Albania’s Tourism Landscape: A SWOT Analysis for Sustainable Development
Albania’s Tourism Landscape: A SWOT Analysis for Sustainable Development

Author(s): Etleva Leskaj, Loren Lazimi
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Udruženje ekonomista i menadžera Balkana
Summary/Abstract: Albania is a small country in southeast Europe with an abundance of natural and cultural landmarks. Considering the state of international travel today and its projected expansion, many countries see tourism as a hugely promising industry. Albania’s natural and cultural features make it an attractive place for the expansion of tourism. Albania’s tourism industry has expanded steadily and considerably, keeping pace with the world economy. The tourism industry is a vital component of the Albanian economy, providing significant direct and indirect employment contributions as well as infrastructural investments. Since 1992, there have been numerous articles regarding Albanian tourism discussing the future goals of this industry (Burlea-Schiopoiu & Ozuni, 2021; Lazimi, 2021; Ylli, 2016). According to experts, there is a noticeable absence of a clear vision and appropriate, attainable goals in the developed strategy. In any event, the development of tourism was chaotic and without a strategic focus, even in the present day. This industry needs to be developed with careful planning and study. All stakeholders involved in the tourism business cannot gain equitably from this industry if there is no proper strategy in action. In light of this, it is essential to use a method like the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to look at several strategic aspects of the tourism business. SWOT analysis is a very helpful tool to utilize as a preliminary step before doing a more thorough examination of sustainable tourism. The data for the study was gathered from many sources, including a review of the literature, interviews with business professionals, and stakeholder groups from the quadruple helix, which includes civil society, private businesses (startups, SMEs, and corporations), academic institutions (researchers, universities), and public institutions at the local, regional, and national levels. Consequently, participants from every sector are active in the innovation processes, leading to outcomes that benefit all stakeholders. To establish strategic priorities, the nation’s tourism industry’s internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats were examined. Next, a framework for strategic planning was created using the SWOT matrix.

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