3.1. Promotion of tourism as alternative economic activity
This activity focuses on the population living in the Kosovo’s economic region West. The rationale is that this population still tends to focus primarily on agriculture and leaving tourism off the economic perspective. Therefore, this activity aims to challenge this mindset by introducing tourism. In a way the activity strives to promote entrepreneurship in tourism as (perceived) unconventional, but prospective sector. This activity is not expected to yield immediate outputs (e.g. rapid increase in number of businesses in tourism), but it is very important to start sensitising people. In time, the numbers of entrepreneurs undertaking business ventures in tourism (of course on a small scale, mainly family businesses) are expected to rise.
The promotion will be a combination of printed material and media campaign. The printed material (brochure) will contain information about tourism in general, about the tourism potential of the region and some hints how local population can benefit from tourism. It will be printed in 5,000 copies and distributed to the population, particularly targeting those individuals that would be more directly exposed to tourism.
The media campaign will be using local media as they are 1) an effective way to reach local population and are 2) inexpensive and flexible. This promotion is expected to be intensive for three months. After that, the promotion will be less frequent (just as a reminder).
The promotion activities will be designed and implemented using the help of an PR expert.
3.2. Promotion of tourist products within Kosovo
Domestic visitors (from within Kosovo) are expected to be the first and the most frequent visitors of the region West. It is they who are most likely to breakaway for weekends or special local events that would be organized. Most of them would be from the capital of Prishtina, including the many foreign people working and living in Kosovo. Therefore, promotion and attracting visitors within Kosovo is essential.
The promotion will use three tools: printed materials, local media and direct promotion.
The printed materials will be rather standard brochures promoting the tourist opportunities that the region West offers. They will be issued in 5,000 copies and distributed by post and by the direct promotion.
The direct promotion includes presentations in four different regions in Kosovo, with Prishtina being certainly among them. These presentations will be on events with high frequency of people (such as fairs).
The media will include commercials and talk shows (possibly at prime time) when the subject will be tourism or the special event organized. The proposal would be to use local, but also nation media, for greater publicity.
3.3. Promotion of tourist products in the region
Visitors from the region are less likely to be the first ones to come (compared with the domestic). However, the market potential is there and should not be underestimated. It must be borne in mind that ethnic Albanian population is living in the countries surrounding Kosovo, hence language and political aversion is not a hindrance factor. Additionally, ethnic Macedonians do not feel safety as an issue to travel to Kosovo. Serbia is a special case. It is an immense market opportunity for the region West (a market of about 10 million people), but political and safety issues reject them from visiting Kosovo.
Nevertheless, the promotion will use media similarly as in the previous activity. In Macedonia it will be also on Macedonian language.
Additionally, two visits of representatives from the region West will also be organized in Albania and Macedonia. These will focus on meetings with tour operators in the countries for attracting students or other one- to two-day excursions to the region of West Kosovo. In Macedonia it could be participation on the Balkan Tourist Fair in Skopje and/or in Ohrid. For Albanian-speaking population the same printed materials will be used.