities for funding by various financial actors or second-level banks • Develop a programme of physical interventions on land systems, irrigation and drainage and prepare technical infrastructure projects • Improve public service standards and infrastructure networks

Development programme

• Identify potential production of existing handicrafts in the municipal area • Identify potential agricultural production • Improve land use • Develop tourist activities • Establish cooperation with neighbouring Municipalities/Communes and with the Region to promote and develop economic activities • Increase technical/financial support

Development programme

• Define an annual financial aid package for farmers in the municipality to facilitate and support their capacity building, in order to improve their efficiency and productivity • Prepare promotional materials for the tourist natural areas • Prepare joint infrastructure projects between Shkodra Region and neighbouring areas • Prepare a technical evaluation of a tax package for constructions in agricultural and urban areas in accordance with the defined responsibilities of the Law on Organization and Functioning of the local Government

Sectorial programme

• Define an annual financial aid package for local farmers in Koplik municipality, and evaluate funding opportunities from various financial actors or second level banks • Prepare detailed studies regarding the economic corridor along the main road Shkodra - Koplik • Prepare a waste management plan • Develop a technical study to identify and assess a place for establishing a landfill for urban waste storage and treatment • Design of a study to identify necessary physical interventions in the lake shore of Shkodra Lake

Development programme

• Promote the establishment of large agricultural and stockbreeding farms • Improve agricultural land data system in the municipality • Raise awareness among local population on environmental preservation and protection • Rehabilitate the road system • Rehabilitate the water supply and sanitation networks • Establish a complete technical frame of the sewage systems in the Commune • Prepare a Waste Transportation and Collection Plan

Implemented by: Co-Plan Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN – PUKA

Implemented by: Co-Plan Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FUSHE ARREZ

Implemented by: Co-Plan Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN – KOPLIK

Implemented by: Co-Plan Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN GURI I ZI

Implemented by: Co-Plan Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

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Reference document LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN - VELIPOJE

Instrument

Main goals

Environmental plan

• Design a master plan for tourism development • Prepare a feasibility study for the sewage processing system • Build five public conveniences with eight restrooms each along the coast and other public conveniences in the territory • Create experimental models for sustainable cultivation of medical plants with economic interest • Reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture • Build protective dikes (dams) in the river delta to reduce erosion • Regulate the extraction of gravel from the river bed

Environmental plan

• Establish an efficient system to carry out the cleaning of the commune territory and establish a landfill for the collection and processing of urban waste • Place the drainage system into full efficiency • Rehabilitate the dam over the Drin River • Raise community awareness on the importance of green belts and forests • Demolish extra-legal buildings in the forest areas; enforce the urban plan and issue construction permits accordingly • Forestation of gravel parts of the Drin River banks, control of gravel extraction from the river bed • Reforestation of free space and design of plans for the forestation of additional areas • Maintenance of green spaces in the surroundings of schools, health centres, village centres, sports grounds & other public areas

Environmental plan

• Rehabilitate the road network according to the urban plan • Connect every house with the sewage system • Improve local authorities management capacity • Rehabilitate the water supply network • Designate a field to deposit waste and purchase waste management equipment • Prohibit practice of cattle butchering and fish vending in unapproved locations • Prohibit extraction of primary materials from the lake bed

Feasibility study

• Reuse productive areas in the industrial zone of Shkodra • Launch cooperative dialogue among the productive realities that could be aggregated in such areas • Launch matching activities among Italian and Albanian entreprises and predisposition of indicators and parameters for economic and convenience evaluations

Implemented by: Urban Research Institute Funded by: European Union LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN - BUSHAT

Implemented by: Bushat Commune Funded by: Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN - KOPLIK

Implemented by: Co-Plan Funded by: Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRIAL AREA OF SHKODRA Implemented by: TEULEDA Funded by: European Union through INTERREG IIIA/CARDS PHARE

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Reference document ENHANCING THE TERRITORIAL CAPITAL IN THE COMMUNE OF REC: MOUNTAIN AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Instrument

Main goals

Sectorial programme

• Establish and register the Rec Mountain Cooperative • Create a technical assistance program by local and international consultants in social enterprise management, marketing economy and finance • Improve infrastructure for marketing and processing of the cooperative production; • Identify agro-tourist routes and sites • Design a promotion strategy aimed at creating an identification brand and informative materials regarding the cooperative’s activities

Sectorial programme

• Improve credit access through the introduction of micro credit to support small productive activities • Increase technical and professional skills of farmers through training and technical assistance, dissemination of sustainable agriculture best practices, support of producers associations • Increase environmental awareness through teachers training and school education • Improve Malesi e Madhe forests service through the creation of a 4,000 square metres garden centre

Sectorial programme

• Establish a control room/table for territorial coordination • Develop a multi-year area plan which, starting from a careful analysis of the lack of infrastructure, identifies resources and natural and environmental priorities • Improve the accessibility and living conditions through the development of sectorial plans • Promote micro-credit • Establish a permanent coordination table between Albanian government and international donors for interventions planning • Develop an operational marketing plan

Sectorial programme

• Provide quality professional training based on periodical needs assessments conducted by farmers and producers • Diversify other potential financial resources for infrastructure and mechanization • Create AGROPUKA association.

• Establish an effective and legalized independent women NGO, aiming at increasing social and economical opportunities for women of Puka district

Implemented by: CERAI Funded by: Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT KELMEND – SHKREL

Implemented by: VIS Funded by: VIS, Cooperazione Italiana STRATEGIC DOCUMENT FOR ECOTURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE ALBANIAN ALPS - NATIONAL PARK OF THETH AND KELMENDI DISTRICT

Implemented by: M. Bonitatibus, S. Petrosillo - IDEASS Funded by: UNDP – ART GOLD Albania PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURE IN THE DISTRICT OF PUKA

Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

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Reference document

Instrument

Main goals

PROMOTING LOCAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE MDGs

Development • Promote gender equality: increase women programme enrolment rate to the primary and secondary education; increase women participation in the regional economic development and in the decision making structures of regional and local administration • Increase educational opportunities: children must complete the full course of primary education; higher involvement of children in the secondary education must be ensured; the ratio Implemented by: between general secondary education and Shkodra Municipality, Shkodra Regional vocational education must be improved Council • Improve maternal and child health care: reduce under 5 mortality rate, increase access to basic Funded by: UNDP health care services, reduce maternal mortality DECENTRALISATION AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN THE SHKODRA REGION (DLDP)

Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) SUPPORTING REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHERN ALBANIA Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) DECENTRALISATION AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN SHKODRA REGION (DLDP II)

Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Development • Provide local strategic development planning, programme territorial management and planning • Provision and management of Municipal/ Communal public services and of administration reforms, including support to improve the functioning of the local Councils • Municipal/Communal financial management, including local tax collection and participatory budgeting mechanisms • Participation of the civil society: information and communication to the citizens, involvement of all segments of the society in public decision making processes, participative elaboration of local development plans • Inter-municipal/communal exchange and cooperation Development • Provide an overview on relevant strategies and programme challenges for regional development and assess its links with decentralisation • Identify challenges and achievements with regard to EU integration • Identify potential and suggest elements for a future joint programme

Development • Improve capacities of Municipalities/Communes programme in strategic planning, budgeting, financial and fiscal management • Improve local public services such as waste management, information sharing, one-stop-shops • Enhance transparency and ensure easier access to quality information and services by using innovative communication and information tools • More effective cooperation between Communes and Municipalities and between them and the Qark

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Reference document STRATEGIC CONCEPT FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SHKODRA COUNTY

Implemented by: GTZ, Shkodra Regional Council Funded by: GTZ

WATER SUPPLY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAKE PROTECTION - SHKODRA

Instrument

Main goals

Development • Analyse market demand for vocational training programme and assess possibilities for training centres • Design projects for roads, construction areas, green areas, environmental infrastructure and telecommunication • Urban plan for residential areas • Introduce community-based services • Set up and upgrade health service centres in remote areas • Improve tourism infrastructure at a small scale • Promote and support traditional activities for tourism purposes • Prepare a master plan that will contribute to a wide variety of tourist offers • Promote integrated tourist packages and itineraries • Promote scientific innovation and contemporary technology to preserve and manage cultural and natural heritage • Draw technical plans to minimize floods and flood damage Sectorial programme

• Increase income including enhanced revenue collection and full cost recovering tariffs of Shkodra water and sewerage utility • More effective management of the costs including reduction of energy consumption. This will unburden the state budget and release funds for targeted poverty alleviation services

ALBANIAN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION Sectorial AND TRAINING SUPPORT PROGRAM programme (AlbVET)

• Develop suitable training approaches for the 2+1+1 system and support their implementation in two selected qualifications to provide organisation models for multifunctional schools to serve as good practices • Set up and promote a minimum of two relevant and functioning learning models for public-private partnerships by enhancing a favorable environment • Support piloting of decentralised management of diversified and flexible vocational, education and training with multi-source funding • Enhance capacities of public and private providers to develop and implement appropriate programmes for special need groups and to facilitate access for participation • Contribute to further development systems in key policy areas capitalising lessons learnt from operational components, regional exchange and international good practices

Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) DAM SAFETY FEASIBILITY STUDY ON Sectorial DRIN AND MAT RIVER CASCADES programme Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

• Prepare a Dam Safety Programme including all measures necessary to raise the safety of the Albanian dams to European standards with the financing of several donors • Identify and structure a possible future project in the field of dam monitoring to be supported by Switzerland.

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Reference document BENEFITS FROM CROSS BORDER MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Instrument

Main goals

Sectorial programme

• Cross-border dialogue as basis for trust building and as a starting point for regional development • Create 5 independent non-governmental transboundary organizations • Natural resource management as a catalyst for development • Collaboration involving the bottom-up and topdown approach • Plan the long term regional development

Sectorial programme

• Market opportunities for organic and quality label production • Agricultural expertise for quality production • Access to organic inputs • Enhance competitiveness for organic farming

Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE SUPPORT IN ALBANIA Implemented by: Swiss Cooperation Office Albania Funded by: SDC REGIONAL PLAN SHKODER – LEZHE

Implemented by: Eptisa Internacional Funded by: EU, Albanian Development Fund REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Implemented by: Co-plan Funded by: ADA, SDC REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN DRINI RIVER DELTA SHKODER–LEZHE

Development • Legitimate land ownership, to concentrate building programme into defined areas, at a density which permits viable infrastructure and access provision for all buildings • Ensure interconnection of economic and other activities by managing the pattern of origins and destinations in the area and enhancing movement channels • Ensure that all buildings are provided with suitable and functioning infrastructure • Ensure that all residential communities are provided with educational, health and social facilities, that the location is convenient and that target standards are consistent • Create a competitive region by establishing the necessary conditions to attract investors and by facilitating investments to reduce unemployment and improve the quality of jobs Development • Strengthen Qark capacities for regional programme development planning • Accelerate regional development through project initiatives and effective implementation • Support an effective institutional framework for decentralisation

Funded by: European Union

Development • Prepare detailed geologic-engineering, programme environmental, tourist and urban plans • License companies for collecting gravel near hot spots along rivers to deepen the bottom of Gjader and Buna rivers and re-organize the flush flow • Prepare projects and raise funds for the full rehabilitation of the drainage system • Build sewage systems and landfills in all villages of the region in the framework of regulatory plans • Rehabilitate existing illegal dumpsites in Shkodra, Lezha, Shëngjin • Capacity building on public participation in environmental assessment and decision making

STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN FOR SHKODRA LAKE

Sectoral programme

Implemented by: Regional Environmental Centre

Implemented by: Association for Protection of Aquatic Wildlife of Albania (APAWA) et al.

Funded by: Global Environment Facility (GEF) World Bank

• Strengthen legal framework and improve law enforcement capacities to regulate and control development activities in the area • Strengthen institutional framework for environmental protection and sustainable development • Strengthen and develop structures and facilities for monitoring the lake, establish habitat and biodiversity monitoring in and around the lake, prevent lake water pollution from wastewater and solid waste • Monitor socio-economic conditions in the lake area • Protect, restore and adapt cultural heritage • Promote sustainable tourism

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Table 2. Identification of common goals in different programmes SECTOR 1: ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORKS Main goals Waste Management: evaluation and determination of landfills for urban waste storage and treatment, elaboration of waste transport and collection plan, purchase waste management equipment, education on urban waste, rehabilitation of existing illegal dumpsites.

Reference documents ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Koplik ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Guri i Zi ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Fushe Arrez ‣ Local Environmental Action Plan - Bushat ‣ Local Environmental Action Plan - Koplik ‣ Local Environmental Action Plan - Velipoje ‣ Regional Environmental Action Plan: Drini River Delta - Shkodra-Lezha ‣ Structural Plan of Shkodra

Water supply and sewage system: water supply technical rehabilitation, technical rehabilitation and extension of the sewage system, elaboration of business plans for water supply, improvement of collection rate and public awareness campaign, new systems for sewage and water supply, develop a study on the water quality of springs, rehabilitation of the physical condition of water supply and sanitation system, connection of every household to the sewage system, feasibility studies for type of system to apply for the sewage processing, construction of sewage system in all villages of the region.

‣ Water Supply and Environment Lake Protection ‣ Structural Plan of Shkodra

Environment and natural resources protection: increase population environment responsibilities, management of natural resources according to the existing legislation, support a study to analyse existing legal framework for the management of natural resources, identify gaps and provide recommendations improvement, capacity building on environment assessment, preparation of promotional materials.

‣ Benefits from Cross Border Management of Natural Resources

‣ Strategic Action Plan for Shkodra Lake ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Guri i Zi ‣ Local Environmental Action Plan - Koplik ‣ Local Environmental Action Plan - Velipoje ‣ Regional Environmental Action Plan: Drini River Delta - Shkodra-Lezha ‣ Shkodra–Lezha Regional Plan

‣ Strategic Concept for Regional Development ‣ Strategic Action Plan for Shkodra Lake ‣ Regional Environmental Action Plan: Drini River Delta - Shkodra-Lezha ‣ Integrated Rural Development Project Kelmend-Shkrel

Flooded areas: rehabilitation of the damn over Drini river, ‣ Local Environmental Action Plan - Bushat building of protective dikes where the erosion is high and in ‣ Local Environmental Action Plan - Velipoje flooded area, prepare detailed geological studies in flooded Regional Environmental Action Plan: Drini River areas, new monitoring systems for the dams and elaboration of ‣ Delta - Shkodra-Lezha an Emergency Action Plan. ‣ Damn Feasibility Study on Drin and Mat River Cascades Infrastructure: improve infrastructure for marketing processing in the mountain areas, improve the accessibility in different villages, infrastructure connection of Shkodra Region with Montenegro, arrangement of all road networks.

‣ Structural Plan of Shkodra ‣ Regulatory Plan - Koplik ‣ Shkodra-Lezha Regional Plan ‣ Strategic Document for Ecotourism Development in the Albanian Alps - National Park of Theth and Kelmend District ‣ Enhancing the Territorial Capital in the Commune of Rec: Mountain and Agricultural Products ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Fushe Arrez

SECTOR 2: CULTURAL HERITAGE Main goals Preservation of cultural heritage: Restoration and conservation of historical and cultural buildings, restoration and conservation of typical houses.

Reference documents ‣ Strategic plan for economic development 2005-2015 - Shkodra ‣ Structural Plan of Shkodra

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SECTOR 3: AGRO-FOOD PRODUCTION AND RURAL TOURISM Main goals

Reference documents

Agriculture development: identify a promotion strategy for the creation of a brand, improve credit access, define an annual financial aid package for farmers, increase the agricultural area and vineyard planted area, support and promotion of organic agriculture, creation of large agricultural and livestock farms, interventions on irrigation and drainage system, prepare detailed plans for the development of farm holiday activities, increase technical and professional skills of farmers through trainings and technical assistance.

‣ Enhancing the Territorial Capital in the Commune of Rec: Mountain and Agricultural Products

Agro-food production: preparation of a technical study to identify the agricultural capacity, increase the vineyard planted area, promote quality products at international food fairs, preservation and processing of medicinal plants.

‣ Sustainable Agriculture Support in Albania ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Dajc

‣ Integrated Rural Development Project Kelmend-Shrel ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Koplik ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Vau i Dejes ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Fushe Arrez ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Velipoje

‣ Strategic Document for Ecotourism Development in the Albanian Alps - National Park of Theth and Kelmend District ‣ Promotion of Agriculture in the District of Puka

Rural tourism: construction of new touristic villages, identify natural resources and environment priorities for the development of ecotourism in mountain areas, identify agricultural and naturalistic sites and routes.

‣ Strategic Development Plan - Velipoje ‣ Strategic Document for Ecotourism Development in the Albanian Alps - National Park of Theth and Kelmend District ‣ Enhancing the Territorial Capital in the Commune of Rec: Mountain and Agricultural Products

SECTOR 4: SOCIAL ISSUES Main goals

Reference documents

Social inclusion, health care and education: develop and ‣ Albanian Vocational Education and Training Support Program implement appropriate programmes for special need groups, increase access to basic health care services, reduce maternal ‣ Promoting Regional Development Through the mortality, promote gender equality, increase educational Millennium Development Goals opportunities. ‣ Strategic Concept for Regional Development for Shkodra County

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Table 3. Coherence among instruments SECTOR 1: ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK Main goals of ongoing plans and programmes

Reference documents

Coherence among instruments

Natural environment:

‣ Regional Environment Action Plan

There is a good coherence on environment issues. Different instruments share the same goals even though they provide various types of actions/interventions.

Management of natural resources ‣ Local Environment Action Plan Velipoje through compatible and sustainable use, environment protection, ‣ Local Environment Action Plan management of flooded areas through Koplik interventions in the hydro geological ‣ Strategic Development Plan - Guri i system.

Zi

There is a risk connected to the management of the watercourses that must not be ignored. As the Regional Environmental Action Plan foresees the possibility to licence companies for collecting gravel along rivers to deepen their bottom and organise the flush flows, other plans at communal level prohibit or aim to reduce and control these kinds of activities.

‣ Local Environment Action Plan Bushat ‣ Damn Feasibility Study on Drin and Mat River Cascades ‣ Strategic Concept for Regional Development

Another risk is the intervention of building protective river dikes where the erosion is high. It will need to meet with the objectives of other environmental plans and to use compatible technologies.

Infrastructure:

‣ Shkodra-Lezha Regional Plan

Improve the road and railway network through: interventions on existing urban and rural roads, new connections between villages, rehabilitate and upgrade the existing railway axis.

‣ ‣ ‣ ‣

The infrastructure network is an important part of all the existing Strategic Plan for Economic instruments. It is closely connected Development - Shkodra to the economic development so Structural Plan of Shkodra as to the tourist development. All the plans and programmes are Regulatory Plan of Koplik coherent with each other about this Strategic Development Plan - Fushe subject.

Arrez

‣ Strategic Development Plan - Puka ‣ Strategic Concept for Regional Development

SECTOR 2: CULTURAL HERITAGE Main goals of ongoing plans and programmes

Reference documents

Coherence among instruments There is a good coherence between the objectives for cultural heritage restoration and conservation in all the plans and programmes analysed.

Preservation of cultural heritage: ‣ Strategic Plan for Economic Development - Shkodra Restoration and conservation of historical and cultural heritage through ‣ Structural Plan of Shkodra a good management of resources, a compatible use and employment of appropriate technologies.

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SECTOR 3: AGRO-FOOD PRODUCTION AND RURAL TOURISM Main goals of ongoing plans and programmes Agriculture and agro-food production: Development of farm holidays activities, improve credit access for farmers, promote quality products, promotion of organic agriculture.

Rural tourism: Development of ecotourism in mountain areas, identify agricultural and naturalistic sites and routes, promote local products.

Reference documents

Coherence among instruments

Agriculture and tourism is of main ‣ Enhancing the Territorial Capital in the Commune of Rec: Mountain and interest for programmes operating Agricultural Products in the mountains. They share the same objectives regarding to the ‣ Integrated Rural Development promotion of agriculture product, Project - Kelmend-Shrel support and training for farmers, ‣ Strategic Document for Ecotourism use of biologic agriculture and Development in the Albanian Alps - improvement of credit access and National Park of Theth and Kelmend infrastructure network.

District The main goal they share is to ‣ Strategic Concept for Regional promote rural tourism through the Development development of agriculture. ‣ Promotion of Agriculture in the District of Puka ‣ Strategic Development Plan Velipoje ‣ Strategic Document for Ecotourism Development in the Albanian Alps National park of Theth and Kelmend District ‣ Strategic Concept for Regional Development ‣ Enhancing the Territorial Capital in the Commune of Rec: Mountain and Agricultural Products

SECTOR 4: SOCIAL ISSUES Main goals of ongoing plans and programmes

Reference documents

Coherence among instruments

Social inclusion, health care and education:

‣ Albanian Vocational Education and Training Support Program

Increase access to basic health services, educational opportunities, implement appropriate programmes for special need groups.

‣ Promoting Local Development Through the MDGs

There is a good coherence between the goals of the only two documents about social issues analysed.

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Conclusions on the programmes analysis Fragmentation and coherence

As mentioned in the previous pages, there are a large number of planning and programming instruments regarding the local and regional territory. The majority are local development programmes and local environmental plans.

