Rr. "Kozma Naska", Nr:33/6,
Elbasan 3001, Albania
Discovering Elite Travel Group’s Profit Centers
As we have mentioned before, Elite Travel Group was established in 2000 and today is a well-known travel company in Albania. On a mission to give people the best of the Balkans and Eastern Europe, we have expanded our business throughout the years.
Today, we have six profit centers, which do not offer only leisure services but also corporate travel services and business travel in Albania, as well as contributing to our community with our CSR initiatives.
Firstly, we have Elite Travel Albania which is an inbound service provider only to B2C (Business to Client). ETA offers theme-tailored services and guaranteed departures, tours, excursions, shore excursions, transfers, rent a car, luxury programs, and other land products. These services are offered throughout Eastern Europe, the Balkans countries, and Albania as well. Elite Travel Albania’s carefully-crafted routes take you to both the classic sights and lesser-known, rural highlights. The passion and desire are still at the highest level.
Next, we have Elite Travel Agency. It is a tour operator for Albanians traveling out of Albania especially to the Balkan Regions and Central Europe. It offers accommodation for weekends/weekly stays, weekend breaks, cultural trips, and daily excursions. ETAg also has its contracted cruise offers for which inland services are done and operated by Elite Travel Group. And lastly, it offers explorations with 12 international trips in 5 continents, 1 each month. The company bases its work on a very professional staff and with considerable experience in the field of services.
The third profit center is Elite Travel Lufthansa City Center. This profit center provides its services to Albanian clients, Albanian businesses, and also International corporate accounts. These services include airplane tickets, ferry tickets, visa service, accommodation, tour packages, and airport transfers. Elite Travel – LCC with 20 years of experience in the travel business, is already part of a global network Lufthansa City Center known as the best and most reliable company in the global travel market, with about 5500 employees, 650 agencies in most more than 80 countries around the globe.
As for the inbound service provider for B2B (Business to Business), we have Elite DMC. It offers hospitality products such as special accommodation contracts, round trips, theme tours, excursions and experiences, transfer services, shore excursions, Luxury programs, MICE, and many other land services. Elite DMC offers these services throughout Eastern Europe, Balkans countries, and Albania.
In addition, our Elite Mobility profit center offers transport services, rent a car, rent a driver services in Albania and the Balkans. corporate travel services
As for the inbound service provider for B2B (Business to Business), we have Elite DMC. It offers hospitality products such as special accommodation contracts, round trips, theme tours, excursions and experiences, transfer services, shore excursions, Luxury programs, MICE, and many other land services. Elite DMC offers these services throughout Eastern Europe, Balkans countries, and Albania.
In addition, our Elite Mobility profit center offers transport services, rent a car, rent a driver services in Albania and the Balkans. corporate travel services
We have Elite Academy which offers training and courses (especially for the tourism industry) focused on the principles of dual study. This is a nonprofit section, but the company is benefiting by qualifying young employees, improve its image, awareness, and company culture. This is done by offering social responsibility activities and this is considered a profit of professional development. Elite Academy is made of a group of dedicated tourism professionals with a great deal of experience. Everybody is constantly attentive to global tourism trends, especially digitalization, which is constantly changing the industry. Elite Academy is aware of the urgent need for competent serving staff in hospitality, and provide both introductory and advanced training that is specially adapted to the needs of the tourism and hospitality sector. Its courses are characterized by a combination of theoretical training and direct practice.
Elite Coaching helps entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals grow in a variety of ways. They usually work on a fixed schedule to share actionable feedback, personalized advice, and growth plans for their clients to increase company revenue, accelerate their career, or increase business growth. What Elite Coaching does, is a sustainable and smart transformation for the exponential growth of all industries.
For further information and updates, you can follow us on our social media.
Commitment & Quality monitoring certificate 2019 – LCC Elite Travel
As a member of the Lufthansa City Center Franchise, each year, Elite Travel receives the performance evaluation from LCC Commitment & Quality Monitoring. Recently, our agency got the LCC Top Performer Certificate 3*, reaching the highest possible level. We have achieved this certificate since 2013, and we continue our commitment towards LCC and our high-quality work.
