Marketing Solution & Planning
Destination management organizations together with international marketing experts develop a Regional tourism marketing plan for Korca Region. DMO led the implementation process, provided marketing materials, contacts national and international tour operators. A new website and social media applications and training to implement the plan
Case study: Branding
DMO developed workshops with stakeholders with the purpose of positioning, to create a distinctive place in the minds of potential customers which will trigger an immediate positive association with the destination, an image which the consumer can refer to when confronted with the destination. In terms of positioning a destination it was important to understand that it is not what stakeholders say their destination represents but how the potential visitor perceives the destination.
The Korça Region is already known as a place of culture and history. The region is steeped in cultural heritage represented through its literature, art, museums, architecture and famous sons and daughters. This is the areas core attribute which is supported by the other fine characteristics of the region.
Case Study: Market Segmentation
Recommendations were made on development, how to handle competition, on foreign source markets in the short term (Ethnic Albanians living abroad and VFR) and in the long term (Western and Southern Europe, neighbouring countries, USA, Korea and Japan) and positioning the Korça Region.
Case Study: Marketing Implementation The Product / Market Fit
The Product / Market Fit is a technique which is used to analyse the products that tourists visiting a destination enjoy.
The Korça Marketing and Product Development Strategy Working Group, convened to consider issues arising during the project, went through a Product / Market Fit exercise to reflect on the link between markets attracted to the region and products that they consume during their visit.
This method provides a simple grading system to assess markets and products at a destination. A matrix is developed listing all the markets visiting the region in columns and the products available in the region in rows.
Case study: Value Chain analyses
The value chain analysis process adopted for the marketing and product development strategy for the Korça Region identifies the actors and activities that are involved at each stage of the chain, the constraints and obstacles that are impeding the smooth operation and development of tourism and the interventions that can be recommended to improve, expand and/or develop the situation or product.
Case study: Setting up Tourist Information Centre
The Regional tourism Office is set up at Korça City and serves as tourism administration centre for the region. The Korça City TIC acts as both the TIC for the city and as the main TIC for the region. It is managed through the DMO.
Case study: DMO West Kosovo Marketing Plan by DMO Albania - Consultancy Services
The key objective of the assignment was to formulate a marketing plan for the Destination Management Organization (DMO).
The support of DMO west Kosovo, by developing a regional marketing and product development strategy, analysing the market profile for the area based on the collected and on primary research with key informants. Assesment of tourism products available in the region, their level of development and ‘readiness’ for the markets attracted to the region and the potential for the development of new market-driven products.Use of value chain analysis to select the markets which if properly targeted will provide the greatest return on marketing investment in the short term and recommending product improvements, expansion and development. Developement of a DMO brand identity in close collaboration with the DMO members by first giving it a name, and creating elements of a simple recognizable Logo. Identification of the best promotional channels for the DMO catering to its needs. Based on the analysis, developing a three-year marketing and product development strategy for the region which will also include an indication of the most appropriate positioning of the West Kosovo Region vis-à-vis the selected markets; and providing recommendations for the future management of the tourism sector in the region.
The emphasis of the project was to prepare a strategy which will provide concrete actions that are reasonable and achievable rather than a strategy that is broad and all encompassing, and consequently difficult and expensive to deliver (and therefore more than likely abandoned).
Case study: Happy Bags
The “Happy Bags” project implemented in July - December 2011 by DMO had as it objective the organisation of women handycrafts for the creation of an innovative product; bags knitted with plastic recycled material. This project will be the innitiation of a supportive system for bussiness developement and innovative ideas on the creation of handicrafts products. 20 artisans women are target beneficiaries of this project which generate direct incmes through their products. They produce begs knitted with plastic material recycled from packiging wastes from bought products and collected plastic begs from women and children . Happy begs are an innovation which have been created of different colours , sizes and shapes, labeled under the same brand, that of the Korca region, and promoted on the DMO website, which is able to create a source of income for women artisans. The “Happy Bags” project contributed on an effective system for suporting the arisans through:
1. Setting of an artisan's centre , in a place provided by the Municipality of Korca . This centre will serve as a "manifactory" where women can gather and work togather , be trained and display their porducts This centre wil lbe promoted as the artisan's center for local and foreign toursits who would like to enjoy and buy this kind of handicrafts .
2. Artisans capacity building in empowering women artisans economically and educationally to enable them participate in business activities :
In this centre women artians are trained on local and foreign tourists favourite models and designs , labeling ( despite Korca Region brand , each bag will also have the name of the women who has produced it ) concepts on business creation and management , marketing and promotion .
