by C.M.ARethinking tourism in Albania. Recommendations for the HoReCa industry.
Tourism stakeholders from the region and beyond gathered this April in Tirana as part of the FESTA forum to discuss the future of sustainable tourism in Albania. The discourse touched on different topics such as the role of governments, investment strategies, branded destinations, job skills, and rural tourism.
Blending the forum insights with our expertise we share some useful views for our partners in the tourism industry.
From digitalization to e-tourism
Today’s digital world is known for facilitating communication, business transactions, and the distribution of information. Hotels can maximize efficiency and effectiveness by digitalizing their processes.
How?
Increase the number of visitors by optimizing the website and offering virtual experiences.
Improve daily operations using management booking systems that organize reservations, payments, and information.
Enhance customer satisfaction with tailored products and services by utilizing data to identify their interests and needs.
Influence customer decision-making through marketing campaigns.
Increase brand awareness, visibility, and engagement through social media activities.
These measures also benefit customers, offering them an improved experience at every step of the journey.
Social Media
Remaining in the digital scene, studies have shown that social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook influence customers’ travel decisions. There is abundant content created daily by influencers, regular travelers, and brands who promote trending destinations, hidden gems, and places to stay. This method has proven to be much more powerful in influencing people than written reviews or promotional offers. That’s why hospitality businesses should take a more strategic approach toward social media.
Blended tourism
7.5 million tourists visited Albania in 2022. Picturesque landscapes, stunning beaches, tasty food, great hospitality, and many more reasons to visit the country. Apart from Covid times, the last decade has seen an increase in the number of people traveling to Albania for business, events, or health tourism. The country has also attracted digital nomads, always pursuing trending destinations. Business and leisure, what’s known in the tourism slang as bleisure is a growing trend among travelers of all sorts. They combine their work visits with fun, sightseeing, historical, and gastronomy tourism. This calls for hotel operators to incorporate the bleisure concept in their business initiatives as an all-year tourism product with unlimited opportunities.
Partnerships
As cliche as it may sound, collaboration is the key to scaling your organization and the industry. Hospitality companies should consider partnering with travel agencies, airports, schools, marketing agencies, governmental institutions, and other organizations. Be it local, regional, or international these actors offer vast know-how, a skilled workforce, visibility, and support for your business.
All views considered, tourism is a combination of nature, culture, history, tradition, and people that needs to be organized and constantly promoted.