Elite Travel LCC had to ensure that each of the four categories was fully completed, in order to obtain the Top Performance Certificate.
Firstly, we made sure that the agency’s appearance matched the LCC Corporate Identity.
Secondly, we had to keep our data up to date and always at 100%.
Thirdly, we had to sign the GDPR and Code of Cooperation. This means that we process the client’s data only to fulfill contractual obligations and only based on their consent.
Lastly, we had to be punctual with our payments.
As a result, by completing all these steps we closed another successful year with the LCC Franchise.
We are proud to continue to be part of the LCC network and work towards a successful future
We are proud to continue to be part of the LCC network and work towards a successful future
As a member of the Lufthansa City Center Franchise, each year, Elite Travel receives the performance evaluation from LCC Commitment & Quality Monitoring. Recently, our agency got the LCC Top Performer Certificate 3*, reaching the highest possible level. We have achieved this certificate since 2013, and we continue our commitment towards LCC and our high-quality work.
Elite Travel LCC had to ensure that each of the four categories was fully completed, in order to obtain the Top Performance Certificate.
Firstly, we made sure that the agency’s appearance matched the LCC Corporate Identity.
Secondly, we had to keep our data up to date and always at 100%.
Thirdly, we had to sign the GDPR and Code of Cooperation. This means that we process the client’s data only to fulfill contractual obligations and only based on their consent.
Lastly, we had to be punctual with our payments.
As a result, by completing all these steps we closed another successful year with the LCC Franchise.
We are proud to continue to be part of the LCC network and work towards a successful future
How will business travel change post COVID-19
The year 2020 was a hard hit for travel and tourism, especially for business travel and corporate travel. With the worldwide lockdown and strict travel restrictions, our homes turned into offices, and miles of distance turned to minute-long Zoom meetings.
But what will be the future of business travel post-Covid-19?
Business travel is that part of the travel industry that is focused on individuals who travel for work purposes. Therefore, their requirements are different compared to those of leisure travelers. When it comes to this type of customer, travel management companies must take care of transport, accommodation, as well as activities such as meetings, exhibitions, or conferences. For many companies and organizations, business travel has been essential for their success. Consequently, throughout the years it has become a multibillion-dollar industry. As a result, corporate travel is the main source of tourism for major city centers and popular hotel chains. Also, it is responsible for around half of revenues for all major airlines.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted all sorts of travel and tourism. According to Statista, global business travel spending dropped by 61% in 2020. Meanwhile, in 2019 it reached an all-time high of 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars.
In 2020, businesses have explored a new way of working through virtual meetings and home offices. While they discovered that it can be beneficial, it also reminded them of the importance of human contact. As tech gadgets have tremendously simplified work, they can also lead to professionals experiencing burnout. And in some scenarios, only meeting in person will do.
So, when it comes to creating new relationships, it can be difficult to build trust through the screen. Additionally, whenever there are too many people involved not everyone can easily participate in the conversation. So, when dealing with people from different cultures, face-to-face meetings are crucial to seal the deal.
këshillimi i hotelierëve
Një nga fokuset e kompanisë sonë është këshillimi i hotelierëve, restoranteve dhe ofruesve të aktiviteteve. Për këtë arsye, ne krijuam Elite Coaching dhe Elite Hospitality, dy nën-marka që synojnë të “trajnojnë trajnerët”. Për këtë projekt të ri, jemi bashkuar me Albatros SA dhe kemi punuar së bashku për të trajnuar hotelierë, restorante dhe ofrues aktivitetesh nga Shqipëria dhe Kosova. Ky projekt synon t’i ndihmojë të përmirësojnë standardet e tyre në mënyrë që ata të jenë në përputhje me shërbimet e kompanisë.
Ky projekt filloi në Janar, 2019. Në fillim kompania zhvilloi vizita kërkimore dhe intervista nëpër hotele. Më vonë, u zhvillua një proces përzgjedhje për 45 hotelierë në të gjithë Shqipërinë dhe Kosovën. Më tej, ne vazhduam procesin e trajnimit dhe digjitalizimit për secilin prej tyre.