At a regional level the only existing development programme, approved by the County Council in September 2010, is the Strategic Concept for Regional Development for Shkodra County. It is a comprehensive instrument that outlines an overall regional development strategy and identifies the main issues that need to be addressed to achieve regional development, creating the conditions for formalising and formatting managerial relationships with regard to the development processes. It is also worth mentioning the Regional Plan Shkodra-Lezha, approved in April 2006. Although it is extended in two regions, it is a comprehensive plan that represents and foresees spatial development in an inter-sectoral perspective, focusing on strategic infrastructure, economic development, environment protection and urban concentration.

Almost all of the development programmes at the municipal level consider tourism as an outstanding potential for local development.

There are different NGOs operating in the tourism field that are following various programmes in different parts of the region.

Nevertheless, the lack of a comprehensive and integrated strategy for regional tourism d e v e l o p m e n t c a u s e d fr a g m e n ta ti o n o f interventions and concentration of investments

in the main tourist destinations, neglecting other areas with tourist potentials.

Only the cities of Shkodra and Koplik have adopted urban planning instruments while the other Municipalities and Communes through the agricultural and tourism development programming instruments had provided the design of regulatory plans in urban areas.

Agriculture an tourism are the main economic activities at a local and regional level. This can represent a potential threat, if the effects of development policies on territorial resources are overlooked or underestimated. The lack of programming instrument in some Communes of the region shows the lack of the authorities capacities to manage territorial growth and development projects to achieve common goals.

Analysing all the programming instruments listed in the previous pages, it is worth noticing the general consistency among them. This means that they do not cut across each other and do not foresee incompatible projects. This is a positive aspect, because contrasting prescriptions always lead to conflicts among institutions and end up hampering development.

Moreover, this overall consistency will make it easier to devise joint programming instruments at inter-municipal or regional level.

In this framework, the SP for Shkodra Region Tourism Development can represent the tool to coordinate ongoing and scheduled projects (in coherence with existing instruments) and optimise investments in the tourism sector.

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1.11. S.W.O.T. analysis of Shkodra Region An SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunity and Threats) analysis was carried out to assess development potentials and critical aspects of the regional territory. The main findings are summarised in these pages.

Strengths ‣ Existence of several recent and coherent plans and programmes focusing on tourism development. ‣ Cultural heritage and natural assets: the small but rather well preserved old town centre of Shkodra with traditional houses and districts, castles, mosques, lakes, and the Marubi archives represent a unique cultural heritage, not only for the Region, but for Albania and the Balkans as well. ‣ Valuable coastal landscapes, including the beach-tourism destination of Velipoja and the natural reserve of Viluni lagoon. ‣ Rather unspoilt mountainous landscapes of g r e a t e n v i r o n m e n t a l v a l u e . D i ff i c u l t accessibility helped, in a way, to preserve mountain areas from uncontrolled building activity. ‣ Presence of ancient paths (for horseback commerce, transhumance, etc.). ‣ Bicycle mobility as a quite widespread tradition in the town of Shkodra. ‣ Presence of still inhabited traditional buildings in mountain villages and rural areas. ‣ Rich legacy of traditional and genuine agrofood products (cheese, potatoes, herbs, etc.) and forest products (chestnuts, mushrooms, wild berries, etc.). ‣ Good and interesting artistic production (especially in the fields of figurative arts and of traditional and contemporary folk music). ‣ Existence of centres for cultural preservation and production (University, theatre, museums, galleries, libraries) and significant presence of cultural and culturally oriented Associations. ‣ Infrastructure and entrepreneurial projects already implemented by international cooperation bodies, NGOs and TEULEDA. ‣ Existence of an association of biological agriculture farmers in Vermosh. ‣ Richness of water resources, also used to produce electricity. ‣ Slowly growing sensitiveness about the waste management issue. ‣ Strong presence of young people in the Region.

Weaknesses ‣ Uncontrolled urban development in Shkodra and its outskirts, also due to internal migrations and beach-tourism development. ‣ Neglect and decay of traditional buildings, common use of inadequate and low-quality materials for maintenance and renewal. ‣ Insufficient valorisation and inadequate location of the Marubi archives. ‣ Inadequate valorisation of bicycle mobility. ‣ Difficult accessibility to mountain areas: the road network is very poor and in bad conditions, and blocked by snow during winter. ‣ Depopulation of mountain villages, mainly due to isolation and lack of job opportunities.

Youth emigration and “brain drain”. ‣ Scarcity of land for agriculture and pasture in mountain areas, also due to erosion. ‣ Prevalence of small and micro enterprises in rural areas, with little willingness to associate.

Small dimension is an obstacle to enterprises competitiveness and access to credit. ‣ Absence of quality, safety and organic certifications for regional agro-food products. ‣ Inadequate access of local products to national and international markets. ‣ Lack of innovative technologies in agriculture and breeding, incomplete value chains. ‣ Lack of basic and advanced training in productive sectors, lack of awareness of the importance of cultural heritage and typical productions for sustainable development. ‣ Lack of infrastructure to support economic activities, especially in rural areas. ‣ Inadequate promotion of local economic development potentials, lack of coordinated tourism marketing activities. ‣ Scarce interactions among cultural subjects, cultural fields, and between culture and economical production. ‣ Overall low quality of hospitality, lack of integrated tourist services (guides, transports, etc.) ‣ Mismanagement of water resources, causing floods and severe damages. ‣ The absence of wastewater and waste management systems threatens the health of people and animals, damages environment, landscape and agro-food productions, and is an obstacle to tourism development. ‣ Lack of sustainable policies and initiatives for environment preservation and protection. ‣ Lack of health services and professional training in the sanitary sector. ‣ Lack of equal opportunities for women.

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Opportunities

Threats

‣ Several international cooperation organisations (VIS, CERAI, ACLI, SNV, etc.), are working on local development projects (micro credit, development of social enterprises, etc.), especially in rural and mountain areas with a focus on rural tourism and eco-tourism.

‣ Lack of coordination among the organisations operating in the area (international cooperation, NGOs, national and regional agencies, etc.) can cause overlapping and even ineffectiveness of interventions.

‣ Several UN agencies (UNOPS, UNICEF, etc.) are working on various projects in the area.

‣ Poor capacities on project design in compliance with EU standards could prevent access to international funds.

‣ Presence of TEULEDA and other development agencies (MADAs, National Agency for the Agriculture and Rural Development). ‣ Future TEULEDA projects and activities: enhancement of value chains, technical assistance to enterprises, etc. ‣ Strengthening of TEULEDA through ART GOLD 2 and ILS LEDA. ‣ Infrastructure projects funded by Albanian government (new road from Shkodra to the Montenegro border; new hydroelectric power station; new landfill, etc.). ‣ Existence of the Albanian Development Fund. ‣ Albania as a potential candidate country to enter European Union - IPA Programmes.

‣ Scarce capacity to manage international funds. ‣ Tendency to uncontrolled building can lead to the destruction of natural landscapes and traditional buildings. ‣ Persistent lack of job opportunities can cause abandon of mountain villages, environment and landscape deterioration and loss of cultural heritage and identity. ‣ Persistent absence of waste and wastewater management systems can irreversibly damage natural resources, agro-food productions and human health and block tourism development. ‣ Increased car use among the population can lead to unsustainable mobility situation.

‣ Opportunities offered by decentralised cooperation and by EU funds addressed to local development, enhancement of cultural heritage, environmental protection, etc.

‣ Albanian willingness to develop tourism must face competition of tourist destinations that can better balance economic development and environmental protection.

‣ EU funds for cross-border programmes and projects among Shkodra Region and Montenegro.

‣ Scarce territorial awareness about the competitive advantages offered by regional identity and cultural heritage is likely to cause the loss of biodiversity and cultural diversity of the Region.

‣ Growing interest in Albania as a touristic destination ‣ Growing worldwide interest in quality agrofood products, development and enhancement of organic farming, quality and food security certifications. ‣ Creation of synergies with Shkodra University. ‣ Women empowerment.

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1.12. General goal for tourism development and keywords of the Strategic Plan The general goal for tourism development

the Region (especially in terms of natural environment and landscape) and of the threats represented by the current lack of basic services. It also expresses the need to protect The shared general goal of the SPT was the environmental uniqueness of the Region in identified according to: order to keep and increase tourist attractiveness, • the surveys concerning the regional territory ensuring a better quality of life to the regional • the analysis of programmes implemented and population. Environmental sustainability could be under implementation in the Region the key to trigger economic growth in the tourism • the meetings held with the Regional sector without compromising natural assets. The government units and other representative presence of an unspoilt natural environment stakeholders shall be used as an opportunity to pursue a • the inventory of cultural and landscape tourism development model based on the heritage and of value chains enhancement of local resources. Sustainability The general goal of the SPT is: can become the common denominator to “enhance sustainability to support the integrate different typologies of tourism development of various kinds of tourism”. (ecotourism, cultural tourism, rural tourism, etc.), STRATEGIC PLANNING all attracted by authentic, well-preserved and This goal derives from widespread awareness of OF SHKODRAunique REGION destinations. the valuable and diversified tourist resources of “TOWARDS SUSTAINABILILTY OF TOURISM”

Sea, beaches & coastal habitats

Cultural heritage

TheDefining general development goal of the Strategic Plan resulting fromstrategic the territorial resources the shared general goal of the plan survey

cultural tourism beach tourism

‘TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY OF TOURISM’ rural tourism

ecotourism Mountain landscapes

Typical products & rural landscape

UNDP ARTGOLD 2 ALBANIA Programme www.undp.org.al Therefore, the regional Strategic Planning process identifies a sustainable development model according to three fundamental and interconnected aspects: Environment, Economy and Society (Rio de Janeiro, 1992). This model is attainable through actions directed towards territorial eco-management, anthropogenic activities and promotion of climate change reduction (Kyoto Protocol).

10

TEULEDA - Local Economic Development Agency The Strategic Plan is, in www.teuleda.org.al fact, an instrument

to: • Define goals of environmental sustainability; • Investigate the main environmental aspects and synthesise critical factors; • Analyse potential environmental aspects by using sustainability criteria to evaluate the SPT objectives and actions; • Identify possible actions connected with environmental indicators.

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The Keywords As a next step, 12 keywords were identified: they summarise the issues and needs emerged during the meetings, which the territorial actors deem crucial for the development of Shkodra Region, as well as represent the foundation to build the tourism development Vision and Strategy for the coming years.

Analysis of plans and programmes

Surveys of the regional territory

Meetings with representative stakeholders

Inventory of territorial resources

The 12 keywords of Shkodra Region 1.

Sustainable tourism

Tourism is an important opportunity for regional development, and the main theme of the SPT; the challenge is to make it sustainable, diversified and integrated, to preserve the uniqueness of the Region.

2.

Sustainable mobility

Infrastructure is one of the most critical issues in the Region: transportation networks and services are often poor and inadequate, though they represent a basic assumption for tourism development. The traditional use of bicycles in Shkodra is a good practice to be valorised and extended to other areas.

3.

High-quality agro-food products

4.

Short production & distribution chains

5.

Producers’ associations

Agro-food sector is very important in the regional economy and typical products are a potential added value to tourist experiences, however product quality should be improved and value chains developed. Small producers should form a “critical mass” to compete in national and foreign markets and support tourist activities.

6.

Environment & landscape protection

7.

Waste and water management

8.

Identity and cultural heritage

Cultural heritage is important for cultural tourism development, and its maintenance and transmission to next generations are crucial to maintain the cultural uniqueness of the Region as a tourist attractor.

9.

Innovative vocational training

Training is a cross-cutting issue, crucial for professional growth and to create job opportunities thus fighting emigration and “brain drain”.

10. Better job opportunities for youth 11. Health and social care services 12. Urban quality

Environmental protection is another critical issue for the Region, and an essential assumption to make it a tourist destination that is attractive and suitable for the global market.

Quality of life in towns and villages (good state of public spaces, efficient public services, social cohesion and security) is crucial to create the basic conditions for tourism development as well as ensure safety, security and comfort to visitors.

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1.13. Scenarios for Regional Development

The Scenarios represent the possible future configurations of a territory, based on present conditions, trends outlined by the currently operating programmes and policies at national, regional and local level and possible variables that the SPT can introduce to trigger sustainable and endogenous development. In the case of Shkodra Region, given the thematic nature of the SPT (strictly focused on sustainable tourism development), the Scenarios coincide with the various tourism development models the Region can choose amongst, and attempt to provide an overview of their potentials, possible impacts, and current condition.

Tourism is widely recognised as a priority sector for the socio-economic development of Shkodra Region, although, at the moment, the regional tourist market is of a small scale, mostly domestic and mainly targeted to resident and non-resident Albanians. Both the recently approved Regional Development Concept and the Regional Plan for Shkodra and Lezha districts list tourism among the main issues of the overall regional development strategy.

This trend is also confirmed by several international, national and local policies and programmes. Various ongoing programmes and projects promote international partnerships in order to foster integrated tourism development (Adriatic Ionian Tourist Region, Adriatic Ionian Touristic Routes, etc.), the Albanian Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports prepared a number of coherent tourism strategies over the years (i.e. the Strategy and Action Plan for the Development of the Albanian Tourism Sector Based on Cultural and Environmental Tourism and the Tourism Strategy).

Furthermore, the majority of the ongoing plans and programmes in the Region list tourism development among the top priorities for territorial growth (i.e. the Strategic document for eco-tourism development in the Albanian Alps, the Strategic Action Plan for Shkodra Lake, the 1.

Local Environmental Action Plan for Velipoje, etc.).

In addition, these dynamics are confirmed by the current tourism market trends, testifying a growing interest for Albania as a tourism destination: • the number of foreign visitors to Albania has been steadily increasing during the last decade1 • the World Economic Forum (WEF) report of 2007, which evaluates the country competitiveness, ranks Albania 90th among 124 countries, higher than countries with a long-time successful and established tourism2 • a 2007 UNDP research highlighted that visitors coming to Albania are satisfied with their trip and willing to support financially the preservation of Albanian cultural heritage • Albania was recently listed by the Guide “Best in Travel” 2011 of Lonely Planet as the first most attractive country in the world.

A development strategy based on tourism can also help diversify the economic profile of the Region. Considering the cross-cutting nature of the tourism sector (in order to be attractive to tourists, a territory must tackle different issues such as infrastructure and transports, environment and cultural heritage preservation, healthcare services, waste management, typical agro-food production, etc., simultaneously.

Tourism development can support the improvement of other economic sectors such as processing industries, services, transports, etc., as well as contribute to increase the overall quality of life in tourist areas.

“Tourism is one of the priority sectors for Shkoder County. [...] Combination of natural resources (for agro-tourism, tourism, mountainous or coastal tourism) with cultural, historic values and rich traditions of the region (for cultural tourism) constitute only some of the advantages that must be shared with investors and other actors.”

Regional Development Concept, 2010

FLAG underlines that foreign visitors in Albania increased from 470,574 entries in 2002 to 747,837 in 2005.

Tourism Strategy, 2007.

2. National

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The outcomes of the desk analyses conducted and the participation activities performed demonstrate that Shkodra Region has a variety of potential tourist attractors (cultural heritage, natural resources and landscapes, traditions and food), not yet adequately valorised and integrated. This variety can lead to the development of a diversified tourist product, able to attract tourist flows throughout the year hence extending socio-economic growth in the entire regional territory.

On the other hand, some general problems of the Region should be highlighted, most of which are strongly connected with the tourist exploitation of the territory: • Lack of waste management systems • Lack of water and wastewater management systems • Recurrent floods, with consequent safety risks • Hydro-geological instability • Inadequacy of transport network, especially in mountain areas • Out-of-control construction activity, especially along the coast and the lake shores of Shkodra lake • Concentration of tourist investments on the coast, priority given to sun, sea and sand tourism, mostly domestic and involving only a small part of the Region • Marginality of rural communities • Widespread poverty, especially in remote areas • Inadequacy of tourist accommodation and services outside the urban area of Shkodra • Lack of social, economical, cultural interactions among local actors (the so-called “relational capital”), need for awareness and capacity increase.

If these problems persist, there will be serious consequences on the air, water and soil pollution, involving high health risks for people and animals (thus affecting also agriculture and breeding activities), hydro-geological instability, and low quality of life levels. The concentration of investments on the coast, if persisting, will increase the marginalization of rural communities of the hinterland, already affected by the inadequate road and transportation network.

More marginalization means a persisting lack of job opportunities, emigration, depopulation of rural villages, loss of cultural heritage and identity, deterioration of rural landscape. In the long run, all these problems are likely to have a negative impact not only on local communities, but also on tourist resources, causing irreversible deterioration of natural attractors and loss of tourist attractiveness (wastes will continue to spoil the landscape and to pollute water and soil, etc.).

Additionally, if the present situation continues, the territory will never gain competitiveness hence tourists (both Albanian and foreign) will most probably choose other destinations in countries with intact landscapes and higher quality tourist services and accommodation.

Alternatively, the Region has the opportunity to choose a better development model, moving towards sustainable tourism that is both ecologically and culturally sensitive having a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income, employment, and preserve local ecosystems and cultural integrity. Sustainable tourism development is considered a top priority at national level, as emphasised by the National Tourism Strategy and the National Environmental Strategy.

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Four possible Scenarios for regional tourism development can be identified: 1. Cultural tourism 2. Rural tourism 3. Nature tourism – Ecotourism, Sports and Adventure tourism, Lake tourism 4. Sun, sea and sand tourism It is clear that these Scenarios are strongly interconnected, hence the challenge is to carry

them out all simultaneously, in an integrated and complementary manner, in order to achieve a more diversified tourism development.

Each Scenario identified is described in the following pages, together with the specific territorial aspects and the ongoing plans and programs that support it.

Scenarios were presented to and agreed upon by the territorial actors during the public debates in February 2011.

The four SPT Scenarios for Shkodra Region tourist development

Tourism development in Shkodra Region

Scenario 1.

Cultural tourism

• • • • •

Shkodra old town Rozafa Castle Lead Mosque Marubi Archives …

• • • • •

Scenario 2.

Rural tourism

Scenario 4.

Sun, sea & sand tourism

Typical products Rural landscape Agriculture Breeding Fish farming…

• Velipoja • Consolidated beach tourism on the coast •…

Scenario 3.

Nature tourism Ecotourism

• Mountains • Lagoons…

Sports, adventure

• • • •

Winter sports Extreme sports Horse riding Sport fishing…

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Lake tourism

• Lake landscapes (Shkodra, Vau i Dejes, Koman) • Sailing…

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Scenario 1 Cultural tourism

Based on the surveys conducted by SPT and ILS LEDA experts, Shkodra Region is rich in cultural attractors, both tangible and non tangible.

Among the tangible cultural heritage, worth mentioning are the Rozafa Castle, the Leaden Mosque (Xhamia e Plumbit), historical buildings in downtown Shkodra (mosques, churches, historical streets such as Kolë Idromeno and districts such as Gjuhadol, traditional houses, etc.), Mesi Bridge (Ura e Mesit), the remains of the medieval town of Sarda, and the Drisht Castle. A special mention deserves the Marubi photographic archive (Fototeka Marubi), a photo collection documenting Albanian everyday life and landscapes during the 19th and 20th Centuries, which represents an exceptional artistic, cultural, historical and scientific heritage, not only for the Region, but also for Albania and the whole Balkan area.

“In order to differentiate itself as a cultural tourism destination, Albania will need to develop cultural holiday experiences that combine the country’s leading historic and archaeological sites (particularly the UNESCO World Heritage Sites) with other cultural experiences (ie mountains/ scenery, rural lifestyles, etc.).”

Albania Culture Marketing Strategy, 2010

On the other hand, this analysis highlighted the presence of some specific weaknesses and detractor elements: • Serious risks of decadence of significant urban-architectural heritage • Market “unreadiness” of most of the main cultural heritage sites in Shkodra (Mesi Bridge, Hammam, Leaden mosque, History and Archaeological museum, Marubi archive) 3 • Inadequate location and visibility of Marubi archive • Scarce interactions among cultural subjects, cultural fields, and between culture and economical production • Lack of coordinated promotion of cultural objects and activities.

Culture tourism development is in line with the general tourism market trends and national, regional and local policies (i.e. one of the objectives of the Shkodra “2005-2015 Strategic plan for economic development” is to preserve, restore and develop the city museum and its collection, as well as other historical and cultural items in the city). The National Tourism Strategy considers cultural tourism one of the fastest growing tourism markets globally.

Cultural tourism has demonstrated to yield more development benefits than large-scale sun and sand tourism.

Moreover, Shkodra Region boasts a rich tradition in folk music and figurative arts, and it is considered the richest Albanian region with regard to handicraft activities. The existence of an important theatre and the significant presence of cultural and culturally oriented Associations can also be seen as advantages for cultural tourism development, especially when with regards to the organisation of events.

3.

The Albania Culture Marketing Strategy, drafted by UNDP Albania in 2010 only ranks Rozafa Castle (and the annexed museum) among the market ready attractions in Albania. The concept of “market readiness” relates to the degree to which an attraction meets the potential tourist’s needs and consequently is worthy of being included in marketing activity. An attraction can be deemed “market ready” when it meets most of the following criteria: 1) Intrinsic interest to a wide range of visitors; 2) Ease of access; 3) Reception facilities; 4) Clear interpretation of the attraction; 5) Promotional materials in relevant languages including location map; 5) Website.

