Barriers Inhibiting Albanian Tourism from Being Competitive: A Delphi Study

• Author: Marietta Poshi
• Position: Keiser University
• Pages: 56-66

Vol. 3 No. 2

July 2017

Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

ISSN 2410-3918

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

56

Barriers Inhibiting Albanian Tourism from Being Competitive:

A Delphi Study

Dr. Marie a Poshi

Keiser University

Abstract

Albanian tourism is a major income contributor to the country’s employment and economy.

The industry is relatively new to the country and only recently has it been able to receive the

a ention it needs in regards to making it more appealing to tourists and everyone involved in

it. The lack of inexperience as compared to countries in the region is very apparent especially

by comparison of visitors per capita on Albania with the other destinations in the region.

Research on various factors that might inhibit Albanian tourism have been conducted and

while they display what the problems might be, they lack to suggest implementing strategies.

A qualitative Delphi was used in this research study, which included a purposeful sample of

SMEs in the fi eld of Albanian tourism. The panel of experts were drawn from three groups:

(a) government o cials, (b) industry leaders, and (c) academics. The data were collected and

analyzed from three rounds of questionnaires. The study found 10 factors inhibiting Albanian

tourism from being competitive in the region. SMEs suggested 6 short-term and 4 long-term

actions needed to be taken by Albanian tourism in order to increase its competiveness in the

Mediterranean. Recommendations for academia, government, and industry included the

need for more research in the fi eld, regulation of industry taxes and fi ghting of corruption,

investment of infrastructure, professional training and developed, and creation on independent

professional organizations.

Keywords: Tourism, Albania, Economy, Infrastructure.

Introduction

Albania has encountered some major changes to its political, economic, and social

environment since the fall of the communism in 1990 (King & Vullnetari, 2003). The

country’s economy nearly crumbled in 1992 (Korovilas, 1999). The post-communist

era, among other aspects, was an opportunity for Albania to become more like the

Western countries of Europe (Teqja & Zotaj, 2014). Albania is promoting tourism

because it is a ready way to generate income for countries, especially those with low

industrialization, and because tourism worldwide is rapidly growing (Kruja & Hasaj,

2010). Tourism is an industry that had not been explored or even considered prior to

the fall and only started initiating and developing a er (Pojani & Pojani, 2011).

Prior to the communist system change, Albania was isolated from receiving foreign

visitors, and Albanian natives were prohibited by law from leaving and visiting

other countries (Herzog, 2012). The only visitors visiting tourist destinations were

Albanian citizens and this a ributed to a relatively insignifi cant income for the

country (Hall, 1992) resulting in Albania’s current lack of being able to compete

in tourism with other tourist destinations (Pojani, 2009). Owing to the country’s

undeveloped infrastructure, there were only a few tourist destinations to choose from