3. Creation an promotion of the "Happy bag" product through :
- Web- Site
- Pomotion Corner
- Cooperation with turistic service providers
Different plastic bags will be gathered and used to create the basic material for knitting bags with an attractive design by creating in this way a unique product .These products will be promoted on the DMO website. Inside the ambience offered by the Korca Municipality despite the womens' working place it will be set a promotion corner for the created products to be sold. DMO will destribute some of the happy bags at the hotels and other regional attractions to be sold as souvnires to tourists and will organise the partecipation in a fair for the artisans, for example in Gjirokaster , of the women artisans.
Case study: Market System Analysis- Tourism sector in Albania and business constraind to growth
RisiAlbania is an initiative addressing the issue of youth unemployment in Albania through interventions promoting job creation and effective job intermediation for young people.These initiatives are carried out in key sectors of the economy that were selected following a rigorous assessment of different economic sectors in Albania according to criteria of relevance for our target group (the youth), paying particular attention to gender and social equality aspects, the growth potential of the sector and our potential to intervene. Sectors of focus are Agro-processing, Tourism and ICT, selected during the inception phase for their high employment potential. The following analysis aims to back up with market information the intervention strategies for Risi’s second sector of focus: Tourism. The purpose of the Market System Analysis in Tourism is to look at the symptoms of underperformance at tourism business level and uncover the underlying systemic constraints to growth. In other words, to find out what keeps Albanian Tourism businesses from growing and investing in job creation? The study initially lays out a comprehensive overview of the current market situation, followed by an analysis of key identified challenges and strategic suggestions for facilitating solutions through the project’s interventions.
Tourism was selected as an important sector with great relevance to the Albanian economy and to employment as well as for its growth forecasts. The Tourism sector is complex with a wide value chain that involves many interconnected sectors through its supply, activities, transportation, etc. This means that any improvements in the sector will have an impact also on many other interconnected industries that support tourists in Albania.
The Tourism Market System Analysis is built on secondary data from public and private institutions as well as primary data from focus groups and semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders in the Tourism sector. A key document consulted is the new draft National Strategy for Tourism 2014-2020 of the Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism.
- Identification and documentation of cultural heritage in Macedonia
- Survey on cultural heritage Macedonia
- Identification and documentation of cultural heritage in Albania
- Survey on identification and documentation of cultural heritage Albania/Macedonia
- Elaboration of the surveys. Preparation of a written document.
Business improvement districts (BIDs) are public/private partnerships that aim to revitalize their communities. While they are busy making their communities more aesthetically pleasing, they’re also improving business conditions. These two factors combined are responsible for BID success.
The expected results of BID include:
· Increased income for businesses through increased shopping, business and commercial activity
· Higher property values for building owners
· Greater citizen participation in municipal decision-making processes
· It is expected that all stakeholders to be included in the process of BID program, in different phases of project implementation.
The management approach proposed by DMO is focused on accountability, efficiency and timely meeting of deadlines and budgets.
As part of BID approach across a range of settings, DMO will engage businesses in the BID area, and the Board of the BID association. It will organize regularly meetings, throughout the project to ‘drive’ the BID Board and energize stakeholder in the BID program.
Main aims:
Engagement of key stakeholders in a structured way within the project to:
• Build community ownership of the BID association’s projects and activities.
• Ensure the BID association’s activities have local relevance.
• Create BID area’s businesses accountability.
• Extend projects’ reach in the local communities.
• Revise and guide the implementation of the Strategic Plan
• Promote BID association’s messages to the businesses target group.
• Help development and coordinate action plan of the BID Association in relation to their target group by pooling their expertise, local knowledge, resources and networks.
BID project in Korca will comprise key stakeholders providing a means to promote development of the area. This group will also be recognized as a valuable strategy for fostering collaborative action, relationships and communication, as well as businesses participation in activities and projects in the BID area.
Case study : "TOURACT" Project - DMO Consultancy Services
During a four month period starting from 1st March 2014, the team of seven external experts assisted by a public employee, have been working to prepare the Questionnaires templates, to fill in the questionnaires “on the spot”, to analyse the feedback received from the questionnaires and to prepare the proposed Thematic Touristic Routes in paper and digital form.
The experts performed their activity in the Region of Korca. Every single area of the Region was part of the experts’ work. The team of experts included a diversity of profiles (i.e. economics university professor, tourism expert, IT expert, legal expert, sociologist expert) with all the necessary qualifications in order to design the thematic routes of the region and to make their mapping and digitalization.
During the first two months the work included the preparation of questionnaires, the record of accommodation establishments and visitor attractions of the area,while the second part of the work included thematically analyse of the feedback obtained through the questionnaires and the preparation of the maps in paper and digital form.