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Scenario 2 Rural tourism

Territorial surveys highlighted the great landscape value of rural areas in Shkodra Region and the important role of agriculture in regional economy, together with the existence of a variety of traditional agro-food products (such as forest fruits, herbs, mushrooms, cheese, honey, etc.), handicraft, and artistic production, which can be significant tourist attractors.

undertake quality certification processes in compliance with food security and quality standards, to improve typical products marketing and disseminate organic farming procedures. In this respect, the Scenario is also supported by the Sustainable Agriculture Support in Albania programme, implemented by the Swiss Cooperation.

These aspects make the development of rural tourism in the Region extremely reasonable, and also a way for rural households to diversify agricultural and breeding activities and obtain additional incomes, thus increasing their quality of life, reducing poverty and marginalisation and fighting emigration and depopulation of villages. Moreover, tourists can buy typical local products, hence becoming a tool for their international promotion, boosting production, marketing and qualification processes.

The Scenario finds support in several national, regional and local programmes, such as the National Agriculture and Food Sector Strategy 2007-2013, the National Tourism Strategy, the Regional Development Concept (where tourism and agribusiness are included in the same section underlying their strong interdependence) and the Strategic Development Plan of Dajc.

Moreover, experiences of small-scale agrotourism development in the Region were recently carried out by international NGOs CERAI (in the Reรง area) and VIS (in Theth and Kelmend districts). The presence of several micro-credit experiences can also be considered as an opportunity for business creation in this sector.

As the success of rural tourism depends on the quality both of environment and products, it is clear that the Scenario is strictly interconnected with environmental protection and agribusiness development. Regarding the first issue, the same considerations expressed for Scenario 3 can be applied. As for the second, the Scenario depends on the capacity of the territorial actors, supported by regional and local governments and by international cooperation bodies, to

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Scenario 3 Natural tourism

The analyses, meetings and surveys revealed the great potential of Shkodra Region as a natural tourism destination. The regional territory is very rich in environmental attractors, and contains a variety of ecosystems, such as mountains (Theth, Vermosh, Puka), natural and artificial lakes (Shkodra, Vau i Dejes, Koman), sea and wetlands (Viluni lagoon) in a relatively small area.

In addition, sustainable artificial attractors can be established as, for instance, well regulated sport fishing activities in mountain streams, horse riding and trekking itineraries, etc.

According to the Regional Plan Shkodra-Lezha, mountain areas have greater tourism potential than coastal zones (although careful management is needed) and identifies the most important natural tourism market potential in the international markets (with a small volume but a high value) in the mountains and on the surroundings of Shkodra Lake.

Tourism in these areas can be characterised as “eco-tourism” or “adventure tourism” (nature excursions, horseback riding, boating, river rafting, sky diving, mountain bike trips, scubadiving, canoeing, sailing, etc.), with the possibility to create long-distance tracks for walking, horseback riding and cycling, integrated with a system of small accommodation structures and tourist services (boats and bicycle rental businesses, horseback riding facilities, etc.), in order to

allow tourists to practice different kinds of sports and activities, and be in touch with the unspoilt nature of the Region.

Other policies and programmes at national, regional and local level support this Scenario. In addition to the already mentioned National Tourism Strategy, there are also the Strategic Document for Eco-tourism Development in the Albanian Alps (prepared by Federparchi and Compagnia dei Parchi for UNDP ART GOLD and IDEASS), the Strategic Action Plan for Shkodra Lake (funded by GEF - Global Environment Facility and World Bank), and the Strategic Development Plan of Puke, among others.

“Culture, adventure and ‘ecotourism’ are considered to be the fastest growing tourism markets worldwide (…). Tourism focused on independent tourists visiting local communities and participating actively in nature and culture activities has been shown to yield 5 to 10 times more development benefit than large-scale sun and sand tourism per dollar of tourist spending”.

National Tourism Strategy

On the other hand, natural tourism development can be negatively affected by the present absence of effective waste, water and wastewater management systems, hydrogeological instability phenomena, uncontrolled construction activity and the poor conditions of rural roads network and transportation services.

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Scenario 4 Sun, sea and sand tourism

Shkodra Region has a 14 km coastline, that includes the natural reserve of Viluni lagoon and the seaside area of Velipoje. Beach-related tourism in Velipoje is quite consolidated, although it mainly attracts the domestic market from Albania and Kosovo.

Nevertheless, tourism development has already started to create environmental problems, due to inadequate water supply systems and waste and wastewater management and the uncontrolled urbanisation in the coastal settlements.

In general, national and regional level programmes do not recommend further development of this type of tourism: the Regional Plan Shkodra-Lezhe states that “A holiday or a visit to Velipoje is not cheaper than a visit to Ulqin or Montenegro in general. In Montenegro, however, the product is well up to international standards. This is interesting, and it suggests that more cross-border competition and an increasingly integrated tourism market will erode the viability of tourism business in North Albania, unless it succeeds in upgrading both the quality of its product and its efficiency. The main obstacle here may be the failure of urban growth management and the failure to protect the coastal environment [...]. Although this plan proposes a Buna Bridge to link Ulqin (in Montenegro) to Velipoje, thus extending the internationally successful Adriatic Riviera southwards, the truth is that the coast of the Shkoder-Lezhe region has been made very unattractive to this market. [...] Shengjin and Velipoje could aim to be commercially successful beach holiday resorts targeting a largely domestic market”, while the National Tourism

Strategy states that “Traditional sun and sand tourism (large-scale, undifferentiated packages) is losing ground to ecotourism, cultural tourism and adventure tourism. While sun and sand tourism remains the largest tourism segment in international tourism, it is experiencing growth rates of no more than 2 to 4 percent per year.

Neighbouring countries, such as Greece, Turkey and Croatia are focusing their efforts on sun and sand tourism, further crowding an already very crowded tourism market (which also includes North Africa, Coastal Spain, the Caribbean, Indian Ocean islands, and many others). Albania has a unique opportunity to differentiate itself from neighbours and avoid a crowded market with decreasing revenues and profits”. In addition, due to the small extension of the coast in comparison with other Albanian areas, Shkodra Region can hardly be competitive in this sector even in the national market.

Hence, the Scenario is supported neither by regional development policies, nor by the current market trends, and not even by territorial features.

Anyway, this Scenario can be developed to support and integrate the other Scenarios. The existing accommodation structures and tourist services on the coast represent a economic heritage that shall not be neglected: their quality shall be increased up to international standards, whilst the Sun, sea and sand product they offer shall be integrated with other types of tourist destinations in the hinterland (also to foster a more balanced development) and the sustainable tourist fruition of natural resources such as the Viluni lagoon.

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Integration among the Scenarios

The Scenarios described so far can be all developed simultaneously in an integrated and complementary manner in order to achieve a more diversified regional tourism development, make tourist flows less seasonal and expand them on the entire regional territory, hence avoiding territorial unbalances that a single type of tourism development of can cause. The four Scenarios identified offer high opportunities for i n t e g r a t i o n a n d s y n e r g y, e s p e c i a l l y i f developed through a sustainability perspective.

together with the maintenance of their distinctive and “typical” features, is crucial for the successful development of both Scenarios.

Environmental sustainability and respect for the landscape are, therefore, essential requirements for all activities performed in the involved areas: both existing and new buildings (including accommodation structures) should meet eco-friendly building criteria and use traditional typologies and materials, while agrofood products processing plants should be oriented to process quality certifications in a sustainability perspective. Finally, both Scenarios require the development of a network of small, family-owned accommodation structures, where tourists can experience fully the “Albanian way of life”. ‣ Scenarios 1 “Cultural tourism” and 3 “Nature tourism”

The stronger synergies can be developed between: ‣ Scenarios 1 “Cultural tourism” and 2 “Rural tourism” Rural traditions, products and the “know-how” represent an important part of the cultural heritage of the regional territory. Therefore, on one hand, cultural tourism routes should include rural areas, where tourists can experience traditional ways of life and food and, on the other hand, cultural sites can be a marketplace for typical agro-food and handicraft products, thus enticing tourists to discover rural areas. In this perspective, the two Scenarios can support each other, and help the integration between Shkodra city (where most of the regional cultural heritage lies) and its surroundings. ‣ Scenarios 2 “Rural tourism” and 3 “Nature tourism” The two Scenarios are strongly interconnected, because their development partly involves the same areas and same population. Moreover, the preservation of environment and landscape,

The main element connecting the two Scenarios is the central role of nature and landscape in the regional identity and culture, that requires integrated policies for the joint preservation and enhancement of cultural and natural heritage.

The two Scenarios can easily support each other; in particular, nature tourism development can help the integration between Shkodra (where most of the regional cultural heritage is found) and its surroundings, and enrich the city cultural offer with alternative activities (especially involving Shkodra lake), thus enticing tourists to spend more time in the Region. ‣ Scenarios 3 “Nature tourism” and 4 “Sun, sea and sand tourism” Nature tourism development can be a way to offer alternative activities to people spending their holidays in Velipoje, thus enticing them to spend more time in the Region. In particular, one point of contact between the two Scenarios can be the sustainable tourist fruition of the Viluni lagoon, that is close to Velipoje. Visits to wetlands can also be a way to increase the tourists’ environmental awareness and encourage them to visit other natural sites in the Region.

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The following diagram synthesises these relationships among the Scenarios.

Expanding markets for typical quality products Differentiation of rural activities

SCENARIO 1.

CULTURAL TOURISM Nature and landscape as parts of territorial identity and culture Diversified tourist routes connecting urban areas and remote areas Integrated preservation and enhancement of cultural and natural heritage Lake tourism to integrate Shkodra cultural offer

SCENARIO 3.

NATURE TOURISM

Rural activities, products and traditions as parts of territorial identity and culture

SCENARIO 2.

RURAL TOURISM

Diversified tourist routes connecting urban areas and rural areas

Integrating beach tourism offer with cultural activities Diversified tourist routes connecting coast and cultural sites

Expanding markets for typical quality products

Landscape preservation

Diversified tourist routes connecting coastal resorts and rural areas

Development of sustainable processing industry to preserve the environment Eco-friendly buildings in natural and rural areas

SCENARIO 4.

SUN, SEA & SAND TOURISM

Community-based hospitality Diversification of beach-related tourism - sustainable tourist fruition of wetlands Building regulation on the coast Qualification of coastal areas in an eco-friendly perspective

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CHAPTER 2

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

A view of Shkodra Lake

2.1. Methodological introduction The following Vision for the future tourism development of Shkodra Region, and the Strategy proposed to achieve it, was drafted starting from (and according to): • the survey of plans and programmes currently operating in the regional territory, in particular the Regional Plan for Shkodra-Lezha 2005-2020 and the Regional Development Concept • the survey of researches and sector analyses so far conducted • the information collected during the territorial surveys • the results of the meetings (with national, regional and local authorities, County Partnership Council,

international organisations, etc.) and participatory events (Kick-Off event and Public Debates) organised in the framework of the strategic planning process • the results of the participatory events organised in the framework of other Programmes.

Therefore, the Vision conveys the local actors desires and needs directly or indirectly expressed during the meetings and the participatory events, and conciliates them with the current situation of the territory, ongoing programmes and national policies and goals.

The result of this process is an image of a possible, desirable future for Shkodra Region as a tourist destination – an image that can direct all future development initiatives.

The Vision and the Strategy for regional tourism development VISION Future image of the Region as a tourist destination, directing tourist development policies

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

ACTIONS

Directions to follow to achieve the Vision

To fill the gap between present & future

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2.2. Participation in the Strategy definition The Public Debates In the framework of the activities needed to carry out the strategic planning process in Shkodra Region, ART GOLD 2 SPT experts gave support and technical assistance to Regional Staff, TEULEDA and AGA2 staff to organize and carry on three Public Debates with territorial actors in Puka, in Koplik and in Shkodra, on 22, 23 and 24 February 2011.

In view of these meetings, SPT experts prepared a draft Vision and Strategy for regional tourism development, based on the results of previous analyses, surveys and discussions. They also shared the drafts with the Regional staff and TSG for preliminary approval.

The meetings aimed to share, review and discuss these draft Vision and Strategy with all territorial actors, and collect opinions and proposals in order to integrate them. Other specific objectives of the debates were: • Bring together territorial actors and foster collaboration among them • Gather opinions and proposals from territorial actors, to integrate the draft Vision and Strategy for regional tourism development.

The choice to organise the debates in three different locations was made to increase the involvement of local communities and to “territorialize” the strategy, adapting it to concrete situations shared by all participants.

The Public debates organised in Shkodra (above) and Koplik (below)

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The two sides of the brochure prepared to support discussion within the Public debates in February

“Sun, sea & sand” Tourism Beaches Coast protection

CONTACTS

Rruga Çobej, 66 - Shkodra tel. +355 22 248702 fax +355 22 241521 website: www.teuleda.org.al

tel./fax +355 4 2373913 website: www.artgold.undp.org.al

UNDP ARTGOLD 2 Albania

KONTAKTE

UNDP ARTGOLD 2 Albania www.artgold.undp.org.al

AGA2

Shkurt 2011

TEULEDA www.teuleda.org.al

February 2011

to discuss the regional tourism development strategy

DEBAT PUBLIK PUBLIC DEBATE

për diskutimin e strategjisë së zhvillimit rajonal të turizmit

“Towards Sustainability of Tourism”

“Për Zhvillimin e Qëndrueshëm të Turizmit”

QARKU SHKODER SHKODRA REGION

STRATEGIC PLANNING

PLANIFIKIMI STRATEGJIK

STRATEGY:

High-quality agro-food products

Identity and cultural heritage Innovative vocational training Better job opportunities for youth Health and social inclusion

Kurse të aftësimit profesional Mundësi punësimi për rininë Shëndeti dhe përfshirja sociale

In order to become a major tourist destination in the Balkan area, attractive both for national and international tourism, Shkodra region should become an “integrated tourism territorial system” with an integrated tourist offer, where the idea of tourism involves and connects different territories and sectors and sustainable tourism is the opportunity to foster socio-economic development, quality of life improvement, professional growth.

3.4. Sustainable productions development of small craft industry, agricultural products and textile manufactures to help enhance competition in the market

Në mënyrë që të bëhet destinacioni më i madh turistik në zonën e Ballkanit, tërheqës për turizmin kombëtar dhe ndërkombëtar, rajoni i Shkodrës duhet të bëhet një sistem i integruar i turizmit territorial me një ofertë turistike të integruar, ku ideja e turizmit përfshin dhe lidh territore dhe sektorë të ndryshëm dhe turizmi i qëndrueshëm është mundësi për të nxitur zhvillimin socio-ekonomik, përmirësimin e cilësisë së jetës, rritjes profesionale.

3.3. Acquisition of safety and quality certifications of “resources of excellence” and empowerment of competitiveness for exportation 3.4. Zhvillim i qëndrueshëm i prodhimeve të industrisë zejtare të vogël, produkteve bujqësore dhe tekstile për të ndihmuar rritjen e konkurrencës në treg

3.2. Incentivize and support enterprises creation and management 3.2. Stimulim dhe mbështetje për krijimit dhe menaxhim e ndërmarrjeve 3.3. Përvetësim i certifikatave te sigurisë dhe cilësisë për "burimet e përsosmërisë" dhe fuqizim i konkurrencës për eksport

3.1. Implementing a shared strategy of production enhancement and value chains finalization and encouragement of producers’ grouping

3. Development of typical rural productions and handicrafts

2.6. Emergency medical attention for tourists

2.5. Eco-sustainable solid waste management in tourist areas

2.4. Promotion of renewable energy and energy saving in tourist areas

2.3. Creation and maintenance of public spaces in tourist areas

2.2. Enhancement of transport networks to improve territorial accessibility to tourist areas

2.1. Improvement of urban planning in tourist areas

2. Quality improvement in tourist areas

Urban quality

Waste & water management Identiteti dhe trashëgimia kulturore

Cilësia urbane

Environment protection Menaxhimi i mbetjeve dhe ujrave

Producers’ associations Mbrojtja e mjedisit dhe natyrës

Shoqatat e prodhuesve

Short production and distribution chains

Sustainable mobility

Prodhime agro-ushqimore të cilësisë së lartë Zinxhir i shkurtër i prodhimeve

Sustainable tourism

Turizëm i qëndrueshëm

Analyses conducted in the framework of the strategic planning process allowed to highlight some important issues for regional torurism development:

Lëvizshmëri e qëndrueshme

Analizat e kryera në kuadër të procesit të planifikimit strategjik mundësojnë nxjerrjen në pah të disa cështjeve të rëndësishme për zhvillimin rajonal të turizmit:

3.1. Zbatimin e një strategjie të përbashkët të rritjes të prodhimit dhe finalizim i zinxhirëve të vlerës dhe inkurajim i grupimeve të prodhuesve

3. Zhvillimi i prodhimeve tipike rurale dhe artizanatit

2.6. Kujdes emergjent mjekësor për turistët

2.5. Menaxhim i eko-qëndrueshëm i mbetjeve të ngurta në zonat turistike

2.4. Promovim i energjisë së ripërtëritshme dhe të kursimit të energjisë në zonat turistike

2.3. Krijimi dhe mirëmbajtja e hapësirave publike në zonat turistike

2.2. Rritja e rrjeteve të transportit për të përmirësuar aksesin territorial të zonave turistike

2.1. Përmirësimi i planifikimit urban në zonat turistike

2. Përmirësim i kualitetit në zonat turistike

what happened so far:

FJALËT KYÇE KEYWORDS

cfarë është bërë deri tani:

V I S I O N : S H K O D R A R E G I O N S U S TA I N A B L E T O U R I S M D I S T R I C T

1.14. Communication and marketing improvement

1.13. Protection, valorisation, maintenance and sustainable tourism development of natural areas and landscapes and preservation of biodiversity

1.13. Mbrojtje, vlerësim,mirëmbatje dhe zhvillim i qëndrueshëm i turizmit të zonave natyrore dhe peisazheve dhe ruajtje e biodiversitetit

1.14. Përmirësim i komunikimit dhe marketingut

1.12. Knowledge, preservation, restoration & qualification of historical assets

1.11. Increasing participation of local communities in regional tourism development policies

1.10. Integrated hospitality packages

1.9. Empowerment of the value chains connected with cultural production and heritage, including artistic craftsmanship and contemporary art

1.8. Support, enhance and publicize cultural events (music, cinema, theatre, photo festivals) and places and institutions devoted to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage (public libraries, museums, archives, theatres, etc.)

1.7. Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer

1.6. Sustainable tourism activities on the lakes

1.12. Njohuri, ruajtje, restaurim dhe kualifikim i pasurive historike

1.11. Rritja e pjesëmarrjes së komuniteteve lokale në politikat rajonale të zhvillimit të turizmit

1.10. Paketa të integruara mikpritjeje

1.9. Forcimi i zinxhirëve të vlerës i lidhur me prodhimin kulturor dhe trashëgiminë, duke përfshirë zejtarinë artistike dhe artin bashkëkohor

1.8. Mbështetje, rritje dhe publikim i ngjarjeve kulturore (muzikë, kinema, teatër, festival fotografish) dhe vende e institucione të përkushtuara ndaj ruajtjes dhe transmetimit e trashëgimisë kulturore (bibliotekë publike, muzeume, arkiva,teatër, etj.)

1.7. Integrim i produkteve tipike në ofertën turistike rajonale

1.6. Aktivitete turistike të qëndrueshme në liqene

1.5. Sustainable tourism development in mountain areas

1.4. Valorisation and protection of the coast for sustainable tourism

1.4. Vlerësim dhe mbrojtje e bregdetit për turizmin e qëndrueshëm

1.5. Zhvillim i qëndrueshëm i turizmit në zonat malore

1.3. Empower education and training in tourism-related sectors (cultural heritage, ICT, communication and marketing, etc.)

1.2. Encourage competition at highest levels of quality and calibration of tour providers and accommodation structures to international tourism standards

1.1. Improve tourism infrastructure and services

1. Qualification and diversification of tourist offer

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES & ACTIONS

1.3. Forcimi i arsimit dhe trajnimit në sektorët e lidhur me turizmin (trashëgimi kulturore, ICT, komunikim dhe marketing, etj)

1.2. Inkurajimi i konkurrencës në nivelet më të larta të cilësisë dhe kalibrimi i agjensive turistike dhe strukturave të akomodimit në standartet ndërkombëtare të turizmit

1.1. Përmirësim i infrastrukturës për turizmin dhe shërbimeve

1. Kualifikim dhe shumëllojshmëri e ofertës turistike

UDHËZIME STRATEGJIKE DHE VEPRIME

STRATEGJI:

VIZIONI: Q A R K U I S H K O D R Ë S K R A H I N Ë E T U R I Z M I T T Ë Q Ë N D R U E S H Ë M

Turizmi i “Diellit dhe rërës” Plazhet Mbrojtja e bregdetit

Nature Tourism Ecotourism Sports tourism Adventure tourism Lake tourism

Rural Tourism Typical products Agriculture and handicraft

Turizmi Rural Produktet tipike Bujqësi dhe artizanat

Turizmi Natyror Eko-turizmi Turizmi sportiv Turizmi aventurë Turizmi liqenor

Cultural Tourism Cultural heritage Events

Turizmi Kulturor Trashëgimia kulturore Ngjarjet

Analyses conducted and meetings held in the framework of the strategic planning process allowed to identify possible scenarios for regional tourism development:

Analizat e kryera dhe takimet e mbajtura në kuadër të procesit të planifikimit strategjik kanë mundësuar identifikimin e skenarëve të mundshëm për zhvillimin rajonal të turizmit:

SCENARIOS

what happened so far:

SKENARE

cfarë është bërë deri tani:

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

Public Debates Outputs and achieved results

The three Public Debates in Puka, Koplik and Shkodra were successful, and the draft of development Vision and Strategy for Shkodra Region were widely shared and approved by over 90 territorial actors and by the President of the Regional Council.

