“TUR.GRATE 2”“InteGRATEd actions to promote sustainable ToURist development 2”

5TH Meeting of the Piloting Transborder Committee – Podgorica, 12.02.2014

Final Beneficiary 7: Municipality nr.8 Tirana

Overview on achieved Project Outputs

WORK PACKAGE 1:CROSSBORDER PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION:WP.1.1: KICK OFF MEETING. As a participant, Municipality Nr.8 Tirana took part in the Kick Of Meeting, in

compliance with the agenda, where the PTC were due to be constituted.

WP.1.2: GENERAL PROJECT COORDINATION.

Municipality nr.8 Tirana, managed to take part, in the scheduled PTC meetings, in Tirana, Nardo, Igumenica, and Podgorica, as well as in other cross-border meetings, where attending and reporting the progress done in the project.

WP1.3: FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING ACTIVITY.

We managed to coordinate our activities in line with the project requirements, though some difficulties, mostly regarding with the pre financing, DVE release, different national laws and regulations etc.

Even though, we consider it a useful experience of cross-border coordinated activities, and, at this point we owe special thanks to the Lead partner, Project Technical Secretariat, and all the other partners.

We managed to release, till now 4 progress reports, and we are about to release the 5-th one, with 4 DVE-s partly closed.

WORK PACKAGE 2Communication and Dissemination

WP.2.2: Updating and management of TUR.GRATE2 web site. • As a participant, Municipality nr.8 Tirana, provided basic materials, such as

photos, press releases, presentations etc, in compliance with the requirements of the Responsible for this action, the lead partner: Municipality of Mesagne.

WP.2.3: Graphic design and printing of promotional material and publications

in this framework, we managed to create and publish two guide leaflets of several hundred copies in English, dubbed ‘TIRANA GUIDE’; the first one focusing on historical and archeological sites, and the second one focusing on local products, cuisine and accommodation facilities.

This leaflets were distributed at hands, in our specialized offices or during the international tourist shows.

WP.2.4. Accomplishment of promotional tourist events and Participation in specialized Tourist Shows.

Municipality nr.8 of Tirana, was part of the ‘London Tourist Show’, which took place from 5-8 October 2012.

A couple of hundred of promotional leaflets were distributed during this event, and our representatives had direct contact with a lot of visitors and participators.

Besides it was a good experience of cooperation; since, Tour.Grate2 was presented at a joint desk for all the partners, it created the chance of a joint presentation of the project.

WORK PACKAGE 3: Creation of a public-private shared system to manage territorial tourist product.

WP.3.2:

The realization of 20 operative meetings among tourist chain operatorsIn compliance with this activity, the Municipality nr.8 of Tirana, organized a Meeting with tourist chain operators in Tirana, on September 2011.

This Meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, from Albanian National Agency for Tourism, in adittion to representatives of Tour Agencies, Agro- Business associations, etc.

At the end of the meeting some conclusions were drawn, regarding the improvement of the partnership among public and private stakeholders in Tourism.

These conclusions were presented even at the respective cross-border meeting held in Tirana, on October 2011,

WP.4: PREPARATION AND START UP OF 7 SERVICE CENTRES

4.1:Preparation and start up of 7 service centres in Montenegrin, Albanian, Greek and Italian territories.

We put up an specialized office, which could not stand for long due to some financial shortages. But we managed to fulfill the distribution of promotion materials and other activities, using our institutional spaces, employees and equipment.

WP.6: ENHANCEMENT OF TOURIST OFFER AND SERVICES

6.1 Actions intend to qualify and innovate receptivity trough identification of pilot receptivity organizations (at least 6) to be accompanied in an Ecolabel/Emas registration/certification process)

According to this action, we were engaged as participants in the meetings organized in Tirana, by and along with the Albanian National Agency for Tourism, for the evaluation of two chosen candidates for ‘EMMAS’ and ‘ECOLABEL’ registration/certification process, which were ‘Hotel Sheraton Tirana’, and ‘Hotel Theranda’, with the presence of the Italian experts.

