Operation objective

To enhance the effectiveness and impacts of national marketing efforts and related activities, market intelligence and transparency to facilitate diversification of tourist products and markets and sustainable tourism development.

Operation rationale

Tourist products need to be promoted to the markets in order to be sold, i.e. to attract visitors and to benefit from tourism development. To develop attractive tourist products and promote them effectively, good understanding of demand, market requirements and supply is required. It is widely recognized that especially on international markets this could not be done effectively either by individual enterprises (especially if they are predominantly small), or by local or regional development actors.

The MEET is legally responsible for national marketing and related activities. However, as indicated in the socio-economic analysis, its marketing function faces serious challenges: the existing activities are perceived as limited in scope and in some cases not relevant or ineffective; the funding is significantly lower than in comparable countries; market research are scarce, statistical and other information on tourism supply and development is limited, unorganized and in some cases irrelevant or unreliable, marketing activities and provision of information to tourists are not coordinated, etc.

The operation will address these and similar issues by providing support to the MEET in its marketing and information activities. Support will be provided on the basis of mid-term framework investment programme incorporating the annually developed National Promotion Programmes as defined by the Tourism Act. The Programmes will be approved by the MA as part of the respective framework agreement to ensure consistency with the priority axis objectives as well as with already approved projects under operations 3.1 and 3.2.

List of indicative activities to be supported

• Preparation of mid and long term national strategies and programmes for tourism development and marketing of tourism and tourist products;
• Promotional activities, i.e. preparation and distribution of information and promotional materials of national scope, media advertising, participation in international tourism fairs, organisation of national tourism fairs, familiarization trips, visits by travel agents, tour operators, travel writers,  journalists etc.;
• Market surveys and other relevant surveys of national and international scope, improvement of tourism statistics, as well as dissemination of data to a broader audience;
• Monitoring of the effectiveness of marketing activities;
• Introduction of contemporary information technologies for establishing and up-grading of national information and distribution systems and networks (like a national network of tourism information centers; internet based national tourism information system; up-grading of the tourism information system of the STA, incl. the National Tourism Register), incl. supply of equipment.;
• Public awareness activities, e.g. campaigns to improve awareness of natural and cultural heritage and the importance of tourism at national and international level;
• Development and introduction of national quality certification systems for tourism services, facilities and attractions, quality labels, codes of conduct, standards, quality management systems, annual tourism awards, etc.; 
• Development and introduction of environmental standards for tourist services;
• Provision of guidance and support to tourist associations, municipalities and industry (e.g. manuals, handbooks, regular communication and provision of information, incl. e-bulletin, etc.);

Beneficiaries

Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism (specific beneficiary).

Last modified: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 3:49 PM