The strategic planning process received a very positive feedback by all participants, who appreciated the fact that the draft of development strategy for sustainable tourism respects and incorporates all suggestions and proposals coming from the local community and discussed during the previous meetings. It was agreed once more that all development activities in the regional territory, especially regarding the tourism sector, shall be harmonised with the SP contents.

The meetings also highlighted some issues that will be further developed in reviewing the Regional Development Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. The reviewed strategy will therefore: • Include the preparation of a comprehensive regional tourist guide and of a more specific one focused on mountain areas • Identify more opportunities for tourism development, especially in the mountains, and empower rural and mountain tourism • Promote urbanisation control in rural and mountain areas and end informal construction activities • Increase protected natural areas to get closer to EU models

• Pay special attention to the protection and enhancement of neglected cultural heritage sites in the Region, especially castles • Pay more attention to social aspects focusing on the elderly, the increase of day care centres and cultural centres • Include the creation of health care centres network, also for tourists • Include the implementation of a plan for the road network development • Envisage the creation and development of power and water supply networks • Strengthen the capacity of devising and preparing projects, especially in rural communities • Valorise local potentials and characteristics, with special attention to the typical Albanian hospitality • Improve cooperation between public and private actors and increase integration between public and private investments through the SPT • Enhance and coordinate the various existing local development plans and programmes; • Integrate and coordinate regional tourist attractors (lakes, mountains, sea) • Valorise local products by developing producers’ associations, quality brands and websites for promotion and marketing.

Project proposals and other contributes by territorial actors were also discussed during the meetings.

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2.3. Vision for tourism development

The Vision for regional development is:

Shkodra Region 2020 as an Integrated Tourism Territorial System: “A Sustainable Tourism District” In 2020 Shkodra Region will be a major tourist destination in the Balkan area, attractive for both national and international tourists. It will be characterised by an integrated tourist offer where the idea of tourism involves and connects different territories (coast, rural areas, mountains) and sectors (sport, culture, environment, education and production).

The Region potentials as a tourist destination (cultural heritage, natural areas, hospitable people, traditional cuisine, typical agro-food products) will be taken advantage of fully. The territory and its functions should be planned and structured in order to create an integrated “Tourism District”: all the infrastructures and services will be upgraded, the whole value chain will be completed and enhanced and the various tourist resources will be integrated into a single system.

Culture, adventure, sports and eco-tourism are considered the fastest growing elements of the tourism market worldwide. Their development can differentiate Shkodra Region tourism in respect to the sun, sea and sand tourism chosen by neighbouring countries.

Moreover, tourism development is necessarily related to environmental protection. The requalification and preservation of natural areas and landscapes are essential assumptions for tourist attractiveness. Therefore, the Region can choose to develop sustainable tourism, as an opportunity to foster socio-economic development and professional growth, improve the quality of life and increase Shkodra popularity. The long-term goal for the Region is therefore to develop into the “Shkodra Region Sustainable Tourism District”, using successful tourism district models of other Countries as a reference.

By adequately enhancing all its potentials, the Region can become an integral part of the tourist product “Discover Albania” outlined by the National Tourism Strategy. In addition, it can improve and coordinate its offer of nature, traditional and biologic products, cultural and sports activities, in order to entice tourists to spend more days in the area and fully experience the local lifestyle.

In particular the sport tourism is a real chance for local development as it allows getting full benefit of a rich natural territory and completes the tourist offer with a new product. In this context the creation and development in the territory of sport routes and facilities (bike paths, climbing walls, trekking paths, centres of paragliding, river rafting, horseback riding, sport fishing, sailing, rowing, etc.) would strongly characterise and identify Shkodra Region as the point of reference for demanding tourists.

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Private investors shall play an important role in the regional tourism development: the participatory nature of the tourism development Strategy (and of the strategic planning process itself) aims to encourage their initiatives, placing them in an overall reference framework and giving them adequate regulations and environmental sustainability criteria to protect the territorial resources.

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) will be encouraged in the SPT implementation phase as a way to implement integrated tourism development projects. The role of private subjects will be further recognised by the Regional Government by promoting the creation of a public-private structure, that will be in charge of the implementation, update and future review of the tourism development Strategy.

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2.4. Strategic Guidelines and Actions

The following Tourism Strategy represents the basis for a public debate through which involved actors can share their suggestions.

The Strategy consists of: • 3 Strategic Guidelines (SG), addressing the main critical aspects of the regional tourism sector. Each Guideline is subdivided into Actions, for a total of • 24 Actions, each of them including a number of categories of intervention, which specify and explain the Action’s scope.

The order of the Strategic Guidelines and Actions doesn’t necessarily reflect the importance or the priority assigned to them.

Due to the participatory nature of the strategy, the priority of each Strategic Guideline and Action will be established during the participation process, guided by the Regional Council with technical support from the TSG.

The Tourism Strategy explicitly refers to the Regional Development Concept contents: it represents an elaboration of the sector “Tourism and Agribusiness” of the RDC, and deepens the RDC measures 5.3.1, 5.3.3 and 5.3.4, as per the tourism issues, and 5.3.2 for the agribusiness development strategy. In the Strategic Guidelines data sheets in the following pages, reference RDC sub-measures are quoted beside every Action of the SPT. Guidelines and Actions were prepared also using the programmes for the allocation of EU structural funds in the Italian regions as a reference model.

This was done to ensure that the tourist development programme for Shkodra Region, as Albania aspires to enter into European Union, fulfils European standards. In this way, the SPT will work as a shared basis and a model to prepare structural funds programmes when Albania becomes a EU member.

The 3 Strategic Guidelines for Shkodra Region Tourism Development SG1.

QUALIFICATION AND DIVERSIFICATION OF TOURIST OFFER SG2.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN TOURIST AREAS SG3.

DEVELOPMENT OF TYPICAL RURAL PRODUCTIONS AND HANDICRAFTS

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3 DEVELOPMENT OF TYPICAL RURAL PRODUCTIONS AND HANDICRAFTS

2 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN TOURIST AREAS

3.3. Acquisition of safety and quality certifications of “resources of excellence” and empowerment of competitiveness for exportation

3.2. Incentivize and support enterprises creation and management

3.1. Implementing a shared strategy of production enhancement and value chains finalization and encouragement of producers’ grouping

2.6. Emergency medical attention for tourists

2.5. Eco-sustainable solid waste management in tourist areas

2.4. Promotion of renewable energy and energy saving in tourist areas

2.3. Creation and maintenance of public spaces in tourist areas

2.2. Enhancement of transport networks to improve territorial accessibility to tourist areas

2.1. Improvement of urban planning in tourist areas

1.14. Communication and marketing improvement

1.13. Protection, valorisation, maintenance and sustainable tourism development of natural areas and landscapes and preservation of biodiversity

1.12. Knowledge, preservation, restoration and qualification of historical assets

1.11. Increasing participation of local communities in regional tourism development policies

1.10. Integrated hospitality packages

1.9. Improvement of the value chains connected with cultural production and heritage, including artistic craftsmanship and contemporary art

1.8. Support, enhance and publicize cultural events and places and institutions devoted to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage

1.7. Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer

1.6. Sustainable tourism activities on the lakes

1.5. Sustainable tourism development in mountain areas

1.4. Valorisation and protection of the coast for sustainable tourism

1.3. Increase education and training in tourism-related sectors

1.2. Encourage competition at highest levels of quality and calibration of tour providers and accommodation structures to international tourism standards

1.1. Improve tourism infrastructure and services

24 ACTIONS

3.4. Sustainable productions development of small craft industry, agricultural products and textile manufactures to help enhance competition in the market

1 QUALIFICATION AND DIVERSIFICATION OF TOURIST OFFER

3 STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

STRATEGY FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

VISION: “ S H K O D R A R E G I O N S U S TA I N A B L E T O U R I S M D I S T R I C T ”

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

According to the Regional Development Concept (RDC), the strategy designed for the tourist development of Shkodra Region is mainly based on two axes: the promotion of tourism and the strengthening and differentiation of agribusiness and rural activities.

•

The growth of these key sectors involves the subsequent development of other fields of economic expansion.

The Strategy is mainly oriented towards environmental, sports and cultural tourism. It can be implemented in synergy with development strategies of neighbouring regions and with the other regional sector strategies described in the RDC. It is clear, though, that an effective tourism development strategy in Shkodra Region cannot exist without coordinated implementation of urgent infrastructure interventions (already included in the Regional Development Concept), such as: • Development of infrastructure and plants for waste collection and treatment, giving priority to innovative and eco-friendly systems (RDC, measure 5.2.1: Developing and managing public services) • Improvement of water cycle management: development of water supply systems to ensure the availability of drinking water in all cities and villages of the Region; development of sewage disposal systems and water

•

•

•

treatment plants, also through the promotion of innovative, eco-friendly technologies (RDC, measure 5.2.1: Developing and managing public services) Protection of the territory from hydrogeological risk: make areas subject to geological instability safe, rehabilitate areas damaged by floods, provide incentives to damaged structures and enterprises relocation in safe areas (RDC, measure 5.5.2 Upgrading the safety and drainage systems) Empowerment of national and international level connection nodes and networks to improve external access to the Region (RDC, measure 5.2.1: Developing and managing public services) Upgrade and monitor power plants and energy supply networks to avoid sporadic electricity shortages (RDC, measure 5.2.4: Developing awareness and technical capacity for the alternative energy sources and efficiency of the renewable energy) Empowerment and diffusion of ICT networks (RDC, measure 5.2.1: Developing and managing public services).

These actions represent the basic assumptions to develop tourism, as they guarantee a safe and healthy environment for visitors and residents. They contribute to preserve the natural and landscape tourist attractions and ensure effective communication (both material and nonmaterial) between the Region and the rest of the world.

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Strategic Guideline 1 Qualification and diversification of tourist offer Background: Shkodra Region is prevalently mountainous hence it is home to wonderful unspoiled landscapes especially in the northern part, in the Albanian Alps. The morphology of the territory is various and offers an interesting variety of ecosystems (from the sea level of the Adriatic seashore to the second highest peak of the nation, mount Jezerca) that can become ecotourism attractors. The SG intervenes to enhance and diversify the regional tourist offer, through the preservation of natural areas and resources, the promotion of tangible and non tangible cultural heritage, the restoration of historical heritage, the promotion of sustainable tourism activities etc. The proposed actions are a result of what emerged from the participatory events and what was proposed from local institutions and associations for tourism development in a sustainable perspective.

Objective: Develop the necessary elements required to offer a diversified regional tourist product that satisfies international demand of “theme travels” focused on special-interest activities.

Actions: Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1.1

1.1. Improve tourism infrastructure and services

‣ Improve tourist resorts accessibility through tourist transport organisation creation ‣ Develop sustainable mobility infrastructure and services: routes and rental services (cycling, green vehicles, car sharing, etc.) ‣ Develop wireless broad band networks, to mitigate isolation of remote tourist areas, and support to the diffusion of ICT connections among tourist enterprises, to enhance their competitiveness and internationalisation ‣ Establish and implement standards for ecotourism signals in attractions and sites of interest, based on the internationally recognised symbols and colours ‣ Create tourist services agencies ‣ Support the development of tourist accommodation structures, especially Bed & Breakfasts and farm holidays, in a community-based perspective Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1.1

1.2. Encourage competition at highest levels of quality and calibration of tour providers and accommodation structures to international tourism standards

‣ Assistance and training of tourism structures and organisation aimed at the achievement of quality certification (Stars system, Blue flag certification for beaches, Green Globe 21 for sustainable tourism practices) ‣ Promote green building in the tourism accommodation sector, also through the adaptation of existing accommodation structures to eco-friendly building criteria ‣ Assistance to tourism sector actors aimed to incentivize enterprises association ‣ Technical assistance and business services to associations and groups of tourist enterprises, also aimed to increase environmental sustainability (ISO14000 certifications, Ecolabels, etc.)

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1.3. Increase education and training in tourism-related sectors (cultural heritage, ICT, communication and marketing)

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1.4

‣ Education and training for tourism sector workers (tour operators, accommodation structures employees, etc.) aimed to increase the participation in tourism development ‣ Education aimed to form tourist guides expert in culture heritage ‣ Education and training aimed to create experts in information and communication new technologies, to improve online tourist information and services ‣ Enhance digital literacy, skills and inclusion in local communities, giving a special attention to tourist enterprises, in order to improve their access to the international tourist market ‣ Education aimed to create experts in territorial marketing and environmental communication ‣ Increase collaboration between university system and tourist business world ‣ Enhance professional training institutes to provide training in tourism-related sectors ‣ Education and training aimed to create experts in planning and association creation ‣ Enhance foreign languages skills in all tourism-related sectors 1.4. Valorisation and protection of the coast for sustainable tourism ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1.5

Bathing tourism re-qualification in Velipoja Re-design the regional seaside tourism product keeping an eye on ecotourism Control and limit construction activities on the coast Protect and valorise lagoon areas and wetlands ecosystems conservation

1.5. Sustainable tourism development in mountain areas (Zogaj, Boga, Razma, Vermosh, Theth, Puka)

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1.5

‣ Develop the regional mountain tourism product, in cooperation with tour operators and private sector ‣ Promote winter sports and creation of ski resorts ‣ Promote diversified mountain areas activities (trekking, paragliding, river rafting, walking, horse riding, mountain climbing, sport fishing, etc.) to avoid the seasonality of tourist demand ‣ Create adventure parks ‣ Organise youth summer camps 1.6. Sustainable tourism activities on the lakes (Shkodra, Koman, Vau i Dejes)

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1.4 5

‣ Control and limit construction activities on the lake shores ‣ Improve lakes areas infrastructure for lake tourism development ‣ Create a “lake route” and develop the regional lake tourism product, in cooperation with tour operators and private sector ‣ Implement lake boating service and sport activities such as rowing or sailing ‣ Create a port and a public shipping service to Montenegro on the Shkodra lake 1.7. Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1.6

‣ Create a pannier of typical agro-food and handicraft products representative of local tradition, based on the ILS LEDA inventory (honey, forest fruits, chestnuts, herbs, textiles, etc.) ‣ Enhance and valorise typical products and recovery of traditional production techniques ‣ Develop crafts markets where artisans can reproduce traditional craft production techniques ‣ Develop the regional rural tourism product, in cooperation with tour operators and private sector

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1.8. Support, enhance and publicise cultural events (music, cinema, theatre, photo festivals) and places and institutions devoted to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage (public libraries, museums, archives, theatres, etc.)

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1.7

‣ Create and maintain cultural spaces ‣ Support enterprises and associations working in the cultural sector ‣ Coordinate and publicise an agenda of the existing traditional festivals and events and create new cultural events of interest to foreign visitors ‣ Promote the recovery and transmission of traditional know how and folklore, with special attention to the involvement of young generations ‣ Develop public-private partnerships to organise events ‣ Valorise Shkodra Theatre and its activity ‣ Relocate and promote the national photographic archive “Fototeka Marubi”, finding a more appropriate new base for permanent and temporary exhibitions.

1.9. Improvement of the value chains connected with cultural production and cultural heritage, including artistic craftsmanship and contemporary art

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.1. 7

‣ Support the creation of business networks connected to the preservation, restoration, promotion and enhancement of the cultural heritage (including craftsmanship for restoration, quality artistic handicraft, etc.) ‣ Promote and create a network of creativity centres and laboratories to boost quality artistic and handicraft production and to increase its promotion and marketing 1.10. Integrated hospitality packages

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.4

‣ Create integrated tourism packages, in cooperation with Albanian and international tour operators ‣ Create naturalistic footpaths, sporting routes and facilities ‣ Create heritage itineraries, also in connection with the neighbouring Countries ‣ Create “wine and food” itineraries ‣ Integrate accommodation structures and typical products proposals in order to promote responsible tourism and rural hospitality in a territorial sustainability perspective 1.11. Increasing participation of local communities in regional tourism development policies

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3. 5

‣ Mainstream participatory practices in the construction of tourism development programs and projects, through the organisation of public consultations, focus groups, etc. ‣ Implement and optimise tourism-related plans, programmes and projects prepared through participation, and disseminate achieved results

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1.12. Knowledge, preservation, restoration and qualification of historical assets

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.6

‣ Survey, maintenance, restoration and coordinated promotion of historical heritage sites (archaeological areas, castles, mosques and other places of worship, historical houses) in the Region, with special attention to their accessibility, fruition and innovative management ‣ Support research and innovation in the restoration of monuments and in the sector of cultural heritage preservation, management, study, dissemination and promotion ‣ Preserve and restore traditional architecture and traditional building techniques in urban, rural and mountain areas 1.13. Protection, valorisation, maintenance and sustainable tourism development of natural areas and landscapes and preservation of biodiversity

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.6

‣ Create and manage protected areas and natural parks at regional level ‣ Rehabilitate areas of high natural and landscape value ‣ Promote activities to disseminate knowledge on sustainable tourism development and encourage eco-friendly behaviours to preserve natural tourist attractors ‣ Support research and innovation in the environmental protection sector ‣ Forest protection ‣ Promote mountain areas best practices: development should be environmentally conservative using existing constructions or adapting new constructions to fit landscape 1.14. Communication and marketing improvement

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.7 and sub-measure 5.3.1.9

‣ Develop a regional tourist brand ‣ Create tourist promotional material (maps, guides, brochures, typical products presentation, tourist promotion web sites, etc.) ‣ Increase media coverage in target markets inside and outside the Region and the country ‣ Participate in international fairs of tourism and trade

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Strategic Guideline 2 Quality Improvement in Tourist areas Background: Shkodra Region has a lack of basic services (water and waste management systems, energy supply networks, transport networks, ICT, etc.) that prevents it from being competitive on international tourist markets. The SG intervenes to create the basic conditions of environmental quality that can ensure durable and balanced tourist development in Shkodra Region.

Objective: Increase the quality of life and environmental value in tourist destination areas and balance the differences between urban areas and rural ones.

Actions: 2.1. Improvement of urban planning in tourist areas

Ref. RDC - none

‣ Review existing urban plans for tourist areas ‣ Review building regulation criteria in tourist areas, keeping an eye on environmental sustainability and landscape protection ‣ Support the implementation of priority interventions in tourist areas, through special urban planning instruments, direct financial support or the creation of public-private partnerships ‣ Establish special building permits for tourist areas by destination and activity ‣ Increase illegal construction activities control and sanctions systems in tourist areas 2.2. Enhancement of transport networks to improve territorial accessibility to tourist areas

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.2

‣ Complete and enhance the road network, including rural and mountains roads through innovative and eco-sustainable techniques and systems adapted to the territory. ‣ Support services aimed to avoid isolation of the mountain roads in winter ‣ Improve public transportation services, also to foster tourism development 2.3. Creation and maintenance of public spaces in tourist areas ‣ ‣ ‣ ‣

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.2

Increase the supply and the quality of green areas Improve the quality of streets and squares, according to environmental sustainability criteria Reclamation and environmental rehabilitation of polluted and degraded areas Environmental rehabilitation and urban renewal of informal buildings and settlements

2.4. Promotion of renewable energy and energy saving in tourist areas

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.2

‣ Promote green building and incentivize the adaptation of existing buildings to eco-friendly criteria ‣ Promote energy production from renewable sources ‣ Promote and support the increase of energy efficiency and the reduction of climate emissions, especially in the industrial, transport and building sectors Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.2

2.5. Eco-sustainable solid waste management in tourist areas

‣ Promote and support separate garbage collection, recycling and environmental responsibility ‣ Reclamation and environmental clean up of areas contaminated by wastes 2.6. Emergency medical attention for tourists

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.3.2 ‣ Activate a helicopter rescue service ‣ Implement a system of on-call doctors and translators in tourist areas ‣ Develop sports medicine, physiotherapy, specialised medical services for the elderly, etc.

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Strategic Guideline 3 Development of typical rural productions and handicraft Background: Agriculture and handicraft are very important sectors within Shkodra Region productive system, however are characterised by a lack of productivity, mainly due to fragmentation (small enterprises dimension, distrust towards associations and cooperatives, a probable result of bad experiences during the Communist regime, etc.), that makes them unsuitable to compete in global markets. The SG intervenes to strengthen and integrate these economic sectors, improve products quality and develop synergies with the tourism sector to open new markets and create additional incomes for rural households.

Objective: Strengthen the agriculture and handicraft sectors fostering the creation of producers associations, developing value chains and increasing quality of rural products.