WORK PACKAGE 7:VALORIZATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

WP.7.1:CENSUS AND CARTOGRAPHIC MAPPING OF HERITAGE “MINOR RESOURCES” (RURAL, ARTISTIC, ARCHAEOLOGICAL) IN PARTNERS TERRITORIES.

Municipality nr.8 of Tirana, provided for, the selection of 5 objects classified as minor resources; we took care for the professional photographing of these objects:1. Mosaic of Tirana (vila rusticae) 2. Mosque of Et’hem Beu 3. the bridge of Tabake (Tanners Bridge)4. Clock Tower 5. Tirana’s Castle ( Virtual Tour)

In addition to this we provided a brief description of the historical, architectonical and artistic values of this objects, highlighting the importance they have for:

• Tirana’s history• Their location in the city center and historical core. • Their being classified as first degree cultural monuments• for being accessible and frequently visited by tourists.

WP.7.3Realization of small focused interventions of restoration and re-qualification for some identified goods.

We are engaging in partial restoration of the outer frescoes in the Central Mosque of Tirana.

This is an ongoing process after a delay in intervention, some of the reasons for that, being: bureaucratic procedures, for obtaining permit of intervention, since this object is classified to being a cultural monument of first degree and the difficulty of obtaining approval to a partial intervention, because a partial repair would create contrast with the rest of the façade.

WORK PACKAGE 9Accomplishment of a cultural events ProgrammeWP.9.1 Realization of 4 cross-border art galleries

The participation of Municipality nr.8 Tirana, in this activity started with the presentation of Albanian artists, in the Art Galleries "Colori di Frontiere" in Mesagne, and 'Boje Granica' in Bar-Montenegro.

Exhibition “Boje Granica” was also attended by the Mayor of Mynicipality nr.8 Tirana Mr.Arben Tafaj.

The event, as well as Mr.Tafay’s visit was covered by the television of Montenegro and other local media, where welcomed by the partners of Montenegrin Tourist Organization of Bar.

vThe Exhibition "Ngjyra Kufijsh" was the Albanian edition of those Art-Galleries.

It was put on show in Tirana from 24 of August to 4 of September 2011; and was held at the Gallery of the National History Museum which is one of Albania's largest Art Galleries.

In this exhibition were presented 33 artworks, 22 of which belonging to Albanian Artists and 11 art works to foreign artists from Montenegro, Greece and Italy.

It was attended from well known figures of art and culture, and the Albanian Minister of Tourism Culture Youth and Sports who emphasised the value of these activities in promoting Albanian tourism, and the support that the European Commission gives to this promotion through projects such as TUR.GRATE2.

The Exhibition attracted a considerable number of visitors .

It had a wide media coverage in the visual media and news papers.

This special event was held at Tirana’s most prestigious venue, the Palace of Congresses.

The event was attended by over 2,000 spectators.

Action 9.2 Realization of 4 cross-border dance and music representations in compliance with this action, We organized: «Sofra Tiranase 2011»

The Mayor of Tirana, the Mayor of Mesagne, Albanian Minister of Tourism and many other personalities representing institutions at both central and local levels were among those attending the event.

Many of Tirana’s most famous artists performed at this event.

Special guests from neighboring countries also performed, including the Italian folk group "La Resistenza“ from Mesagne.

In this event Mesagne Municipality and Mayor Scoditti were granted the annual award ‘TIRANA 2011’ for their leading role in TUR.GRATE2 Project, highlighting the importance that such Projects have for the development of the region..

The Mayor of Tirana welcomed at his office the Mayor of Mesagne in a special meeting where emphasized the importance of the projects like

Tour grate 2 over promoting sustainable tourist development in our countries

"Sofra Tirana 2011” received extensive media coverage, particularly through media partner Vizion +, which broadcasted the event live for audiences both at home and abroad (via satellite).