Smart Tourism Enhancement Project (STEP) is grant contract of IPA 2, The European Union’s Cross-Border Cooperation Programme, allocations 2014-2015. Project partners are Metamorphosis, Foundation for Internet and Society, the Centre for Development of Polog Planning Region and Council of the Elbasan County. Project duration: 27 months
Objectives:
- Promoting a vibrant touristic sector that effectively adapts to the needs of both domestic and international markets
- Increasing capacities of tourism businesses and building of strategic partnerships and collaboration domestically, regionally and globally.
- Broadening and enhancing strategic and coordinated access to specific new and strategic tourism markets for tourism businesses
- Acceleration of growth and stimulation of new job creation
The key elements:
- Raised awareness and understanding of the need for new marketing approach in tourism;
- Exchange of information, cooperation, and joint product development within the cross-border area;
- Local expertise among private and public entities to develop enabling policies and conformity standards that meets international standard on tourism development;
- Strategy-building via wide consultation and coordination
- Networking and internationalization of the value chains
- Building links between tourism and culture
- Training and coaching support to strengthen the capacity of SMEs for efficient use of technology
- Supporting concrete champion projects as best case examples to motivate and foster cross-border tourism
Expected results:
- Increased tourism demand in the region through increased online content and activity;
- Increased capacity of tourism business to strategically use ICT;
- Created STEP network of informed and empowered tourism public and private entities, CSOs, Tourism clusters and/or chambers of commerce;
- Created credible STEP brand that creates trust, quality and integrity for SMEs in the cross-border region;
- Increased capacity of tourism businesses and individual entrepreneurs for internationalization, connection and partnership;
- Created Inter-Regional Tourism Online Platform (iTOP)