Actions: 3.1. Implementing a shared strategy of production Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.2.1 enhancement and value chains finalization and encouragement of producers’ grouping ‣ Education and training aimed to create expert personnel in agricultural technologies for farmers’ professional qualification enhancement ‣ Realise and improve the necessary infrastructure for agricultural production managed by enterprises association ‣ Assistance to agro-food sector actors aimed to incentivize enterprises association ‣ Incentivize and support craftsmen associations ‣ Facilitate enterprises association to participate in national and international exhibitions and fairs ‣ Develop bee, herbs, forest products (mushrooms, chestnuts), fruits and vegetables (Vermosh potatoes, tomatoes, garlic), herbs, bees, milk, liquors and handicrafts value chains. ‣ Support the modernisation of farms, production techniques and systems 3.2. Incentivize and support enterprises creation and management

Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.2.5

‣ Facilitate access to credit accessibility for farmers, breeders and craftsmen ‣ Improve technical assistance and business services ‣ Develop business incubators (enterprises settled up to provide office space, equipment, mentoring assistance and capital to new businesses that are just getting started) 3.3. Acquisition of safety and quality certifications of Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.2.6 “resources of excellence” and empowerment of competitiveness for exportation ‣ Improve products safety and security ‣ Technical assistance aimed to achievement of ISO rules and HACCP system certification ‣ Promote brand policies and incentivize producers participation in food quality systems ‣ Communication and promotion of agricultural typical products 3.4. Sustainable productions development of small craft Ref. RDC, sub-measure 5.3.2.7 industry, agricultural products and textile manufactures to help enhance competition in the market ‣ Create, valorise and promote brands with high added value in terms of environment and energy conservation ‣ Promote organic farming ‣ Empowerment of marketing and promotion aimed to exportation

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2.5. Synergies among Strategic Guidelines Internal coherence of the Strategic Plan The identified Strategic Guidelines are strongly synergic among them. The matrix below contains a qualitative evaluation of their synergy level, while the following pages provide, for each Strategic Guideline, an extensive explanation of the reasons that led to this evaluation.

• low synergy: the SGs only share the same general objective (for instance, the increase of tourist attractiveness of the Region)

As for the synergy level (high, medium, low) that can be developed among the Strategic Guidelines, its evaluation was made considering three types of growing interrelation:

• high synergy: the SGs are strictly interdependent and materially connected, because they share the same area of intervention, activity or beneficiary group.

• medium synergy: the SGs share the same general objectives and at least one Action/ Category of intervention of a SG can be implemented in coordination with the other SG

Synergy matrix of the Strategic Guidelines for the development of tourism in Shkodra Region

Qualification and diversification of tourist offer

Quality improvement in tourist areas

Development of typical rural productions and handicrafts

SG1

SG2

SG3

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

Qualification and SG1 diversification of tourist offer

Quality SG2 improvement in tourist areas



Development of SG3 typical rural productions and handicrafts







Synergy level: : high; : medium; : low

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Strategic Guideline 1 Qualification and diversification of tourist offer Synergic SGs:

2. Quality improvement in tourist areas Synergy level: HIGH Justification and remarks: SG1 and SG2 can develop very strong synergies, because services, networks and infrastructure improvement is vital to tourism development. It is clear that an effective tourism development strategy cannot exist without coordinated implementation of urgent infrastructure interventions in Shkodra Region. Tourists will benefit from improved services and superior urban planning (Action 2.1): a functional territory, clean and well preserved which offers basic and efficient comforts (water and energy supply systems, wastewater treatment and solid waste management) is beyond all doubt more tourist-attractive. In particular, as regards to the diversification, synergies with the Strategic Guidelines 2 are evident because if the territory is well-preserved and valorised in a sustainable way (i.e. preserving the maintenance of unspoilt landscapes) this will become an attractor for ecotourism as well as adventure tourism. The territory and landscape preservation (as per Action 1.13 - Protection, valorisation, maintenance and sustainable tourism development of natural areas and landscapes and preservation of biodiversity) is essential to maintain and increase tourist flows, and to ensure safety from pollution, landslides, and floods. It is also important to rehabilitate polluted and/or degraded areas, in order to reduce the threats to health and natural landscape, t and avoiding drawbacks for tourism development. This will help to enhance the overall urban quality and make towns and villages more attractive to tourists. Moreover tourists should feel safe moving around. That is why the transport infrastructures are essential too, as for example road network (Action 2.2) or more general Action 1.1 - Improve infrastructure and services.

Synergic SGs:

3. Development of typical rural productions and handicrafts Synergy level: HIGH Justification and remarks: Valorisation and innovative management of regional typical products and handicrafts can boost the development of rural tourism, thus helping the tourism offer diversification. (i.e. Action 1.9).

The diversification of tourism offer can be achieved also through the promotion of rural tourism, the creation of accommodation structures in rural areas and the creation of tourist routes based on agro-food products. The enhancement of typical agro-food and craftsmanship productions is an essential part of the valorisation of local identity and culture, which are powerful attractors for tourists, especially for those who are willing to discover all aspects of a territory, getting in touch with local cuisine, buying typical products, etc. (as per Action 1.7 - Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer). The development of synergies among tourism, agriculture, and handicraft could help creating a real â&#x20AC;&#x153;hospitality systemâ&#x20AC;?, according to European principles and ILS LEDA methodology. Most of all, handicraft and tourism-related activities also represent an important opportunity to diversify rural activities and to ensure other sources of income to farmers, thus reducing their poverty and marginalization.

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Strategic Guideline 2 Quality Improvement in Tourist areas

Synergic SGs:

1. Qualification and diversification of tourist offer Synergy level: HIGH Justification and remarks: SG1 and SG2 can develop very strong synergies, because services, networks and infrastructure improvement is vital to tourism development. It is clear that an effective tourism development strategy cannot exist without coordinated implementation of urgent infrastructure interventions in Shkodra Region. Tourists will benefit from improved services and superior urban planning (Action 2.1): a functional territory, clean and well preserved which offers basic and efficient comforts (water and energy supply systems, wastewater treatment and solid waste management) is beyond all doubt more tourist-attractive. In particular as regards to the diversification, synergies with the Strategic Guidelines 2 are evident because if the territory is well-preserved and valorised in a sustainable way (i.e. preserving the maintenance of unspoilt landscapes) this will become attractor for ecotourism as well as adventure tourism. The territory and landscape preservation (as per Action 1.13 - Protection, valorisation, maintenance and sustainable tourism development of natural areas and landscapes and preservation of biodiversity) is essential to maintain and increase tourist flows, and ensure safety from pollution, landslides, and floods. It is also important to rehabilitate polluted and/or degraded areas, in order to reduce the threats to health and natural landscape, and avoiding drawbacks for tourism development. This will help to enhance the overall urban quality and make towns and villages more attractive to tourists. Moreover tourists should feel safe moving around. That is why the transport infrastructures are essential too, as for example road network (Action 2.2) or more general Action 1.1 - Improve infrastructure and services.

Synergic SGs:

3. Development of typical rural productions and handicrafts Synergy level: HIGH Justification and remarks: The infrastructure and services improvement in tourist area is strictly correlated with the development of typical rural productions and handicraft. The improvement of road network, for example, translates into a greater ease of products movement or as Action 3.1: the enhancement of necessary infrastructures for agricultural production managed by enterprises association could increase product quality. The development of typical products and handicrafts markets not only is a tourist attractor but translates into economic development which means a greater availability of financial resources for the enhancement of infrastructural investments useful to improve quality in tourist areas. Moreover, the improvement of environmental sustainability in tourist areas translates into a quality organic agriculture and is useful to Action 3.3 regarding the acquisition of safety and quality certifications of â&#x20AC;&#x153;resources of excellenceâ&#x20AC;? for competitiveness and exportation.

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Strategic Guideline 3 Development of typical rural productions and handicraft

Synergic SGs:

1. Qualification and diversification of tourist offer Synergy level: HIGH Justification and remarks: Valorisation and innovative management of regional typical products and handicrafts can boost the development of rural tourism, thus helping the tourism offer diversification. (i.e. Action 1.9).

The diversification of tourism offer can be achieved also through the promotion of rural tourism, the creation of accommodation structures in rural areas and the creation of tourist routes based on agro-food products. The enhancement of typical agro-food and craftsmanship productions is an essential part of the valorisation of local identity and culture, which are powerful attractors for tourists, especially for those who are willing to discover all aspects of a territory, getting in touch with local cuisine, buying typical products, etc. (as per Action 1.7 - Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer). The development of synergies among tourism, agriculture, and handicraft could help creating a real “hospitality system”, according to European principles and ILS LEDA methodology. Most of all, handicraft and tourism-related activities also represent an important opportunity to diversify rural activities and to ensure other sources of income to farmers, thus reducing their poverty and marginalization.

Synergic SGs:

2. Quality improvement in tourist areas Synergy level: HIGH Justification and remarks: The infrastructure and services improvement in tourist area is strictly correlated with the development of typical rural productions and handicraft. The improvement of road network, for example, translates into a greater ease of products movement or as Action 3.1: the enhancement of necessary infrastructures for agricultural production managed by enterprises association could increase product quality. The development of typical products and handicrafts markets not only is a tourist attractor but translates into economic development which means a greater availability of financial resources for the enhancement of infrastructural investments useful to improve quality in tourist areas. Moreover, the improvement of environmental sustainability in tourist areas translates into a quality organic agriculture and is useful to Action 3.3 regarding the acquisition of safety and quality certifications of “resources of excellence” for competitiveness and exportation.

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2.6. Consistency of the Tourism Strategy with the National development policies One of the objectives of the SPT as a territorial growth and renewal platform is to harmonise national level policies with local level programmes and interventions.

This can be achieved by developing and transferring to local level the national goals and strategies in order to guarantee coherence and compatibility between different levels of territorial governance.

This passage, essential to maximize the strategic planning benefits and results, was carried out in three steps:

Step 1 Identify and analyse the main National Sectorial Strategies related to the tourism and rural development fields, the most important and useful for the predisposition of the SPT for Shkodra Region tourism development. Due to the thematic nature of the SPT, the National Strategies analysed for the period 2007-2013 were the following: • Sectorial Strategy of Tourism • Agriculture and Food Sector Strategy • Inter-Sectorial Rural Development Strategy.

Step 2 Identify the main strategic goals for each National Strategy, to get an overview of the current priorities of Albanian Government: Sectorial Strategy of Tourism • Development of tourism and its products • Capacity building and improvement of institutional facilities • Funding and establishment of long term mechanisms for natural and cultural areas aimed to their safeguard and development • Creation of a tourist system database for statistical collection and elaboration • Improvement of infrastructure for tourist needs • Improvement of public-private-civil coordination.

Agriculture and Food Sector Strategy • Sustainable land management as a basic component of agriculture, and in full compliance with sustainable agricultural development • Increase employment, income, and living standards of farmers and their households • Increase economic efficiency of the agricultural and agro-processing sector, which is expressed through an increase in the productivity and in the quality of products • Ensure higher food safety standards for the entire population • Improve agricultural marketing • Increase financial support for farmers, agriculture and agro-processing businesses • Improve management, irrigation and drainage of agricultural land • Improve level and quality of technologies, information and farmer knowledge.

Inter-Sectorial Rural Development Strategy • Increase competitiveness of the agricultural a n d a g ro -fo o d se cto r th ro u g h fa rm modernisation, and support restructuring and development of value added activities • Protect and enhance the environment through the sustainable management of natural resources in rural areas • Improve the quality of life in rural areas and promote diversification of economic activities • Develop the capacities of local institutions to effectively manage community rural development programmes through participatory rural development.

Step 3 Confront the national strategies with the Strategic Guidelines and Actions for Shkodra Region and verify their compatibility. This comparison highlighted the following issues: • Strategic Guidelines 1 (“Qualification and diversification of tourist offer“) and 2 (“Quality

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improvement in tourist areas”) can be directly confronted with the vision and goals of the National Tourism Strategy.

• Generally speaking, the Strategic Guidelines aim to valorise and enhance all aspects of the regional territory that could serve as tourist attractors; in this way, they can contribute to reinforce Albania central tourist product according to the National Tourism Strategy: the “discovery” of Albania as “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 for SG1 “Qualification and diversification of tourist offer”, the Actions related to this SG are in line with the objectives of the National Tourism Strategy concerning the development of tourism and its products (Actions 1.1, 1.2 and 1.4 to 1.10 aim to develop a diversified regional tourism product, addressed to different targets of tourists and able to compete on the international market), the capacity building (Action 1.3 is focused on education and training in the tourism sector) and the protection and development of natural and cultural areas (Actions 1.4 to 1.6 and 1.12 aim to the sustainable tourism development of the main natural areas of the Region – including mountains, lakes, sea and wetlands -, while Actions 1.8 and 1.12 focus on the enhancement of cultural and historical assets, both material and nonmaterial). Moreover, Action 1.11, aimed to mainstream participation and cooperation practices among institutions, enterprises and civil society organisations for policy-making, is in line with the national objective to improve public-private-civil coordination.

Food Sector Strategy objectives to increase the productivity and competitiveness of the agricultural and agro-processing sector and the quality of agro-food products (also envisaged by the Inter-sectorial Rural Development Strategy), ensure higher food safety standards, improve technologies, information and know how in farming activities. Action 3.2 is in line with this Sector Strategy goal to increase financial support for farming and agro-processing activities.

Actions 3.3 and 3.4, focused on branding and marketing strategies, are also consistent with the Agriculture and Food Sector Strategy goal to improve agricultural marketing.

Moreover, the national rural development objective to increase employment, income, and living standards in rural areas and diversify rural activities can be achieved through the implementation of Actions 1.7 “Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer” and 1.10 “Integrated hospitality packages”, both aimed to involve rural communities in the promotion of rural tourism, farm holidays and “wine and food” itineraries.

The result of the comparison is that all of the Strategic Guidelines of the SPT for Shkodra Region tourism development are compatible with the corresponding sectoral strategies at national level for the approximate period 2007-2013. This study is useful to demonstrate how the strategic planning can be an appropriate and a valid instrument for the achievement of the National Government targets.

This Strategic Plan for Tourism, once approved, can also be a best practice for the development of other Albanian regions and of local development in general.

• SG2 “Quality improvement in tourist areas” is directly connected with the national objective to improve infrastructure for tourist needs: envisaged Actions within this SG aim to improve basic services such as road networks, transports and waste management, in order to create the essential conditions to allow the safe and comfortable tourist fruition of the regional territory.

• SG3 “Development of typical rural productions and handicrafts” is in line with both national strategies concerning rural development: Actions 3.1 and 3.3 are especially consistent with the Agriculture and

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CHAPTER 3

ACTION PLAN

A view of Shkodra Lake

3.1. Methodological introduction The Action Plan consists of an integrated system of projects, proposed mainly by local actors and set in a rational, vision-oriented framework, which must be realized in order to attain the SPT goals.

The Action Plan aims to: • Achieve coordination and coherence among development initiatives at the municipal, regional and national levels • Enhance the regional community leadership in the management of development policies • Identify resources and procedures to implement and manage development initiatives • Support the matching of specific needs and demands expressed by the territory with the available financial resources, aiming at their optimization and efficient employment.

The Action Plan for Shkodra Region sustainable tourism development was defined through the following activities: 1. Collection of project proposals from territorial actors at all levels, either directly (through project forms filled in by the proposers) or indirectly (by

processing the participative process outcomes and interpreting regional community wishes).

Subsequently, the collected projects and ideas were properly connected to the strategy and were grouped in 8 “Project Boxes”. Methodologically speaking, a Project Box is a container for projects that are strongly interconnected due to the specific issues they address and/or of the areas of intervention.

2. Set up the pre-feasibility of Project Boxes, by tracing possible procedures to implement the projects, and proposing possible partnerships, with a focus on the role of institutional and private actors in the implementation process. An effort was made to realise whether projects were suitable to be implemented by public institutions alone, by public-private partnerships, or by private investors that can be somehow supported, for instance through TEULEDA. The Action Plan was built through the active participation of territorial actors in Focus Groups meetings. Therefore, the following information should be considered as fully shared and agreed upon by the entire regional community.

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3.2. Participative projects devising The Focus Groups After the Kick-Off event and Public Debates, Focus Groups represented a further step to foster democratic discussions on integrated development projects in order to implement and attain the SPT actions.

Focus Groups were organised as small round tables aimed to: • Analyse the Actions and the related categories of projects included in the regional tourism development strategy shared and agreed upon • Collect and coordinate projects (in addition to the priority projects already proposed and drafted by the TSG) to implement the Actions, paying a special attention to projects involving the creation of networks (among resources, places, municipalities/communes, etc.)

• Encourage territorial actors to collaborate in implementing development initiatives, also by promoting the creation of public-public and public-private partnerships.

Due to the approaching administrative elections, participation did not come up to expectations (33 registered participants in total). Therefore the three envisaged groups were gathered into one. However, discussion was extremely constructive. The Regional staff proved to be able to autonomously manage the participation process and the concrete projects proposed by territorial actors.

Three Focus Groups were organised in Shkodra on 21 April 2011, focused on the Strategic Guidelines and bearing the same titles, to underline the operative approach required from the discussions: • FG1: Qualification and diversification of tourist offer, aimed to discuss and deepen the Actions related to homonym Strategic Guideline 1 • FG2: Quality improvement in tourist areas, regarding the Actions of homonym Strategic Guideline 2 • FG3: Development of typical rural productions and handicrafts, for the implementation of the Actions related to homonym Strategic Guideline 3.

A brochure, thoroughly explaining the SPT Actions and categories of projects (both in English and in Albanian) was prepared for the occasion, and handed out to the participants together with a form (in Albanian), to be filled in with project proposals and ideas to be included in the SPT. A draft version of Project Boxes was prepared bade on the previous meetings and analyses outcomes.

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Focus Groups Outputs and achieved results

Each Focus Groups meeting included a brief explanation of the objectives to achieve and talking points, aimed at supporting and stimulating discussions. All participants provided their contribution during the discussions by proposing specific initiatives in order to implement the Actions of the Regional Tourism Development Strategy.

The proposals presented were written on cards and displayed on a board to be shared and discussed with all participants. In addition, in view of the meeting, SP experts designed the format of a project form (in Albanian), in order to collect proposals and ideas from the territorial actors. Forms were handed out to the participants during Focus Groups, and collected after completion.

The main output of the meeting consisted of a draft list of shared projects to be included in the SPT. The main proposals were the following:

• Creation of territorial brand(s) for Albanian Alps and/or for the entire Region. This matter

demonstrated to be of extreme importance to the territorial actors, therefore it was decided to summon further meetings (chaired by the regional staff and TEULEDA) to discuss it thoroughly, devising the type of brand to adopt and the categories of products and services to involve, paying a special attention to internationally recognised certifications (DOC, DOP and IGT products)

• Greater involvement of the University of Shkodra

• Establishment of a secondary school for tourism providing vocational training on tourism services

• Preparation of maps of the archaeological, cultural and natural heritage of the Region

• Development of a regional museums network; improvement of museums management and revitalisation of the existing museums; creation of a Museum of the flora and fauna of Shkodra Lake and a Bicycle museum in Shkodra (including not only ancient bicycles and antique photos, but also collecting stories of the elderly people related to this particular museum theme)

• Development of a festivals circuit • Creation of cycling tourism itineraries, also in mountain areas

• Creation of a lake beach on Shkodra lake and of a cycling path along the lakeshore, in order to support sports activities in the area

• Development of Tourist Info-Points, by envisaging more tourist information points, also at the border points and at the airport

• Tourist web page over 3G mobile network • Establishment of a Regional Tourism Agency, to coordinate tourism activities in the region, promote and carry out market analyses and implement tourist marketing strategies

• Development of Agro-Tourism • Recovery of traditional houses, to be The board with the project proposals of the territorial actors, at the end of the Focus Groups meeting

transformed into accommodation structures or into a network of small ethnographic museums

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structures and craftsmen, to restore and implement typical architectural elements

• Establishment of an Arts and Crafts School as

establish their workshops; the creation of booths on the road to Rozafa Castle as “showrooms” to display and sell handicraft products

a way to preserve and disseminate artisanal “know how”

• Design of new handicraft articles based on

• Creation of a marketplace for handicraft

• Rehabilitation of the railway line Shkodra-

through: the restoration of Rruga Gjuhadol as a “handicraft street” where craftsmen can

tradition Podgorica, to foster cross-border tourism.

STRATEGIC PLANNING OF SHKODRA REGION

“TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY OF TOURISM” www.shkodraregionstrategicplanning.eu

PROPOZIM PROJEKTESH Në kuadër të proçesit të planifikimit strategjik, Fokus Grupet kanë si qëllim të identifikojnë propozime projektesh për të arritur objektivat e strategjisë për zhvillimit rajonal. Jeni i ftuar për të dhënë kontributin tuaj duke propozuar ndërhyrje konkrete që ju konsideroni të dobishme për zbatimin e Veprimeve të planit strategjik.

PROPOZIMI JUAJ Titulli i projektit: …………..…………………………………………………

Veprimi referues: …………………………………………………………….

Përshkrim i shkurtër i Projektit:

Ju lutemi, plotësoni formularin me shkronja të mëdha duke shkruar emrin dhe kontaktin tuaj, titullin dhe karakteristikat kryesore të propozimit tuaj duke specifikuar Veprimit të cilit i referohet.

TE DHENAT TUAJA PERSONALE Emri: ……………………………………………………………………………

Titulli i projektit: …………..…………………………………………………

Mbiemri: ………………..………………………………………………………

Veprimi referues: …………………………………………………………….

