The city of Prizren hosted the regional conference on development of tourism entitled: “Promotion of the joint tourist destination of the region of Prizren and Albania” organized by the embassy of the Republic of Albania to Kosova in association with Tourism Department of Prizreni city.
Apart from local and central govt. representatives of Albania and Kosova, in attendance of the conference were representatives of travel agencies, hotels, academic society, civil society and others.
The mayor of Prizreni, Ramadan Muja, and ambassador of Albania to Kosova, Qemal Minxhozi, took the opening floor.
Ambassador Minxhozi said in his speech: It is not by accident that we have picked the city of Prizren to organize this conference for building bridges of cooperation in development of tourism, because of the extraordinary potential on both sides of the border.
Representative of the Albania’s Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism Majlinda Hafizi unveiled the potentials for institutional and real cooperation between our two countries on the basis of Cooperation Agreement in the field of tourism signed by tourism ministers of both countries on Feb 6, 2014.
Director of Economic Development and Tourism in Prizren, Mensur Bytyçi, said that this meeting will help us all develop the right approach to unlock the extraordinary potentials for development of tourism and economy in general.
The mayor of Velipoja, Pashko Ujka, said that his commune is willing to intensify cooperation and attract Kosova tourists, appealing to Kosova businesses to show interest in the sector of tourism for which there is a legal and urban infrastructure in place.
In the first part of the regional conference, local government representatives from Kosova and Albania cities such as Prizren, Shkodër, Lezhë, Velipojë, Shëngjin as well as representatives from MoUDT and MoIT unveiled the actions for development of sustainable and year- round tourism which pave the way for promotion of tourism at regional and international level.
The second part consisted of three separate sessions with representatives of travel agencies, public and private institutions of education. They brought to attention the challenges facing tour operators and also came up with ideas and proposals on legal and fiscal actions for both governments.
At the end of the conference, participants drew conclusions and recommendations which will be submitted to relevant policymaking structures with view to incorporating them in the legal and institutional reform of the two governments to promote a sustainable and year-round tourism.