TOURIST CULTURE: A WAY TOWARDS CULTURAL HERITAGE PROMOTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOURISM
About the current project
The idea of this project related to tourism came about due to the characteristics and features of the area. As can be understood the title also expresses this idea.
Being a coastal area that only in the last ten years has started to be used for tourist purposes, same as in other areas with similar features, it has mostly been developed by private enterprises rather than public ones. Under these conditions, entrepreneurs have followed their interests more than community and public ones. In addition, these interests sometimes coincide and sometimes do not with the vision of tourism sustainable development.
Having these in mind, the phrase 'tourist culture' is placed at the top of the title. By increasing the tourists’ likeability, tourist areas have the opportunity to successfully compete with similar environments.
In the conditions of digitization and globalization, the tourist offers of coastal areas are quite similar. In order to stand out from other areas, the inclusion of cultural heritage in the touristic cultural creation in the residents is a priority. As it is well known the cultural heritage of each area has always something unique, even if it is very small.
Tourist culture gradually creates a special image of any area, making it distinct from others. This process gradually affects the creation of the sustainable tourism image of the area.
The purpose of the project
To generate tourist culture among students, teachers, the school community and that of the area, contributing to the promotion of the cultural heritage and environmental tourism of the area.
Such a goal promotes the culture and tourism of the area which is important for both children and young people. It also helps the school to act as an integral part of the promotion of these types of tourism.
Thus, the purpose enables students to improve their social and cultural level; It also serves the school community and the wider community of the area as well because indirectly influences economic development.
Specific objectives or operational goals
1. Informing and raising awareness among students and teachers about cultural heritage and environmental tourism as untapped tourist potential of the area.
2. Building a website to promote tourism in the area including cultural heritage and environmental tourism.
3. Expanding and strengthening the network of collaborators network, both in the Velipoja area and beyond.
Direct and indirect beneficiaries
- Direct beneficiaries from the implementation of the project will be 305 students of the High School "Nikolle Zogorjani" and its 29 teachers.
- Indirect beneficiaries from the implementation of the same project will be the students' parents, local institutions and other members of the Velipoja community.
- Indirect beneficiaries will also be the residents of the community and anyone else who has an interest in knowing the area, especially the tourist attractions.
- Indirect beneficiaries through the exploration of the webpage will be everyone who wants to learn more about the area and its tourism.
Actors involved in project’s implementation
For this project to see the light, a special working group has been set up that has planned and implemented the activities.
Part of this working group were:
- School director Shkëlzen Malevija
- Geography teacher Dritan Dyli
- Biology teacher, at the same time head of the tourism club in the school as a community center program, (SCC) Suela Ymeraj
- Albanian language and literature teacher Etleva Kryeziu
- School psychologist Fatjona Haka
- The chairman of the parents' council Dede Prela
- The chairman of the school board, Arjan Përndrecaj
- Student government member Dajana Nika
For the realization of the project activities, various experts were invited and there was cooperation with local institutions too.
Project activities
This project has gone through several stages.
- The first among them was the study of the situation, which was carried out through in-depth interviews with students, teachers and parents as the direct beneficiaries of the project.
- Other activities of a practical nature were the 4 information and awareness sessions organized at school with students, teachers and parents.
- Another activity of a practical and exploratory nature was that of the thematic visits to places that represent the cultural heritage of the area and / or have a certain importance in terms of the environment and can therefore be part of the environmental tourism. To the surprise of the working group, although residents of the area, a good part of the students did not know these places.
- One workshop was held with the representatives of the administrative unit of Velipoja and the municipality of Shkodra, in which the points of view of both sides regarding tourism development, the possible ways of action, the drafting of an action plan, etc. were discussed.
- A second workshop was held with the employees of the police post of Velipoja. The topic was similar to that of the previous workshop, but this time the role of the police was emphasized more. During the workshop, the most interested party in learning new details, despite the mutual interest, was the working group of our school.
- Another activity was the opening of the web page that can be found at the link www.nikollezogorjani.al where a summary of this project accompanied by other information about the school, about the geography and traditions of Velipoja can be found. The site is maintained by the school itself and is continuously updated with new information and activities.
- An ongoing activity is the construction of a suitable module for the school curriculum to be used in the high school. Its purpose is precisely information, awareness and education related to tourism.
Conclusions and suggestions
The organization of the coastal space of Velipoja municipality is an important and complex process. The territory of Velipoja has a very good coastal location but remains in uncontrolled speculative developments far from administration and planning. Therefore, at the moment being, the freezing of constructions in the current situation, the most careful study of the slightly affected area and the fastest solution of the area with many constructions are needed.
The rehabilitation and maintenance of the road system of the municipality has become necessary, due to the fact that the roads are in a bad condition. Infrastructure interventions will increase economic activity and improve lives. Rehabilitation and maintenance of the water supply system and KUZ are desperately needed.
Improving the cleaning and environmental protection service regarding the coastal area of Velipoje is recommended. The continuous growth of the population, the increase of constructions and the large beach attendance during summer makes it necessary to improve the cleaning service and the protection of the environment.
Being a tourist area makes it necessary to improve other services such as the public lighting system, the construction of the sidewalks, the construction of public bathrooms in the beach area, the development of the telecommunications system and the increase of the electricity supply. All this while redoing the urban study of the coastal area and its regulatory plans.
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