Kontakti:

Përshkrim i shkurtër i Projektit:

Tel.: ………………..…………………………………………………….

Fax: ……..……………………………………………………………….

E-mail: ……………..……………………………………………………

UNDP ARTGOLD 2 Albania www.artgold.undp.org.al

AGA2

TEULEDA www.teuleda.org.al

FOKUS GRUPET PRILL 2011

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

• Cooperation between accommodation

The Form to collect project proposals distributed to territorial actors during the Focus Groups meeting

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3.3. The 8 Project Boxes for regional tourism development Territorial actors involved in the participation process produced a large number of project proposals and ideas regarding the implementation of the shared Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy.

Other ideas were suggested by the SPT experts based on the debates outcomes, and the meetings held with national level institutions.

Another group of project ideas came from the analyses conducted by one of ILS LEDA experts on the regional value chains.

In order to give a wider perspective to these proposals and ideas, 8 Project Boxes were defined. The latter address the main aspects and areas that territorial actors deemed crucial for sustainable regional development.

The 8 Project Boxes contain a total of 84 projects, project proposals and ideas.

As previously explained, Project Boxes are “containers” where projects addressing the same topics and/or the same parts of the Region are clustered around a single theme and integrated with each other, thus developing synergies and interactions.

In this way, projects can contribute more effectively to the achievement of the Vision “Sustainable Tourism District” and to the redefinition of the role of the Region in the national and international setting.

Proposed Project Boxes are:

1. TOURIST RECEPTION AND MARKETING IN SHKODRA REGION Cultural heritage and natural areas in the Region lack coordinated enhancement policies hence are often neglected, underrated and hardly accessible. The Project Box proposes the design and production of multi-language promotion materials, the establishment of integrated tourist services (guides, transports, integrated tickets systems), the training of human resources. The Project Box contains 9 projects.

2. SHKODRA REGION - HERITAGE TOURIST ITINERARIES Creation of an integrated system of tourist circuits involving a network of cultural heritage sites (castles, churches, mosques, etc.), accommodation structures, tourist facilities and services. Interventions could include the restoration of monuments, the creation of infrastructure for tourist fruition (parking lots, public conveniences, ticket booths, souvenir shops, etc.), the design and production of multilanguage promotion materials, the establishment of tourist services (guides, transports, etc.). The Project Box contains 9 projects.

3. EXPLORING THE ALBANIAN ALPS Creation of the necessary basic infrastructure, services and accommodation to allow tourists to safely and comfortably access and visit the Albanian Alps area, also enjoying traditional landscapes and architecture. The Project Box contains 20 projects.

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4. SHKODRA REGION - LAKES AND WETLANDS TOURIST ITINERARY

5. BRANDS FOR TYPICAL SHKODRA REGION QUALITY FOOD PRODUCTS

The lakes in Shkodra Region, together with the coastal reserve of Viluni Lagoon, represent an important landscape and environmental resource, that can be enhanced for sustainable tourist fruition. They represent also a possible starting point to discover the Region, from the coast to the hinterland. The Project Box includes the creation of bird-watching routes in the lagoon, the creation of tourist routes around the lakes (equipped with trekking, bike and horseback riding paths, viewpoints, boat and bike rental services, etc.), the preparation of a map of the itinerary including accommodation structures, available tourist services and sites of tourist interest within easy reach of the paths.

The Project Box contains 10 projects.

Though regional food products are strongly representative of the Albanian identity, have a great potential for development and good quality characteristics, they are recognised and consumed only within domestic markets.

6. TYPICAL SHKODRA REGION ARTS AND CRAFTS

7. FIRST AID CENTRES NETWORK IN SHKODRA REGION

Though regional handicraft products are strongly representative of the local identity and have a great potential for development, especially in relation to tourism market, they are recognised and consumed only within domestic markets. In addition they are threatened by emigration, depopulation of rural areas and lack of promotion and communication.

Creation of a network of small first-aid centres in tourist areas, to increase tourist safety and, at the same time, to improve the residents’ quality of life. Regarding their location, the EPTISA plan can be used as a reference. The Project Box contains 17 projects.

The Project Box aims to ensure a future to typical handicraft, by disseminating “know-how” to younger generations, increasing awareness about the importance of craftsmanship in the creation of a regional identity, defining a brand, coordinated marketing and promotion policies to launch Shkodra Region handicraft on international markets. The Project Box contains 4 projects.

The Project Box aims to complete the single value chains (including processing and marketing), to promote their integration and encourage and support producers associations.

The overall objective is to foster the improvement of quality standards and launch Shkodra Region products on national and international markets.

The Project Box contains 8 projects.

8. CLEAN AND HOSPITABLE TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF SHKODRA REGION Creation of the necessary preconditions to ensure quality of life standards to local communities and visitors. The Project Box contains 7 projects.

The following diagram shows the relationships between the Project Boxes and the regional tourism development strategy; Table 1 lists the SPT Actions the Project Boxes refer to.

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3 DEVELOPMENT OF TYPICAL RURAL PRODUCTIONS AND HANDICRAFTS

2 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN TOURIST AREAS

3.3. Acquisition of safety and quality certifications of “resources of excellence” and empowerment of competitiveness for exportation

3.2. Incentivize and support enterprises creation and management

3.1. Implementing a shared strategy of production enhancement and value chains finalization and encouragement of producers’ grouping

2.6. Emergency medical attention for tourists

2.5. Eco-sustainable solid waste management in tourist areas

2.4. Promotion of renewable energy and energy saving in tourist areas

2.3. Creation and maintenance of public spaces in tourist areas

2.2. Enhancement of transport networks to improve territorial accessibility to tourist areas

2.1. Improvement of urban planning in tourist areas

1.14. Communication and marketing improvement

1.13. Protection, valorisation, maintenance and sustainable tourism development of natural areas and landscapes and preservation of biodiversity

1.12. Knowledge, preservation, restoration and qualification of historical assets

1.11. Increasing participation of local communities in regional tourism development policies

1.10. Integrated hospitality packages

1.9. Improvement of the value chains connected with cultural production and heritage, including artistic craftsmanship and contemporary art

1.8. Support, enhance and publicize cultural events and places and institutions devoted to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage

1.7. Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer

1.6. Sustainable tourism activities on the lakes

1.5. Sustainable tourism development in mountain areas

1.4. Valorisation and protection of the coast for sustainable tourism

1.3. Increase education and training in tourism-related sectors

3.4. Sustainable productions development of small craft industry, agricultural products and textile manufactures to help enhance competition in the market

1 QUALIFICATION AND DIVERSIFICATION OF TOURIST OFFER

1.1. Improve tourism infrastructure and services

“Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra region” (7 Projects)

“First aid centres network in Shkodra region” (17 Projects)

“Shkodra region - Lakes and wetlands tourist itinerary” (10 Projects)

“Exploring the Albanian Alps” (19 Projects)

“Shkodra region - Heritage tourist itineraries” (9 Projects)

“Typical Shkodra region arts and crafts” (4 Projects)

“Brands for typical Shkodra region quality food products” (5 Projects)

1.2. Encourage competition at highest levels of quality and calibration of tour providers and accommodation structures to international tourism standards

“Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra region” (9 Projects)

8 “PROJECT BOXES”

3 STRATEGIC GUIDELINES 24 ACTIONS

ACTION PLAN PROJECT PROPOSALS

STRATEGY FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

VISION: “ S H K O D R A R E G I O N S U S TA I N A B L E T O U R I S M D I S T R I C T ”

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Table 1.

The Project Boxes and their connections with the Strategic Plan Actions

Project Box

Reference Strategic Plan Actions

Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra Region (9 projects)

1.1. Improve tourism infrastructure and services 1.3. Increase education and training in tourism-related sectors 1.8. Support, enhance and publicise cultural events and places and institutions devoted to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage 1.14. Communication and marketing improvement

Shkodra Region Heritage tourist itineraries (9 projects)

1.8. Support, enhance and publicise cultural events and places and institutions devoted to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage 1.12. Knowledge, preservation, restoration and qualification of historical assets 2.2. Enhancement of transport networks to improve territorial accessibility to tourist areas 2.3. Creation and maintenance of public spaces in tourist areas

Exploring the Albanian Alps (20 projects)

1.1. Improve tourism infrastructure and services 1.2. Encourage competition at highest levels of quality and calibration of tour providers and accommodation structures to international tourism standards 1.3. Increase education and training in tourism-related sectors 1.5. Sustainable tourism development in mountain areas 1.6. Sustainable tourism activities on the lakes 1.7. Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer 1.10. Integrated hospitality packages 1.12. Knowledge, preservation, restoration and qualification of historical assets 1.13. Protection, valorisation, maintenance and sustainable tourism development of natural areas and landscapes and preservation of biodiversity 2.2. Enhancement of transport networks to improve territorial accessibility to tourist areas 2.4. Promotion of renewable energy and energy saving in tourist areas 2.6. Emergency medical attention for tourists

Shkodra Region Lakes and wetlands tourist itinerary (10 projects)

1.6. Sustainable tourism activities on the lakes 1.10. Integrated hospitality packages 1.13. Protection, valorisation, maintenance and sustainable tourism development of natural areas and landscapes and preservation of biodiversity 2.6. Emergency medical attention for tourists

Brands for typical Shkodra Region quality food products (8 projects)

1.7. Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer 3.1. Implementing a shared strategy of production enhancement and value chains finalisation and encouragement of producers’ grouping 3.2. Incentivise and support enterprises creation and management 3.3. Acquisition of safety and quality certifications of “resources of excellence” and empowerment of competitiveness for exportation 3.4. Sustainable productions development of small craft industry, agricultural products and textile manufactures to help enhance competition in the market

Typical Shkodra Region arts and crafts (4 projects)

1.7. Integrate typical products in the regional tourist offer 1.8. Support, enhance and publicise cultural events and places and institutions devoted to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage 1.9. Improvement of the value chains connected with cultural production and cultural heritage 3.1. Implementing a shared strategy of production enhancement and value chains finalisation and encouragement of producers’ grouping 3.2. Incentivise and support enterprises creation and management 3.3. Acquisition of safety and quality certifications of “resources of excellence” and empowerment of competitiveness for exportation 3.4. Sustainable productions development of small craft industry, agricultural products and textile manufactures to help enhance competition in the market

First aid centres network in Shkodra Region (17 projects)

2.6. Emergency medical attention for tourists

Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra Region (7 projects)

2.3. Creation and maintenance of public spaces in tourist areas 2.5. Eco-sustainable solid waste management in tourist areas

Total number of projects: 84

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Project Boxes data sheets

The following data sheets provide more details on each Project Box. They provide a brief description of the projects it contains and specify the source of the projects (whether they were proposed by local actors, by experts, by international cooperation actors, etc.). They also include preliminary notes on possible partners to involve and procedures to activate for the projects implementation. This schematisation also shows how the SPT was able to include and coordinate the outputs of other UNOPS programmes such as ILS LEDA and IDEASS. In particular (see the diagram below): • The survey of the productive resources through action-research methodology, implemented by ILS LEDA in the Region, led to the definition of 4 “modular”, participatory

IDEASS Innovations for human development and south-south cooperation

projects, deeply rooted in the regional socioeconomic reality, which were included in the specific Project Boxes related to handicraft and agro-food production. Other project ideas were suggested according to the actions and steps for local economic development in Shkodra Region, proposed by one of ILS LEDA experts.

• The IDEASS catalogue and website contain several innovative methodologies that can be easily applied to the regional territory. The Project Boxes data sheets explicitly quote the IDEASS experience that can be taken as reference models (especially from the viewpoint of management and organisation) for the implementation of specific projects suggested by territorial actors.

Compagnia dei Parchi, for sustainable tourism (Italy) Guanaventuras – Community ecotourism (Dominican Republic) Sustainable community management of submarine national park “La Caleta” (Dominican Rep.) Community stakeholding, for managing local services (Italy) Soil Bioengeneering (Italy) University of Crafts and Trades (Ecuador)

ACTION PLAN PROJECT PROPOSALS

8 “PROJECT BOXES” “Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra region” (9 Projects)

“Shkodra region - Heritage tourist itineraries” (9 Projects)

“Exploring the Albanian Alps” (20 Projects)

“Shkodra region - Lakes and wetlands tourist itinerary” (10 Projects)

“First aid centres network in Shkodra region” (17 Projects)

The relation among the Project Boxes and UNOPS programmes IDEASS and ILS LEDA

“Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra region” (7 Projects)

“Brands for typical Shkodra region quality food products” (8– Projects)

“Typical Shkodra region arts and crafts” (4 Projects)

“Shkodra Bees” “Herbs of Shkodra” “Shkodra forests” “Bazaar of Shkodra”

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ILS LEDA Project Proposals for socioeconomic development

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1.14

Website for regional tourism and tourist maps

1.12

Regional cultural heritage map

1.13

1.3 1.14

“Tourism@Education”

Regional natural heritage map

1.3

Partners: UNDP, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Education and Science, ministry of Innovation and ICT, Università del Molise, ICT CNR, Albanian Institute of monuments, University of Tourism (Tirana), Local institutions, Babelia & C. (training activities implementation).

The project is divided into 3 parts: • Creation of a digital interactive map of cultural heritage and tourism in Albania to support online tourist itineraries, including detailed bilingual information about Albanian cultural heritage sites (geographical position, history, description, current status and restoration interventions performed, bibliography, pictures, etc.), subdivided in categories and classified according to their period.

• Support to training activities for tourism development.

• Communication plan to increase cultural tourism visibility, involving the creation of 4 pilot multimedia itineraries to be launched on the Ministry of Tourism website, and the organisation of promotion events.

Possible Partners: Universities, Ministry of Environment, environmental associations.

Possible partners: Regional government (website management), Chamber of Commerce and Universities (contents creation).

A web designer shall be contracted to create the website.

Creation of a map of the natural areas of the region, to be integrated in the website for regional tourism (see below).

Design and implementation of a website with information about what to do in the region, including virtual itineraries and digital information. The website, also accessible through 3G mobile network, shall allow tourists to download information materials (brochures, comprehensive maps of the itineraries, maps and guides of significant areas and cultural heritage sites, etc.) with a modular and customized approach, according to current tourism market trends. The website content will form an easily updatable and modular “virtual tourist guide”, including a map of the region and itineraries for natural excursions, cultural circuits, etc. An on line hotel booking service can also be envisaged.

The map will include archaeological sites and historical monuments. To draft the map, coordination Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism, Albanian among Ministry of Tourism, Albanian Institute of monuments, Universities and other cultural Institute of monuments, Universities, Local institutions will be required. The project could start as a “spin-off” and a development of the project institutions, cultural associations.

“Tourism@Education” and its results will be integrated in the website for regional tourism (see below).

Possible partners: Universities, Albanian Tourism Association (ATA), VIS (currently implementing a vocational course for tourist guides that will last until June 2011).

Notes on the implementation

9 Projects

• Training of tourist guides specialised in regional cultural heritage, natural heritage, ecotourism and cultural tourism.

• Training courses in tourism, targeting employees in restaurants, hotels and travel agencies.

SPT Brief description actions

Improvement of human capital on tourism

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

Project Box 1 Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra Region

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1.8

1.14 3.3

1.1

Creation and promotion of an events agenda in Shkodra region

Territorial brand/label for Shkodra region

Regional Tourism Agency

Possible partners: TEULEDA, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture, Associations of producers in the agro-food sector, Associations of businesses in the hospitality sector (hotel and restaurant owners, tourist services providers, etc.), Associations of craftsmen, experts in brands design, experts in quality certifications.

Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism, University of Shkodra, travel agencies and tour operators, business associations operating in the tourism sector.

The participative process revealed a strong demand for brands, not only for regional products, but also for the regional territory itself. A territorial brand for Shkodra Region can be a powerful tool to enhance the regional identity and gather all territorial peculiarities under a single quality label to promote on national and international markets. The regional brand shall be an “umbrella – or family – brand”, used across multiple related products (food, hospitality, handicraft, etc.), each of them subject to properly defined quality criteria and certifications, according to its specific features. Institutional coordination will be crucial for the joint definition of all aspects related to the creation of the brand.

Establishment of a Regional Tourism Agency, to coordinate tourism activities in the region, promote and carry on market analyses and implement integrated tourist-marketing strategies.

Projects ideas that can be implemented taking IDEASS innovations as a reference model

Project fiches submitted by stakeholders and decentralised cooperation initiatives

Project proposals by ILS LEDA expert, based on the value chains survey

Priority projects submitted by territorial actors to the CPC and contained in a project fiche

Project ideas emerged during meetings and participatory events

*

Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism, Regional government, cultural associations, travel agencies and tour operators.

The project is strongly linked to the projects “Website for regional tourism” and “Tourism@Education”.

Creation of a coordinated and constantly updated agenda of events and festivals existing in the Region and ideation of new periodic events to enhance the regional cultural identity and attract tourists from all over Albania and from abroad. The agenda shall be published on the websites of national, regional and local institutions and on other websites dedicated to tourism-related issues. A “Festivals circuit” will be defined, organised and promoted accordingly.

Priority project proposals submitted by territorial actors to the CPC

Tourist info points will benefit from the results of the projects “Website for regional tourism”, “Tourism@Education” and “Creation and promotion of an events agenda in Shkodra Region”. They shall also develop synergies with the “Network of local agents in rural and mountain areas”.

Creation of two small offices to offer tourist information in the main and more accessible tourist destinations in the Region. The project aims mainly to entice tourists to discover the most remote areas of the region, easily plan customized itineraries and extend their stay as much as possible.

The project shall develop synergies with the information centre recently opened in Tamara by VIS and will be the first step to create an “info-points” network, also involving the border points and the airport.

Notes on the implementation

Project ideas suggested by Strategic Planning experts, based on the participation outcomes

Legend

1.1

SPT Brief description actions

Tourist information points in Shkodra and Velipoja

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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1.8 1.12

Valorisation of the Marubi archives

2.2

Rehabilitation of the street to the Rozafa castle (Shkodra Municipality)

1.12

1.8

Rozafa Castle equipment (Shkodra Municipality)

Enhancement of Sarda Castle

1.8 1.12

According to ADF, the Qarku authorities are interested in the cultural and economic development of the area, but have not intervened yet due to lack of funds.

Drisht Castle can be included in a project for a regional “Castle Circuit”, together with Rozafa Castle and Sarda.

The Ministry of Tourism and the Albanian Institute of monuments shall be involved in the project design and implementation. Rozafa Castle can be included in a project for a regional “Castle Circuit”, together with Drisht Castle and Sarda.

Craftsmen associations should be actively involved in the project design and implementation.

The project represents the link with the Project Box “Shkodra Region lakes tourist itinerary”; Sarda Castle can also be included in a project for a regional “Castle Circuit”, together with the Castles of Rozafa and Drisht.

It is necessary to verify the status of the procedures (started by Shkodra Municipality) to buy a building in the pedestrian area of Shkodra historical centre to reallocate the Archives.

Innovative management of the castle as a location for national and international events, also through the installation of a stage setting for traditional festivals or events.

The rehabilitation project could include the design and installation of booths where craftsmen can display and sell their products – a need emerged during the Focus Groups. The road to one of the most important tourist attractions in Shkodra could thus become a handicraft market and a showroom for artisans, providing a showcase for typical regional handicraft activities.

The medieval town of Sarda or Shurdhahu was established originally on a hilltop, now transformed in an island in the artificial lake of Vau i Dejes. In earlier times, it was the residence of the Dukagjini family, one of the most important Albanian feudal families during the 11th century. The remains of the town consist of the walls of the castle (dating back to the 6th-8th century), the ruins of a church and the main gate of Dukagjini palace. The cultural and landscape value of the site justifies an enhancement intervention.

Relocation of the photographic archives in a more suitable location, display of the permanent collection and organisation of temporary exhibitions - also involving contemporary Albanian photographers.

Notes on the implementation

9 Projects

Drisht Castle (Kalaja e Drishtit) stands on a hill close to the village of Drisht, in the Commune of Postribë. The present village is situated below the archaeological excavations of ancient Drivatium.

The village was constructed during the Roman period as a settlement on the road from Shkodra to Kosova and in the late antiquity its castle was one of a chain of fortresses defending Shkodra. In the 9th century it became an important fortification in the defence system of the Montenegro’s Principality of Zeta. The current castle was built in the 13th century, as a Byzantine fortress. Cultural heritage in Postribë is particularly interesting in the tourist development perspective: the area around the Ottoman bridge has already been renovated and ADF is also repairing the road that brings to the old Castle, currently abandoned. The project envisages the restoration of the castle and the installation of a museum in its premises. The area is also home to some 20 poor families working in small scale agriculture, who could benefit in economic terms from the transformation of the area into a tourist attraction (working for the museum and selling tradition products).

SPT Brief description actions

Restoration of Drisht Castle (ADF)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

Project Box 2 Shkodra Region - Heritage tourist itineraries

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2.3

1.8

1.8

Lighting of the historical street "Oso Kuka", buildings facades and other cultural buildings (Shkodra Municipality)

Regional museums network

Bicycle museum

Project is under implementation.

Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism, Universities, Museums management bodies.

This project is important because the area is the main tourist destination in Shkodra city. It includes the lighting of the street to the museum, the municipal building, buildings facades etc.

