South East Europe: achieving
competitiveness
3rd Regional Competitiveness
Conference
Southeast Europe
Montenegro
May 20 – 22, 2008
Sue Warren
Independent Consultant
London
South East Europe: achieving competitiveness
Challenge is to grow the market for visitors
Get people to stay longer in the region
Get them to spend more
Identify the strengths / successes & build on them
Present a new Balkan face
Celebrate ethnic diversity
Not
to take neighbour’s tourists
to hold on to good ideas
to hold on to conflict hangover
get constrained by the time it takes visitors to travel
around
Globalisation can drive discovery brands
Each country’s individuality is its unique asset,
especially because of globalisation
Strength is the diversity of ethnicity & experiences
Why would countries want to “merge” their
competitive identities?
Good strategy, plans, delivery should be rewarded
BUT harmonization, collective activity, practical
networking, will raise the game for mutual benefit
Managing globalisation for tourism
 Budget airlines lower travel costs
 Rising spending power of a growing
international middle class
 Search for new experiences
 Threat of product parity, how to compete in
the marketplace
 Growing demand for wider, richer more
diverse cultural diet
 …enabled & stimulated by the rapid rise of
low-cost digital communications
Managing globalisation for tourism
Globalisation means the opening up of Europe
Bulgaria & Romania going into the EU brings
SE Europe closer to the markets in terms of
cost, accessibility e.g. more and cheaper
flights
Why not aim to create a “mini Europe” within
Europe
Not a Balkan “brand” or joint identity
Manage demand and supply
Note the tourism trends - analyze them and play to
the opportunities, separately and together
Two markets emerging
1 The familiar Tour groups 2 Growth of the new traveller - Independents
They have different needs
What does each market require?
Know your markets (segmentation)
Independents - they look for ideas
They do their own research
UNESCO routes - good for Tour groups but not
for Independents - they want their own
discoveries
Based on good, motivating information,
interesting propositions
e.g. hook around events
EXIT festival in Serbia - 11.000 Brits attended last year, more
foreigners than locals
Bosnia and Hercegovina hosting 2009 World White Water
Rafting Championships
You each have many examples
What can the SE region offer?
Product that is shared across borders:
 Eco / village / authentic experiences
 Routes for culture, wine, olives
 Religious trips and Faith pilgrimages
 Adventure / adrenalin - rafting, hiking
 Sun, sea and squid
Harness what is there
What can the SE region offer?
Product that is shared across borders:
 East meets West
 Routes for culture/heritage, wine, food & hospitality
 Religious trips and Faith pilgrimages
 Adventure / adrenalin - rafting, hiking
 Eco / village / authentic experiences
 Nature / Birding
 Eco / village / authentic experiences
 Sun, sea and squid
Harness what is there
See where you could join up
Adriatic
cities
tours
the
Balkans
equal
Globalisation: imperatives for tourism
Europe Quartet
Network for strength
Build on existing ICT projects / portals
Network for strength
 Create networks to strengthen the regional offer
 Work with the private sector through existing
associations
eg1 - Association of SE Europe Travel Operators
eg2 - Balkan Alliance of Hotel Associations,
http://www.balkanalliance.org/
Network for strength
Balkan Federation of Travel Agencies
Federation’s interactive activities
“……sharing of experience, information and
attitudes, including statistical, demographic
and socio-economic approach to tourist
recourses of the member countries, as well
as mutual cooperation among them in
respect of the existing facilities, tourist
establishments, legislation, organization of
the tourist trade by the states, developing
strategy and programs and other relevant
factors in the promotion of tourism. “
Cooperation to achieve goals of common interest
Globalisation: public diplomacy
Quality
Use tools such as Quality Marks which can be
regional
For promotion and for business improvement
Quality management – the New Zealand
model
rigorous assessment and licensing process
range & quality of services appropriate to the star grade
Bespoke system for Bulgaria
The Authentic Bulgaria Quality Mark
complements the State system of
certification which takes into account
minimum standards.
Much stronger emphasis on the
characteristic experiences that
authentic tourism provides… hospitality,
personalized service, ambience,
cuisine & ties to the local community
These factors carry the strongest
weight in this assessment system
Independent assessors assess &
provide business advice to operators
Bulgaria: focus on quality
Created one official, integrated,
country-wide Quality Mark for small
accommodation providers
The Quality Mark tells travellers that a
business is professional & offers a real
Bulgarian experience...they can trust
their quality and authenticity
The Quality Mark & the systems
behind it, help businesses to improve
their quality. …provides a valuable
business tool for providers to improve
their professionalism and credibility in
the marketplace, attracting more
profitable customers
Awards of three
grades….
….a rose of
distinction
South East Europe: achieving competitiveness
Focus on Government
Political issues between countries in the region
Visa’s, make it easy for visitors
Border points - a lane for lorries and a lane for leisure
visitors
Why not have dedicated tourist friendly border crossings?
South East Europe: achieving competitiveness
Ease of accessibility
Airlines - new hubs to feed into less easily accessed
markets
Trains - joint tickets
Harmonisation of practices
Eg car hire for independent travellers
South East Europe: achieving competitiveness
Maintain the individuality of countries within SE Europe
Not just value for money
It is about experiences weighted against amount of effort
How hard is it to travel around?
South East Europe: achieving competitiveness
Promotion - practical initiatives
Joint media famil’s
Let independent journalists choose
Monitor Trip Advisor and similar sites
Market focus
Marketing more effectively – research and target agreed
source markets
Market to the same markets in a consistent way for
benefits collectively and individually
South East Europe: old, but “new” destinations
Challenge is to grow the market for visitors
Get people to stay longer in the region
Get them to spend more
Make it easy for travellers
Identify the strengths / successes & build on them
Present a new Balkan face
Networking
Harmonization of standards, protocols
Consistent quality – such as a regional Quality Mark
Collective activity – work with private sector
Practical activities such as joint online presence,
consistency promoting into target markets
Market focus and anticipating trends