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

Etleva Leskaj – University of Tirana, Faculty of Economy, Street “Arben Broci”, 1001, Tirana, Albania

Loren Lazimi – University of Tirana, Faculty of Economy, Street “Arben Broci”, 1001, Tirana, Albania

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 (start-ups, 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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