The project cost is around 29,000 USD. Development and coordinated promotion of a regional museums network, involving all existing and programmed institutions, with special attention to the improvement of the museums management system and to the revitalisation of the existing museums.

*

Projects ideas that can be implemented taking IDEASS innovations as a reference model

Project fiches submitted by stakeholders and decentralised cooperation initiatives

Project proposals by ILS LEDA expert, based on the value chains survey

Priority projects submitted by territorial actors to the CPC and contained in a project fiche

Project ideas emerged during meetings and participatory events

Priority project proposals submitted by territorial actors to the CPC

Bicycles represent an important aspect of Shkodra identity and culture. The project aims to valorise Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism, this heritage, by creating a Museum that is both a historical and ethnographical institution, Universities, cultural associations, Marubi displaying not only ancient and antique bicycles, but also stories and images related to the Archives. museum theme. The museum collection will include, for example, Shkodra remembrances and tales, accompanied by Marubi photos and other antique pictures.

Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism, Albanian Institute of monuments, Universities.

Restoration of the mosque as a part of an overall water control project aimed to enhance the whole area and make the mosque more accessible.

Notes on the implementation

Project ideas suggested by Strategic Planning experts, based on the participation outcomes

Legend

1.12

SPT Brief description actions

Restoration and valorisation of the Lead Mosque

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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1.6 1.10

1.13 2.2

Create safe bike tourist routes for cycling tourism

Construction of two carrying walls in front of Theth waterfalls and cleaning of them (Shale) (Regional Council)

2.2

1.10 1.6

Tourist tracks system in mountain areas

Bridge rehabilitation in Vermosh (Department of Rural Roads)

1.5

Notes on the implementation

20 Projects

Possible partners: environmental associations specialised in mountain tourism. The project can be developed along the lines of the Italian â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alte vieâ&#x20AC;?.

Associations operating in the cycling tourism sector can be involved in the project design and implementation.

The walls will be designed as modular concrete elements shaped as terraces offering a panoramic viewpoint on the waterfalls. These modular structures shall represent a pilot project that can be transferred in other points of the same mountain area, as a recognisable landscape element. ADF expressed strong interest for this approach.

The project has already been implemented

Creation of a network of tourist tracks in mountain areas, equipped with proper signage; preparation of a map of the tracks including accommodation structures, available tourist services, first-aid centres and places of tourist interest along the paths.

Creation of cycle paths in mountain areas (also through rehabilitation of existing roads), installation of information signs, and establishment of basic tourist facilities such as accommodation, snack bars and restaurants, etc. The project aims to foster cycling tourism development.

The road of Dukagjin (in total 76 km) is the most important rural road in the Region of Shkodra, connecting five communes (Rrethina, Mes, Pult, Shosh and Shale), which are the most remote rural areas in the region. Due to the fact that this area has great potential of tourism development and is rich in natural and cultural resources, the Regional Council has launched its development as priority no.1, in compliance with the Regional Development Cross Cutting Strategy, emphasising the importance of remote areas development. The village of Thethi, which belongs to this area, is one of the most important tourist destinations in Albania. Thethi National Park is part of the Albanian Alps and the second largest park in the country. It offers great possibilities for the development of mountain tourism and is also the most important alpinism centre in the country.

In this framework the project aims to construct two carrying walls in front of waterfalls, one of the points with great interest for tourists. It will serve not only as a viewpoint, but it will also facilitate the transport in this segment of road, which is subject to erosion and landslides. The project cost is 32,000 USD. Further information needed.

ADF applied for funding to the Council of After an analysis the potentials of the area in terms of local economic development, urban planning, environment, tourist attractions, the Master Plan will analyse the infrastructural projects Europe Development Bank (CEB) for drafting the Master Plan. (including small infrastructures) required to the development of the area.

SPT Brief description actions

Master Plan of the Alps Area (ADF)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

Project Box 3 Exploring the Albanian Alps

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The project will be overseen by the staff of the “Village Water Supply” Enterprise (Shkoder), which is specialized and certified, and, if necessary, by an observer from the donor.

Although Thethi is one of the most appropriate places for tourism among the mountains of northern Albania, it lacks some of the main services, one of which is the water supply system. The water supply system of the village was built in 1984 and destroyed in the years 1990-1992. Since 1992 until today there is no water supply. Residents are supplied with water from small sources. This project aims to build the water supply in the village of Okol No.2, Theth, including the construction of a 100 m3 reservoir, the development of a capacity building program for the enterprise “Village Water Supply”, and the monitoring of Potable Water Quality. The project cost is 30,500 USD. The project aims to ease tourist accommodation in remote areas, through the creation of a network of local agents, preferably resident in the areas of interest, who will be trained to act as community animators and “in loco” contacts for tour operators and tourists.

Sustainable water resource management in the tourist village of Thethi (Shale Commune)

Network of local agents in rural and mountain areas

1.1 1.3

Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Education, ILO.

Involvement of private investors.

Creation of ski activities and infrastructure to attract tourists that go skiing in Montenegro.

1.5

Creation of a ski resort

Project completed.

Construction of the power supply line in the tourist area of Theth. The project cost is around 90,000 USD.

2.4

Power supply line in Theth

ADF can be a possible partner.

2.2

Construction of a bridge in Kozhnje village (Kelmend Commune)

The bridge connects Vukli, Kozhnje and Nikcit villages (more than 2000 inhabitants) and can help foster tourism development in Gjarpen, Koprrisht, Surte, Shnik and Boge villages. The project cost is 32,600 USD.

2.2

Rehabilitation of the road to Vermosh

The project implementation will require the research of a wide consensus at local and national level, pointing out best practices and highlighting possible disadvantages of a paved road: maintenance costs, uncontrolled constructions, destruction of the territory resources and attractiveness, etc.

2.2

Rehabilitation of the road Cek–Deda (Shkrel) (Shkodra Regional Council)

ADF can be a possible partner.

ADF can be a possible partner.

These two projects are crucial for the tourist fruition of the National Park of Theth, because they intervene on the two main roads to Theth. The projects aim to make the roads safer and more practicable, also during the winter season.

Rehabilitation of the road to Vermosh, using natural engineering techniques to solve hydrogeological instability problems and increase safety. Local communities could be involved in the maintenance activities. The project idea refers directly to the methodology of the IDEASS experience “Soil Bioengeneering” (Italy).

2.2

Rehabilitation of the road Boge-Theth (Shkodra Regional Council)

*

2.2

Rehabilitation of the road Prekal-Theth (Shkodra Regional Council)

Project is under implementation.

The project implementation is crucial to improve accessibility to the Vermosh area, both from Shkodra area and from Montenegro, also considering the fact that lots of tourists pass through Hani Hotit border point.

ADF can be a possible partner.

2.2

Rehabilitation of the road Hani HotitTamare (Shkodra Regional Council)

After a long period of adjustment of dispossession operations and development of the urban section, it was implemented about 30% of the operations as the contract with the company began executing in January 2010. It is expected to be completed by December 2011.

The project aims to improve material and non-material communications between Albania and Montenegro through the rehabilitation of the existing road inside Shkodra city (5 km) and other 34 km of the national road to Hani i Hotit. The project cost is around 300,000 ALL.

Notes on the implementation

Further information needed.

2.2

SPT Brief description actions

Rehabilitation of the road Shkoder Hani i Hotit (Shkodra Regional Council)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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1.5 1.7 1.10 1.12 1.13

Agro-tourism - Reç (“Reçi Podhimtar” Association)

Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism (to define signage standards), Local authorities, Craftsmen associations.

Co-financing by the applicant is envisaged (20%).

Partners: University of Shkodra “L. Gurakuqi”, Forestry Directorate of the Region, NGOs, local authorities.

Design and installation of information signs for tourists in mountain areas, made of local materials (wood, stone, etc.) by local craftsmen, to valorise traditional skills and integrate the communities’ incomes.

The project is aimed to: • Sensitize the community for the protection and development of the historic and tourist values of the park, through extension methods, distribution of promotion materials and media etc.

• Create more adequate conditions for the development of tourism for locals and foreigners.

• Preserve and rehabilitate objects with important historic value, such as castles (Ballezes, Babices), caves (Cave of Bogdani, Cave of the Doves), traditional houses, bridges, roads etc.

• Preserve and promote the values of biodiversity and of the traditional products (chestnuts, strawberries, mushrooms, maize, grapevine).

The project includes: installing of belvedere wood construction, benches and tables in tourist places; construction of observation points made with wood; rehabilitation of the inner part of the Cave of the Doves; construction of an information centre for the promotion of local products; rehabilitation and fencing of the wells of Reç; repair of the tribune; preparation of wooden signposts for the promotion of the traditional products of the area; fencing of the old chestnuts; construction of decorative drinking-fountain. The project cost is 37,000 USD.

Projects ideas that can be implemented taking IDEASS innovations as a reference model

Project fiches submitted by stakeholders and decentralised cooperation initiatives

Project proposals by ILS LEDA expert, based on the value chains survey

Priority projects submitted by territorial actors to the CPC and contained in a project fiche

Project ideas emerged during meetings and participatory events

*

TEULEDA can provide grants for typical houses owners to implement the project. It will be crucial to create a link between grants and cultural heritage protection, for example by giving better credit terms if the applicant commits to respect certain standards in the renewal of traditional buildings, landscape protection, etc. Restoration interventions shall comply with the indications of the “Manual for the restoration of typical houses” (see above).

Creation of a network of traditional houses to be used as tourist accommodation. The project can refer to the methodology of the Italian experience “Compagnia dei Parchi”, included in the IDEASS catalogue. CDP is an innovative, non-profit, limited liability consortium with an organisational structure consisting of a head office, which is responsible for bookings and tourism marketing, and a network of affiliated accommodation structures. Between 1999 and 2004, CDP created a network of more than 1,000 accommodation structures in protected areas and promoted them through the Internet, trade fairs and tourism links. CDP generates income from existing properties and from local products, and fosters the development of new tourismrelated services.

Priority project proposals submitted by territorial actors to the CPC

The project is currently being implemented in the framework of the APQ PRICES. The project partnership involves partners from Albania (Shkodra Region, Municipality of Shkodra, TEULEDA) and Italy (Sviluppo Lazio, CNA).

The traditional architecture of city centres and rural areas is of great value because it is an evidence of the history and traditions of local communities. The project does not only aim to restore this heritage but also to make it a potential resource for local development through government and citizen participation. The manual is an executive and meta-design tool identifying standardised interventions that can be implemented by local operators to restore traditional buildings (technologies, materials, plants, bioclimatic solutions, etc.). The possible project development could be: a) Executive project and construction of a building-prototype to be aggregated to the existing buildings for the construction of toilets or additional volumes to improve tourist accommodation structures; b) Design of a building to host a training centre on new bioclimatic technologies.

Notes on the implementation

Project ideas suggested by Strategic Planning experts, based on the participation outcomes

Legend

1.1 1.10

Tourist information signs system

1.2 1.12

Renovation of typical houses for tourist purposes

*

1.12

SPT Brief description actions

Manual for the restoration of architectural heritage for rural tourism valorisation (Sviluppo Lazio – Italy)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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Museum of flora and fauna of Shkodra Lake

1.8 1.13

2.6

1.13

Birdwatching in the Viluni Lagoon

Construction of the road Gjinaj – Fushe Vig (Vig-Mnele Commune)

1.6 1.10

Create safe bike tourist routes for cycling tourism

*

1.6

The tourist activities in the protected area could be managed through the active involvement of the local community, taking as a reference the methodology applied in the IDEASS experience “Sustainable community management of the submarine national park La Caleta” (Dominican Republic).

ADF can be a possible partner.

The Central Government, on 21.1.2005, under the Albanian law on protected areas, declared the river Buna and the surrounding territories “protected water/landscape”. This site has a very rich fauna, including migratory birds. In order to establish sustainable economic activities and to diversify tourism in the area, the project idea is to organise birdwatching itineraries in the lagoon, involving and eventually training local community members (fishermen, boat owners, etc.) as guides. The project development can start from the results of the already implemented GEF-UNDP project “Natural values of the Viluni lagoon and development of ecotourism in the Velipoja lagoon” .

The project aims to: connect the centre of the commune with the other villages, with the national road, the health centre etc.; connect the chromium and the kaolin mines; enable tourism development, also related to the Kastri Castle; connect the commune with Lezha Region. This project will directly benefit about 11,000 inhabitants who historically have had mutual relations in different fields with Shkodra, and incoming visitors who seek new destinations for ecotourism. The project cost is around 33,000 USD.

Possible partners: Ministry of Tourism, Universities, environmental associations (also to involve in the museum management).

Associations operating in the cycling tourism sector can be involved in the project design and implementation.

Creation of cycle paths (also through rehabilitation of existing roads), installation of information signs, and establishment of basic tourist facilities such as accommodation, snack bars and restaurants, etc. The project aims to foster cycling tourism development and can include the creation of a cycle path around Shkodra Lake, connecting (at least) Shkodra to Koplik.

This museum shall provide, through a wide use of multimedia devices, extensive information on Shkodra lake ecosystem, and work as an “entrance gate” to the Region biodiversity and as a research centre for the preservation and monitoring of the lake conditions. The museum will be included in the “Museums circuit” within the Regional Museums Network (see Project Box 2).

Please note that horseback riding paths are also envisaged in programmes for Shkodra lake sustainable tourism.

Notes on the implementation

10 Projects

This project aims the promotion of tourism in the Shkodra lake, to reactivate horseback riding, bring young people close to nature and reorganise the horseback riding club development. The project cost is around 30,000 USD.

SPT Brief description actions

Horse riding itinerary around Shkodra lake (Shkodra Municipality)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

Project Box 4 Shkodra Region - Lakes and wetlands tourist itineraries

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2.6

2.6

2.6

2.6

Rehabilitation of the road to Gomsiqe (Vau i Dejes) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Rehabilitation of the road ShelqetQender-Train station (Vau i Dejes) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Bridge Mnele e Vogel窶天ig (Shkodra Regional Council)

Reconstruction of the road to Koman Bene (Shllak) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Projects ideas that can be implemented taking IDEASS innovations as a reference model

Project fiches submitted by stakeholders and decentralised cooperation initiatives

Project proposals by ILS LEDA expert, based on the value chains survey

Priority projects submitted by territorial actors to the CPC and contained in a project fiche

Project ideas emerged during meetings and participatory events

*

ADF can be a possible partner.

ADF can be a possible partner.

ADF can be a possible partner.

ADF can be a possible partner.

ADF can be a possible partner.

Priority project proposals submitted by territorial actors to the CPC

These projects aim to rehabilitate and improve roads that are part of the lakes itinerary. The itinerary should start from the lake shores and penetrate in their surroundings, in order to allow tourists to enjoy a variety of landscapes and views.

Notes on the implementation

Project ideas suggested by Strategic Planning experts, based on the participation outcomes

Legend

2.6

SPT Brief description actions

Rehabilitation of Fushﾃｫ Arrez-Iballe (Shkodra Regional Council)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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“Shkodra bees”

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

1.7 3.1 3.2 3.3

Notes on the implementation

8 Projects

Step 1 (The work on the chains) Possible partners: • Complete the survey of regional beekeeping resources.

• TEULEDA • Promote local associations of beekeepers, and involving them in TEULEDA local partnership. • Regional Government • Promote synergies between beekeepers and herbs producers, and beekeepers and farmers, • Municipalities and Communes of the region • Beekeepers in order to improve and increase the production of mono-flower honeys.

• Organise Quality Control and Food Security systems.

• Herbs producers • Support branding and packaging.

• Farmers • Find new adequate national, area (Balkans) and international markets.

• Chemical processing activities • Find final distributor on identified markets, ensure negotiation and brokerage.

• Packaging enterprises • Organise the “Bee Network of Shkodra”.

• Export activities (food) • Training institutions Step 2 (Improving and increasing knowledge) • Organise a regional selection for young people aspiring to become beekeepers.

• Web design companies • Basic training design (job training and learning by doing activities).

• Carry out training activities for beekeeping issues and enterprise building.

• Support the creation of new enterprises in beekeeping.

Step 3 (Specialisation) • Advanced training design (job training and learning by doing activities).

• Carry out training activities for beekeeping advanced issues and enterprise building.

• Support technical (instrumental) improvement of beekeeping.

Step 4 (New bee products) • Identify competitiveness & processing possibilities of honey and no honey potential local products.

• Establish organic productive processes.

• Promote and globally support enterprises for bee products processing.

SPT Brief description actions

Project Box 5 Brands for typical Shkodra Region quality food products

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1.7 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

1.7 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

“Shkodra forests”

Possible partners: • TEULEDA • Regional Government • Municipalities and Communes of the region • Herbs producers • Herbs gatherers • Chemical processing activities • Packaging enterprises • Export activities • Training institutions • Web design companies

Possible partners: • TEULEDA • Regional Government • Municipalities and Communes of the region • Producers and gatherers of forest fruits, chestnuts, mushrooms • Food processing activities • Distillates and infusions producers • Export activities • Training institutions • Web design companies

Step 1 (The work on the chains) • Complete the survey of regional forestry resources.

• Promote the production in the field of cultivable resources, and sustainable gathering activities of no cultivable germoplasmi.

• Introduce cold and freezing processing.

• Promote local associations of forestry resources producers and gatherers, and involving them in TEULEDA local partnership.

• Organise Quality Control and Food Security systems.

• Support branding and packaging of the products.

• Find new adequate national, area (Balkans) and international markets.

• Find distributors on identified markets, ensure negotiation and brokerage.

• Organise the “Forest Products Network of Shkodra”.

Step 2 (Processing) • Identify processing possibilities and competitiveness.

• Establish organic productive processes.

Step 3 (Enterprise building) • Advanced training design (job training and learning by doing activities).

• Carry out training activities for advanced issues in forestry resources processing and enterprise building and management.

• Establish organic productive processes.

• Promote and globally support enterprises for forest products processing.

Notes on the implementation

Step 1 (The work on the chains) • Complete the survey of regional medical and aromatic plants.

• Promote the cultivation of the herbs, and sustainable gathering activities of no cultivable germoplasmi.

• Promote local associations of herbs producers and gatherers, and involve them in TEULEDA local partnership.

• Organise Quality Control and Food Security systems.

• Support branding and packaging of fresh and dried products.

• Find new adequate national, area (Balkans) and international markets.

• Find final distributor on identified markets, ensure negotiation and brokerage.

• Organise the “Herbs Network of Shkodra”.

Step 2 (Processing) • Identify herbs processing possibilities and competitiveness.

• Establish organic productive processes.

Step 3 (Enterprise building) • Advanced training design (job training and learning by doing activities).

• Carry out training activities for advanced issues in herbs processing and enterprise building and management.

• Establish organic productive processes.

• Promote and globally support enterprises for herbs processing.

SPT Brief description actions

“Herbs of Shkodra”

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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1.7 3.1 3.2 3.3

1.7 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

Enhancement of the Fruits and Vegetables value chain (devised on the basis of the actions proposed by ILS LEDA for the local economic development of Shkodra region)

Possible partners: • TEULEDA • Associations of fishermen • Fish breeders

Possible partners: • TEULEDA • Existing Associations of farmers and processors • Individual farmers • Individual processors • External advisors (to offer consultancy on specific issues), actors of the hospitality sector (to support the products marketing and promotion).

The project aims to create the basic conditions to increase the productivity of the value chain through the improvement of its products safety, quality and promotion and the development of representative producers associations. The main activities and steps are as follows: Supporting cohesion and networking in the FV value chain • Promote the cohesion of individual actors through supporting their involvement in existing Association, or the creation of new Associations.

• Promote the creation of Shkodra FV Forum, involving the Associations of farmers and processers and aimed at creating and managing the implementation of a shared, continuously evolving strategy for production, innovation and external marketing.

Improving regional FV value chain productive block • Support the Forum in order to organise basic training courses in farming and processing activities.

• Support the creation of new individual and small enterprises (also through the Guaranty Fund).

Certify quality and safety • Support the achievement of ISO Quality, HACCP and organic certifications.

Improve marketing, promotion and distribution • Analyse regional, domestic and international markets and elaborate market strategies.

• Promote applied researches about bio–chemical and nutritional characteristics of Shkodra FV. • Promote food education activities addressed to regional and domestic consumers.

• Create and promote, on a national and international scale, a Shkodra quality brand of FV, by defining and sharing a progressively growing body of products, their characteristics and standards.

• Identify national and foreign distributors to final consumers.

Notes on the implementation

The project aims to create the basic conditions to increase the productivity of the value chain through the improvement of its products safety, quality and promotion and the development of representative producers associations. The main activities and steps are as follows: Supporting cohesion and networking of the value chain • Promote the cohesion of individual sea fishermen and freshwater fish breeders through supporting the creation of new Associations; • Promote the creation of a Shkodra Fish Forum, involving the Associations of fishermen and fish breeders.

Improving regional Fish value chain productive block • Support the Forum in order to organise basic training courses in fishing and fish breeding.

• Support the creation of new fishing and fish breeding enterprises, also through the Guaranty Fund.

Certify quality and safety • Support the achievement of ISO Quality, HACCP and organic certifications.

Improve marketing, promotion and distribution • Analyse regional, domestic and international markets and elaborate market strategies.