Së pari, procesi u përqendrua në sektorin e menaxhimit. Gjatë trajnimit, u diskutuan tema të tilla si procedurat e menaxhimit të hoteleve, rekrutimi i stafit dhe politika e menaxhimit të burimeve njerëzore, përdorimi i sistemit të menaxhimit të pronave (PMS), dhe menaxhimi i ankesave. Një pjesë tjetër e rëndësishme e këtij hapi ishte informimi mbi tregun e burimeve kulturore që do të rezultojë në një kuptim më të mirë të klientëve nga vende dhe kultura të ndryshme që vijnë në këto hotele.
Së dyti, një pjesë tjetër e rëndësishme është trajnimi mbi shëndetin dhe sigurinë. Kjo pjesë përqëndrohet kryesisht në procedurat e higjenës dhe rëndësinë e një Sistemi të Menaxhimit të Sigurisë (SMS).
Së treti, vëmendje të veçantë merr shërbimi i klientit dhe trajnimi i stafit të shitjeve, duke përfshirë rezervimet dhe recepsionin. Kjo do të rezultojë në më shumë klientë të kënaqur, gjë që është thelbësore për çdo ofrues shërbimesh.
Së fundmi, diskutuam opsionet e marketingut dhe u përqendruam kryesisht në marketingun digjital. Propozimet ishin shkrimi i kontentit dhe prodhimi multimedias për të prekur sa më shumë klientë si në nivel lokal ashtu dhe ndërkombëtar.
Këshillimi i hotelierëve, restoranteve dhe ofruesve të aktiviteteve pati një rezultat mjaft të kënaqshëm. Trajnimi është kryer për të 45 hotelierët në rajon. Projekti rezultoi në një rritje prej 550%.
Jemi të bindur se këto trajnime do të përmirësojnë ndjeshëm shërbimet e hotelierëve, restoranteve dhe ofruesve të këtyre shërbimeve në rajon.
Na ndiqni për përditësime mbi projekte të reja!
Bashkëpunimi i ETG me shkollat VET: 32 studentë në 4 disiplina
Ka kaluar disa kohë tashmë që nga prezantimi i projektit tonë për Përgjegjësinë Sociale të Korporatës, i cili ka të bëjë me edukimin dhe trajnimin e të rinjve në qytetin tonë. Prandaj kemi krijuar Elite Academy. Një pjesë e kompanisë sonë që i dedikohet të gjithë atyre që interesohen për të fituar aftësi të reja për punët e së ardhmes. Sigurisht, partnerët tanë kryesorë në këtë iniciativë kanë qenë shkollat profesionale VET (Vocational Education and Training) në qytetin e Elbasanit.
E kemi nisur bashkëpunimin tonë me këto shkolla që në 2008, ndërkohë që kompania jonë, së bashku me internacionalë dhe qeverinë qendrore, synonte të implementonte modelin gjerman Dual VET për edukimin në turizëm. Ka qenë një rrugëtim i gjatë dhe më në fund me përmirësimet e legjislaturës gjatë viteve 2018-2019, jemi të lumtur të ndajmë me ju progresin tonë. Kemi prezantuar kurset e para, që përmbajnë mësim teorik dhe praktik.
Fatmirësisht, kemi patur komunikim cilësor me këto shkolla të cilat na besuan në trajnimin e nxënësve të tyre. Fillimisht, kishim 14 studentë, të cilët morën pjesë në kurse të kategorive të ndryshme. Të gjithë ata që kishin aftësi të mira në gjuhën Angleze arritën të punësoheshin part-time në fushat ku kishin interes. Këtë vit, kemi 33 studentë në semestrin e parë dhe parashikojmë dyfishim të këtij numri gjatë semestrit të dytë.
Qëllimi ynë është të mbështesim të rinjtë në këto shkolla duke i drejtuar, frymëzuar dhe duke i ofruar mundësi internship-i. Kjo është diçka që i ka munguar sistemit të arsimit në Elbasan për shumë vite. Rinia ka nevojë të njihet me mundësitë që kanë në vendin e tyre, dhe gjithashtu të zbulojnë pasionin e tyre. Siç ka thënë edhe Menaxheri ynë i Përgjithshëm, Z. Elvis Kotherja – “Çdo student ka talentin e tij. Gjithsesi, ne duhet të jemi të duruar dhe t’u tregojmë çfarë kemi për t’i ofruar. Në këtë mënyrë, ata mund të kuptojnë dhe të zgjedhin atë që dinë të bëjnë më mirë”.
