On May 27, 2025, the second meeting dedicated to students of the graduate program “PhD in Economics and Sustainable Tourism” was held at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism of the Faculty of Economics, within the framework of the PLACOD project.
Ms. Fatjona Kroni, MSc, professor in the Department of Computer Science, presented her project titled “The Digital Transformation of Tourism in Northern Albania.” She emphasized the importance and urgency that the current context assigns to the digitization of the tourism sector, thereby reinforcing the objectives of the PLACOD project: promoting the region through a multilingual digital platform.
In his equally engaging presentation titled “The Role of the Supply Chain in Integrating Agricultural Products for Tourism Enterprises in the Rural Areas of Northern Albania,” Mr. Sead Baraku, MSc, professor in the Department of Tourism, after highlighting the major challenges currently affecting tourism in the Albanian Alps region, emphasized—following the points raised by his preceding colleague—the necessity of digitizing information related to local products.
The presentation by Ms. Emanuela Shyti, MSc, doctoral candidate and professor in the Department of Romance Languages, served as a synthesis of the ideas developed in the two preceding presentations. Titled “The Impact of Strategic Communication and Digital Innovation on the Promotion of Tourist Destinations: Practices, Challenges, and Innovations,” her talk aimed to emphasize that success in the tourism sector largely depends on the quality of communication. Living in the digital age, digital communication is no longer a choice but an essential necessity.
Professionally moderated by Dr. Aterda Lika, professor in the Department of Romance Languages, the session fostered enriching discussions with the participants, particularly with a group of high school students from “Oso Kuka” High School. The moderator encouraged them to consider “Luigj Gurakuqi” University as a study option and Albania as a place where they can contribute their ideas, experiences, and efforts. The youth also had the opportunity to engage with speakers on the topic of digitization in tourism.
Les intervenants issus des trois départements mentionnés ci-dessus ont une fois de plus souligné l’urgence de collaborations interdisciplinaires, l’université jouant un rôle moteur dans le développement régional.
The speakers from the three aforementioned departments once again emphasized the urgent need for interdisciplinary collaboration, highlighting the university’s pivotal role as a catalyst for regional development.