• Promote applied research on bio–chemical & nutritional characteristics of Shkodra Fish products.

• Promote food education activities addressed to regional and domestic consumers.

• Create and promote, on a national and international scale, a Shkodra quality brand of Fish products, by defining and sharing a progressively growing body of products, their characteristics and standards.

• Identify national and foreign distributors to final consumers.

SPT Brief description actions

Enhancement of the Fish value chain (devised on the basis of the actions proposed by ILS LEDA for the local economic development of Shkodra region)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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1.7 3.1 3.2 3.3

1.7 3.1 3.2 3.3

Enhancement of Milk value chain (devised on the basis of the actions proposed by ILS LEDA for the local economic development of Shkodra region)

Possible partners: • TEULEDA • Existing Associations • Individual actors • External advisors (to offer consultancy on specific issues), actors of the hospitality sector (to support the products marketing and promotion).

Possible partners: • TEULEDA • Existing Associations • Individual actors • External advisors (to offer consultancy on specific issues), actors of the hospitality sector (to support the products marketing and promotion).

The project aims to create the basic conditions to increase the productivity of the value chain through the improvement of its products safety, quality and promotion and the development of representative producers associations. The main activities and steps are as follows: Supporting cohesion and networking in the Milk value chain • Promote the cohesion of individual actors (including the important sector of milk production) by supporting their involvement in existing Association, or the creation of new Associations.

• Promote the creation of a Shkodra Milk Forum, involving the Associations of producers and aimed at creating and managing the implementation of a shared, continuously evolving strategy for production, innovation and external marketing.

Improving regional Milk value chain productive block • Support the Forum in order to organise basic training courses in processing activities.

• Support the creation of new artisan quality enterprises (also through the Guaranty Fund).

Certify quality and safety • Support the achievement of ISO Quality, HACCP and organic certifications.

Improve marketing, promotion and distribution • Analyse regional, domestic and international markets and elaborate market strategies.

• Promote applied research on bio–chemical & nutritional characteristics of Shkodra Milk products.

• Create and promote, on national and international scale, a Shkodra quality brand of Milk products, by defining and sharing a progressively growing body of products, their characteristics and standards • Identify national and foreign distributors to final consumers.

Notes on the implementation

The project aims to create the basic conditions to increase the productivity of the value chain through the improvement of its products safety, quality and promotion and the development of representative producers associations. The main activities and steps are as follows: Supporting cohesion and networking in the Liquors value chain • Promote the cohesion of individual actors through supporting their involvement in existing Association, or the creation of new Associations.

• Promote the creation of a Shkodra Liquors Forum, involving the Associations of producers and aimed at creating and managing the implementation of a shared, continuously evolving strategy for production, innovation and external marketing.

Improving regional Liquors value chain productive block • Support the Forum in order to organise basic training courses in processing activities.

• Support the creation of new individual and small enterprises (also through the Guaranty Fund).

Certify quality and safety • Support the achievement of ISO Quality, HACCP and organic certifications.

Improve marketing, promotion and distribution • Analyse regional, domestic and international markets and elaborate market strategies.

• Promote applied research on bio–chemical & nutritional characteristics of Shkodra Liquors products.

• Create and promote, on a national and international scale, a Shkodra quality brand of Liquors products, by defining and sharing a progressively growing body of products, their characteristics and standards • Identify national and foreign distributors to final consumers.

SPT Brief description actions

Enhancement of Liquors value chain (devised on the basis of the actions proposed by ILS LEDA for the local economic development of Shkodra region)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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Priority projects submitted by territorial actors to the CPC and contained in a project fiche

*

Projects ideas that can be implemented taking IDEASS innovations as a reference model

Project fiches submitted by stakeholders and decentralised cooperation initiatives

Project proposals by ILS LEDA expert, based on the value chains survey

Priority project proposals submitted by territorial actors to the CPC

The project consists in providing farmers and breeders of the Region with the information, Possible partners: TEULEDA, producers technical assistance and training needed to achieve internationally recognised safety and quality associations, Chamber of Commerce, experts certifications for their products and productive processes: ISO9000 and ISO14000, HACCP, in certification processes. organic product certification, DOC, DOP, IGT, etc. Producers associations will be the priority target of information, assistance and training activity. The establishment of associations and consortia shall be strongly encouraged and recommended, also through sensitisation activities.

Notes on the implementation

Project ideas emerged during meetings and participatory events

3.3

SPT Brief description actions

Project ideas suggested by Strategic Planning experts, based on the participation outcomes

Legend

Safety and quality certifications for regional agro-food products

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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Renovation program of Rr. Gjuhadol as a “handicraft street”

Bazaar of Shkodra

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

1.7

1.7 1.9 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

Possible partners: • TEULEDA • Regional Government • Municipalities and Communes of the region • Wood producers and collectors • Olive producers • Sheep and goats breeders • Beekeepers • Wood craftsmen, Textile craftsmen, Bee wax craftsmen, Jewellery craftsmen, etc.

• Building activities (recovery and restoration, plants) • Import activities (raw materials) • Art and handicraft shops and traders.

• Export activities (handicraft products and works of art) • Training institutions • Cultural associations • Artists • Web design companies

Producers associations shall be involved in the management of the “handicraft street”.

TEULEDA, supported by ART GOLD 2, could help the transformation of the road into a “handicraft street”, by providing support to artisans.

The participatory process highlighted the demand for urban spaces devoted to handicraft production and sale, in order to promote and enhance the strong arts and crafts tradition of Shkodra Region. The project aims to transform Rruga Gjuhadol, one of the main streets of Shkodra historic town (connecting the Cathedral to the pedestrian Rruga Kol Idromeno), into a “handicraft street”. Ancient buildings and courtyards will be restored to host handicraft workshops, where tourist can purchase typical handcrafted products. The project is strictly connected with the previous one (“Bazaar of Shkodra”).

Notes on the implementation

4 Projects

Step 1 (the work on the chains) • Complete the survey of regional art and handicraft resources.

• Promote local associations of craftsmen and artists, and involving them in TEULEDA local partnership.

• Find new supplying channels for raw material, especially in jewellery & textile.

• Find new adequate national, area (Balkans) and international markets.

• Find final distributor on identified markets, ensure negotiation and brokerage.

• Organise the “Art and Handicraft Network of Shkodra”.

Step 2 (Ensuring the handicraft a future) • Organise a regional/national selection for young apprentices in handicraft.

• Training design (job training and learning by doing activities).

• Carry out training activities for handicraft issues and enterprise building.

• Support the creation of new enterprises in handicraft..

Step 3 (A virtual bazaar) • Promote “Bazaar of Shkodra” as an “association of associations”, and as an evolution of the “Art and Handicraft Network of Shkodra”.

• Design, create and manage the “Bazaar of Shkodra” website.

• Organise promotion and communication activities (external marketing).

Step 4 (Shkodra art and handicraft district) • Recover and restore an urban space in Shkodra downtown.

• Adjust and equip the area as a “living (training, production and sale of art works and handicraft products) quarter of art and handicraft workshops”.

SPT Brief description actions

Project Box 6 Typical Shkodra Region arts and crafts

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Projects ideas that can be implemented taking IDEASS innovations as a reference model

Project fiches submitted by stakeholders and decentralised cooperation initiatives

Project proposals by ILS LEDA expert, based on the value chains survey

Priority projects submitted by territorial actors to the CPC and contained in a project fiche

Project ideas emerged during meetings and participatory events

*

The project can be implemented with the involvement of TEULEDA, vocational training institutes, universities and no profit associations, taking as a reference the methodology of the IDEASS experience “The University of Crafts and Trades, promoting know-how and cultural identity” (Latin America).

Priority project proposals submitted by territorial actors to the CPC

The relevance of handicraft activities in the Region suggests the creation of “crafts schools” to valorise the traditional “know how” and skills (also through the involvement of old artisans), to transmit them to the younger generations and encourage the creation of handicraft businesses and social enterprises in the sector, to be supported by TEULEDA. The school will work as a “handicraft house”, where traditional crafts will be studied, practiced and taught, and the design of new artisan articles, based on the tradition, will be promoted and encouraged.

Construction of two stands for trading handicraft products with a 50 sq. metres surface in an area Involvement of private investors is crucial for of tourist interest. the project implementation.

Notes on the implementation

Project ideas suggested by Strategic Planning experts, based on the participation outcomes

Legend

1.8

Shkodra region Arts and Crafts school

*

1.7

SPT Brief description actions

Construction of 2 stands for trading handicraft products

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

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2.6

Construction of a health centre A2 type in Postribe (Shkodra Regional Council)

2.6

2.6

Reconstruction of the health centre in Bushat (Shkodra Regional Council)

Construction of a new health centre in Toplan (Temal) (Shkodra Regional Council)

2.6

Reconstruction of the health centre in Muriqan (Ana e Malit) (Shkodra Regional Council)

2.6

2.6

Reconstruction of the health centre in Shesh (Shkodra Regional Council)

Construction of a health centre in Bardhaj (Rrethina) (Shkodra Regional Council)

2.6

Reconstruction of the health centre in Dajc (Shkodra Regional Council)

2.6

2.6

Construction of a new health centre in Belaj (Shale) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Construction of a new health centre in Shtoj i Ri (Rrethina) (Shkodra Regional Council)

2.6

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

SPT Brief description actions

Reconstruction of the health centre in Shale (Shkodra Regional Council)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

Project Box 7 First aid centres in Shkodra Region

Notes on the implementation

17 Projects

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2.6

2.6

2.6

2.6

2.6

2.6

Construction of a new health centre A2-type in Mose-Mucaj (Shkrel) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Reconstruction of the health centre in Qender (Shkodra Regional Council)

Health centre in Palvar (Qender) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Health centre Koplik i Siperm (Qender) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Health centre in Dober (Qender) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Construction of a new health centre A1-type in Kryezi (Qafe Mali) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Priority projects submitted by territorial actors to the CPC and contained in a project fiche

*

Projects ideas that can be implemented taking IDEASS innovations as a reference model

Project fiches submitted by stakeholders and decentralised cooperation initiatives

Project proposals by ILS LEDA expert, based on the value chains survey

Priority project proposals submitted by territorial actors to the CPC Project ideas emerged during meetings and participatory events

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Further information needed.

Notes on the implementation

Project ideas suggested by Strategic Planning experts, based on the participation outcomes

Legend

2.6

SPT Brief description actions

Construction of a new health centre A1-type in Ă&#x2021;ekdedaj (Shkrel) (Shkodra Regional Council)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

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2.5

2.5

2.5

Garbage bin purchase for the management of the urban waste (Shkodra Municipality)

Purchase of technologic garbage car in Velipoja (Velipoje Commune)

Management of urban waste for quality of life improvement in Qender Koplik (Qender Koplik Commune)

Projects ideas that can be implemented taking IDEASS innovations as a reference model

Project fiches submitted by stakeholders and decentralised cooperation initiatives

Project proposals by ILS LEDA expert, based on the value chains survey

Priority projects submitted by territorial actors to the CPC and contained in a project fiche

Project ideas emerged during meetings and participatory events

*

The management aspects of the project idea can be inspired to the IDEASS experience “Community stakeholding, for managing local services” (Italy).

Priority project proposals submitted by territorial actors to the CPC

Creation of waste management systems in Shkodra Region, according to the “Zero waste” approach: wastes shall be seen as a resource and recycled as much as possible, i.e. as raw materials for other productive activities, thus reducing the materials brought to landfills. Feasibility studies for the implementation of this idea can take as a reference model the best practices developed in other countries, such as the Zero Waste Alliance program (www.zerowaste.org).

The project aims to enhance the quality of life of 6,180 citizens and improve the image of the commune, which is crossed by a large number of tourists passing through Hani Hotit border point.

The project cost is around 56,700 USD.

The project implementation will be useful for tourism development as it will improve the cleaning services in the urban area. The project cost is around 30,000 USD.

With the purchases envisaged in this project all the city will be covered by the waste collection service. The project is a continuation of a previous one implemented by the Municipality in the main streets of the city. The project cost is around 29,600 USD.

Rehabilitation, green space construction, street furniture and lighting of a part of Block 3, which lies north and north east of the road Ymer Puka and includes 5 buildings with about 1,500 residents, schools and over 15 businesses. Expected results: 230 sq. metres of green area and 450 sorted out for citizens relax, equipped with benches, streetlights, garbage bins. The project cost is ca. 29,800 USD.

The project will benefit 6,000 inhabitants and high school students, and will positively affect tourism development, being situated in the town centre of Velipoje. The project cost is around 61,400 USD.

The existing green or uncultivated areas within the city can be equipped with playgrounds for children. The existing project layout is currently being Installation sites have to be chosen by municipality and citizens. One of the playgrounds is now a developed to be funded by UNDP ART priority project, to be implemented on the lakeside in front of the shopping centre and opposite the GOLD 2.

Rom settlement. This project cost is around 29,600 USD.

Notes on the implementation

7 Projects

Project ideas suggested by Strategic Planning experts, based on the participation outcomes

Legend

2.5

2.3

Rehabilitation of external areas of Block 3 in Puka town (Puka Municipality)

*

2.3

Rehabilitation of the piazza in front of the Commune of Velipoje (Velipoje Commune)

“Zero waste” sustainable waste management system

2.3

SPT Brief description actions

Construction of playgrounds for children in Shkodra and improvement of the surrounding areas (Shkodra Municipality)

Projects/project proposals/project ideas (and applicants/proposers)

Project Box 8 Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra Region

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“Typical Shkodra region arts and crafts” (4 Projects)

“Brands for typical Shkodra region quality food products” (5 Projects)

“Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra region” (7 Projects)

“First aid centres network in Shkodra region” (17 Projects)

“Shkodra region - Lakes and wetlands tourist itinerary” (10 Projects)

“Exploring the Albanian Alps” (19 Projects)

“Shkodra region - Heritage tourist itineraries” (9 Projects)

“Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra region” (9 Projects)

8 “PROJECT BOXES”

PROJECT PROPOSALS

The intervention areas of the Project Boxes

VELIPOJE

DAJC

Ana e Malit

REC

Rrethinat

BUSHAT

Barbullush

Berdice

Pult

Shllak

Hajmel

Vig-Mnele

VAU I DEJES

Postribe

GURI I ZI

Gruemire

SHKODER

Koplik

SHKODRA LAKE

Qender

Kastrat

SHKREL

KELMEND

Qerret

Temal

Shosh

Shale

THETH

PUKE

Qelez

Rrape

Iballe

Gjegjan

FUSHE ARREZ

Fierze

Qafe Mali

Blerim

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SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

3.4. Synergies among Project Boxes

Consistently with the integrated approach adopted by the SPT for Shkodra Region sustainable tourism development, the 8 Project Boxes (PBs) are strongly synergic among them.

This is mainly due to the thematic nature of the SPT, strictly focused on tourism development.

Indeed, PBs aiming at the creation of thematic tourist routes (PB2 “Shkodra Region - Heritage tourist itineraries”, PB3 “Exploring the Albanian Alps” and PB4 “Shkodra Region - Lakes and wetlands tourist itinerary”) are strongly interconnected, also spacially speaking, because itineraries continuously over cross and represent different but integrated ways to experience the same territories. PBs 2, 3 and 4 also develop high-level synergies with: • PBs 5 “Brands for typical Shkodra Region quality food products” and 6 “Typical Shkodra Region arts and crafts”: quality food and handicraft products represent an added value to the tourist experience and can be purchased along the tourist routes, in shops, restaurants, accommodation structures, cultural heritage sites and museums; • PB 7 “First aid centres network in Shkodra Region”: itineraries, especially in remote areas, should be equipped with first aid centres to ensure tourist safety; • PB 8 “Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra Region”: towns and villages included in the itineraries should be appealing to tourists.

PBs 7 and 8 are also strongly synergic among them, because they both relate to the enhancement of services and spaces that represent basic quality of life standards in tourist destinations.

PB1 “Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra Region” is the “most synergic” Project Box: the other Project Boxes, indeed, tend to reinforce the main regional strengths in terms of landscapes and cultural heritage, but the coordinated promotion, communication and training activities included in PB1 are crucial for the regional tourist offer consolidation, enhancement and marketing, especially at the international level.

The matrix presented in the following page contains a qualitative evaluation of the synergy level that can be developed among the Project Boxes.

This evaluation was conducted considering three degrees of growing interrelation: • low synergy: the PBs only share the same general objective(s); • medium synergy: the PBs share the same general objectives and beneficiary groups/ involved territorial actors; • high synergy: the PBs are strictly interdependent and materially connected, because they share the same objectives, beneficiary group(s), area(s) of intervention and activities.

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  

  

  

  

  

  

Shkodra Region Heritage tourist itineraries

Exploring the Albanian Alps

Shkodra Region Lakes and wetlands tourist itinerary

Brands for typical Shkodra Region quality food products

Typical Shkodra Region arts and crafts

First aid centres network in Shkodra Region

Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra Region

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Synergy level: : high; : medium; : low

  

Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra Region

1

1

  

  

 

  

  

  

  

2

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

3

  

  

 

  

  

  

  

4





 

  

  

  

  

5





 

 

  

 

  

6

Tourist reception Shkodra Region Exploring the Shkodra Region Brands for typical Typical Shkodra and marketing in - Heritage tourist Albanian Alps - Lakes and Shkodra Region Region arts and Shkodra Region itineraries wetlands tourist quality food crafts itinerary products

Synthesis of the synergies among the 8 Project Boxes for Shkodra Region sustainable tourism development

Table 2.

  





  

  

  

  

7

  





  

  

  

  

8

First aid centres Clean and network in hospitable towns Shkodra Region and villages of Shkodra Region

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SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT

3.5. Conclusions Notes on the Strategic Plan implementation The 8 Project Boxes for regional development represent the main outputs of the Shkodra Region strategic planning process.

The next step to be undertaken for the implementation of the SPT is the identification of integrated complex projects, or Coordinated Development Projects (CDP).

Methodologically speaking, if Project Boxes are thematic containers of projects addressing similar issues, in the next phase the objective will be to strengthen the Project Boxes relationships with specific territorial locations and to develop their mutual synergies. The outcome of this process will be a set of Coordinated Development Projects, focused on specific sub-regional geographical areas that can be considered homogeneous from the morphological, cultural and/or socio-economical viewpoints. Coordinated Development Projects will start from the shared project proposals contained in the Project Boxes, but at the same time, will go further, integrating a number of small projects (also taken from different Project Boxes) into a single one.

Examples of possible priority Coordinated Development Projects are: ‣ The Albanian Alps hiking circuit (reference Project Boxes: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7) – Creation of safe and properly equipped hiking paths for natural excursions in the mountain areas of Theth and Vermosh, integrated with first aid centres, accommodation structures and places to taste and purchase branded typical food products (safe, high-quality and certified) and handicraft objects. ‣ The Lakes circuit (reference Project Boxes: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7) – Creation of a nature and sports tourist itinerary involving the lakes of Shkodra, Vau i Dejes and Koman and including transport services (boats and bike hiring, etc.), typical cuisine (prepared with safe, high-quality branded and certified typical food products, also to be purchased on site), accommodation and first aid centres.

‣ The Castles circuit (reference Project Boxes: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8) – Creation of a cultural itinerary involving the castles of Shkodra, Drisht, Sarda, Ballezes and Babices, integrated with accommodation structures, places to taste and purchase branded typical food products (safe, high-quality and certified), and “handicraft streets” to display and sell artisan objects. ‣ Marketing of regional tourist offer (reference Project Boxes: 1, 5, 6) – Establishment of a Regional Tourist Agency dealing with the mapping of regional tourist resources, the design of a territorial “umbrella brand”, the creation and management of a website containing all the necessary information to create customized itineraries, the creation of a network of trained guides and local agents for tourist assistance, etc. ‣ Regional waste management system (reference Project Box: 8) – Organisation of a solid waste management system at the regional level, mostly based on separate collection and recycling, according to the “zero waste” approach. This will be accompanied by periodical sensitisation campaigns to raise the local communities awareness on the waste management issue.

This CDP implementation will be crucial for the success of the first three CDPs, because it will positively affect the environmental quality of the places involved in the Albanian Alps, Lakes and Castles circuits.

The Coordinated Development Projects shall derive directly from the outcomes of the strategic planning process so far conducted, and will work as the “tangible expression” of the shared tourism development strategy on the regional territory. Through them, the Actions of the regional SPT for tourism development will be gradually implemented, always bearing in mind the “big picture” represented by the overall Vision and Tourism Strategy. The diagram presented in the following page shows the relationships between Project Boxes and the possible CDPs.

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8 Clean and hospitable towns and villages of Shkodra Region

7 First aid centres network in Shkodra Region

6 Typical Shkodra region arts and crafts

5 Brands for typical Shkodra region quality food products

4 Shkodra Region - Lakes and wetlands tourist itinerary

3 Exploring the Albanian Alps

2 Shkodra Region - Heritage tourist itineraries

1 Tourist reception and marketing in Shkodra Region

PROJECT BOXES

From the Project Boxes to the Coordinated Development Projects

“Regional waste management system”

“The Lakes circuit”

“The Albanian Alps hiking circuit”

“The Castles circuit”

“Marketing of regional tourist offer”

COORDINATED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS (CDP)

SHKODRA REGION 2020: A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DISTRICT