Pra, ne synojmë vendosjen e një standardi të ri për edukimin në qytetin tonë. Jemi të sigurt se vitin pasardhës do të kemi edhe më shumë për të treguar rreth bashkëpunimit mes biznesit, shkollave profesionale (VET) dhe institucioneve lokale.
Na ndiqni për informacione të reja! Bashkëpunimi i ETG me Shkollat VET
On the verge of improving communication and bonding our team at ETG, we decided to have workshops on different aspects of our job so that colleagues understand better what each department does. One of them was the Social Media Workshop.
Two of the interns Pia-Marie Opitz and Nina Saggese created this workshop. The main goal of the workshop was to introduce the staff with the various forms of social media, explain how to make it useful in 12 steps, and its importance in the business. Hence, every participant, despite their department, got to have a look at what the marketing team deals with when it comes to social media.
A quiz on “What’s your social media?” started the warmup for the participants. Afterward, there was a discussion about what social media channels we use to promote our brand and what are all the options. Furthermore, the interns introduced the team with “12 Easy Steps for Successful Social Media Management”.
Then, it was time for practice!
The participants got divided into 4 groups and had to create one Instagram post, keeping in mind everything mentioned before. Lastly, each group shared their results and their takeaways from this workshop.
To conclude, we believe that this experience brought us one step closer to each other and made us understand more about the importance of the ETG brand from a different perspective.
What is hiking? Why is it so popular? What makes it one of the biggest trends in tourism? Among different workshops held at ETG headquarters, one of them was the Hiking and Guiding in the Outdoors Workshop. Simon Reuter, the intern from Eberswalde University, created and delivered this presentation. Being a passionate hiker, rock climber, and mountaineer since childhood, Simon, shared his experience and tips. Besides explaining the theory behind this touristic activity, he also invited our team to join him on a hike to Brari mountain.
The first part of the presentation was about hiking. It started with the basic hiking theory. We discussed different hiking terrains, what kind of clothing and gear is needed, and how to make orientation easier.
After that, we talked about safety and risk management. In this module, we saw the causes of hiking accidents, how to manage weather conditions, and what is the necessary emergency gear. By the end of the module, we talked about how to plan a hike.
The last part of the workshop was the actual hike to Brari mountain. During this part, we got to put theory into practice. We got divided into three groups and had different tasks. The first group was the planners, the second group was the storytellers, and the third one was the navigators. This workshop was yet another successful way to bring our team together and to explore one of the most popular trends in tourism. It was a very interesting experience for all of us and also a lot of fun.
History of tourism and today’s problems
Humans have traveled since the beginning of time. Initially, they traveled mostly for their basic needs and trade. Later on, following the evolution of technology, people started to travel for leisure and exploring.
It is believed that the history of tourism began somewhere around the end of the 18th century. The initial destinations for western civilizations would be historical sites such as ancient Greece or Rome and the Seven Wonders of the World. As for the eastern civilizations, the primary form of tourism would be considered pilgrimage.
Other early tourist destinations include thermal spas and grand tours of cultural sites for the aristocrats. By the early 19th century, these journeys were very common among middle-class Europeans.
The final push towards tourism globalization was the transport improvements starting from railways to cruises and finally airplanes. Later on, in the early 21st century, international tourism became one of the most important economic activities in the world.
The social and economic impact of the travel industry throughout the years has been undeniably enormous.
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, only in 2018, the global Travel & Tourism sector contributed a record of $8.8 trillion and 319 million jobs to the world economy. For eight consecutive years, this contribution has surpassed the growth rate of the world GDP. In addition to that, this research shows that Tourism is the second-fastest-growing sector in the world behind Healthcare.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the world, in general, is experiencing some major challenges. Facing the risks of a weaker world economy, political, social and trade tensions, needless to say, the tourism sector is shaken. Right now we are encountering impacts on both travel supply and demand.