The proposed routes were based on the following themes: religious, nature, food and beverage,
Each external expert, under the supervision of the TOURACT Project, worked in close collaboration with the other experts in order to fulfill his/her responsibilities and make possible the fulfillment of the responsibilities assigned to the other experts, by delivering so, one final product – Thematic Touristic Routes mapped in paper and digital form.
The implementation of this Activity is expected to brng the following results:
- Promotion of the cultural and environmental resources of the Albanian cross border in order to attract potential visitors;
- Information of visitors regarding the entertainment options during their stay in the Region of Korca.
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Case study : "BAS" Project -LIFE GALLERY HOTEL - DMO Consultancy Services
- Visitors Accomodation Surveys
The visitors accomodation survey analysis will done through filled in surveys delivered into rooms for guests . It will bring detailed information about visitors characteristics and their needs during their stay at the hotel and overall touristic journey . It is important for the identification of the actual performance level of the accomodation service and changes that happen over time . This survey will create a solid base of 7 key components that are very important to the market study.It will be created a close relationship with the Touristic Information Center , the unification of the touristic information that will be delivered by hotel service sector .
- Training on Food and Beverages
The performance evaluation of teh personal working with the food and beverages . Interviewing them about their actual work and relationships with clients. The hotel department , duties , responsabilities and professional relationships . Drafting of an action paln for all hotel service activities.
Training and know -how knowlegde transfer on food and beverage to the personel such as : waiters , restaurant and kitchen staff , barmens, suppliers etc . The interiews will be done to evaluate the staff needs.
Topics will be about: principles of a sustainable tourism, hospitality practices, personals role at business success. Key principles on how to set the table , a high service performance , role play on client – waiter service , work supplies and equipments ,food and drinks, ethics and behavior . Foreign language skills and knowledge
- Training on Wines Varieties and Sommeliers Service
Evaluation of the performance of the staff working with food and beverages. Interviewing themr on their actual work and relationships with clients. Bar and restaurant department , their coordination and work responsabilities . Giving recomandations for the summer open bar and restaurant staff on the design / wine and beverage promotion.
Training and know -how knowlegde transfer on food and beverage to the personel such as : waiters , restaurant and kitchen staff , barmens, suppliers etc . The interiews will be done to evaluate the staff needs.
Topics will be about : wine worls regions, label message, wine service, wime conbination with food , local wines and dishes, key elements for a better service performance , food and drinks etc.
- Training of the Reception Staff and Room Service
Reception and service staffs who deal with room’s service will be trained.
Topics will be about: Staff role on business success, key elements of a good performance, receptionist’s skills and responsibilities, reservations procedures, hotel’s database, cooperation in between hotel’s service; bar- restaurant and hotel room service / cleaning etc.
- Owners / Hotels Manager Tutorial
The consultants will agree on a tutotial programe for teh owner/ general manager of the hotel during the project implementation period . Thic coatching programe will be organised based on the below topics :
Owner’s/ Magager’s role, managing style; tourism guidance; data and documentation storage (ex. the discussion in between the manager and the staf , job description ); communication with tourism actors; market positioning Selfmanaging , facing difficult situations
Selfmanaging , facing difficult situations.
Partecipation in national and international tourism events
Organising weekly , monthly meetings with the managing team. Staff evaluation and clients feedback.
Market and clients division according to categories: family vacation business and monitoring monthly visitors figures.
- Hotel Rules and Laws
The consultants will closely work with the hotel’s manager / owner to develop some manuals and regulations for this hotel. This will consist in the following document preparations : inside regulations “ rules of the house “receptions manual , kitchen manual, room service / cleaning manual, hotel’s mapping which also includes clients questionnaires which provides feedback, hotel service information package, city’s attractions information, staff job description clarifying duties and responsibilities.
- Monitoring and Evaluation
The process of project monitoring: it will be agreed with the hotel’s owner/ manager based on a detailed action plan and products. After the job trainings implemented at Life Gallery all the staff will undergo an evaluation test written ( theory ) and practice one to estimate how the learned trained knowledge will be implemented in practice. The evaluation in this case will be 30% on the job objective. 30% on communication skills, 30% on job positioning, 10% other interests.
- Hotel Professional Vocabulary ; Albanian- English Dictionary
Conducting a series of English language lessons for the staff . Equiping Life Gallery with a bilingual English- Albanian professional dictionary with approximately 200-250 key words about tourism , hospitality and hotel srvice sector.
- Marketing, Branding and Identity
Support on planning, advertising, marketing strategies of the hotel for the incoming year; it includes defining the marketing situation, discussion on the target market and company’s position and a description ofteh marketing means that will be used to reach this objectives.
- Final Report
Presentation of the market study
Metodology and Serveys results
Life Gallery HotelManuals and regulations
Marketing, positioning and branding
Progressing strategy