Considering that this situation brings new updates every day, it is hard to give an estimation of the full impact of this pandemic. However, based on research made by UNWTO, it is estimated that during 2020, the global international tourist arrivals might decline and the loss could be of $30-$50 billion in spending by international visitors. Besides that, the coronavirus could be putting at risk around 50 million jobs around the world in the tourism sector. So far, it is certain that Asia and the Pacific region will be the most.
A travel destination that has gained a lot of popularity, is the Balkan peninsula. For a long time, these countries, except Greece, were off the beaten path for the tourists. Eventually, the tourism industry became a very important part of the GDP in these countries. Albania makes no exception because these last few years we have seen a boom in the tourism industry.
However, with the latest coronavirus outbreak, which has affected every Balkan country, tourism has taken a hard hit. First of all, with the borders being closed and flights suspended, many incoming and outgoing tourists are either canceling their plans or postponing them. Also, many of the tourist attractions, bars, restaurants are closed and different events and activities have stopped until further notice. Nonetheless, there are still bookings for Summer and Fall 2020 but with a very slow sales volume.
The fight with Covid-19 has just started, and we hope that everything turns back to normal as soon as possible, and the upcoming months show better numbers.
In December, we invited Jane Richardson, the Senior Director of Oracle Academy, to the annual youth conference SpoonbillNest 2020. During her speech, she discussed the advancements in computer science and global learning, as well as the role of women in STEM. At the same time, a possible partnership between Oracle Academy and education institutions in Elbasan was mentioned.
Now we can proudly say that this step towards our goal “Elbasan Digital City 2025” has succeeded.
Oracle is a global leader in enterprise software and IT solutions. It is well known for its cloud computing and database packages. As a part of their philanthropic program for global learning, they launched Oracle Academy. Its goal is to make advancements in computer and technology education worldwide and encourage innovation and diversity in different technology fields. Their commitment to education started 25 years ago. Now Oracle works with 120 institutions all over the world. Their support consists of curricula, Oracle cloud technology, software, and professional certification.
Now for the first time, we have this partnership in Albania as well starting with the University A. Xhuvani and professional schools of Elbasan.
How will the Oracle program be implemented?
Oracle is a global leader in enterprise software and IT solutions. It is well known for its cloud computing and database packages. As a part of their philanthropic program for global learning, they launched Oracle Academy. Its goal is to make advancements in computer and technology education worldwide and encourage innovation and diversity in different technology fields. Their commitment to education started 25 years ago. Now Oracle works with 120 institutions all over the world. Their support consists of curricula, Oracle cloud technology, software, and professional certification.
Now for the first time, we have this partnership in Albania as well starting with the University A. Xhuvani and professional schools of Elbasan.
What does this mean for future?
The University of Elbasan is the first Oracle Academy partner in Albania. We expect that this will not only change the way and quality of teaching but also attract more students. This program will create a generation that will be equipped with all the necessary tools for a better perspective for Elbasan. That is why we are proud to be a step closer to our initiative “Elbasan Digital City 2025”.
Stay tuned for more updates!
News/Discovering Elite Travel Group’s profit centers Posted on 15 Feb 2021 Discovering Elite Travel Group’s Profit Centers As we have mentioned before, Elite Travel Group was established in 2000 and today is a well-known travel company in Albania. On a mission to give people the best of the Balkans and Eastern Europe, we have expanded our business […]
News /commitment & quality monitoring Posted on 04 Mar 2020 Commitment & Quality monitoring certificate 2019 – LCC Elite Travel As a member of the Lufthansa City Center Franchise, each year, Elite Travel receives the performance evaluation from LCC Commitment & Quality Monitoring. Recently, our agency got the LCC Top Performer Certificate 3*, reaching the highest […]
News /commitment & quality monitoring Posted on 04 Mar 2020 Commitment & Quality monitoring certificate 2019 – LCC Elite Travel As a member of the Lufthansa City Center Franchise, each year, Elite Travel receives the performance evaluation from LCC Commitment & Quality Monitoring. Recently, our agency got the LCC Top Performer Certificate 3*, reaching the highest […]
News / how will business travel change Posted on 26 Apr 2021 How will business travel change post COVID-19 The year 2020 was a hard hit for travel and tourism, especially for business travel and corporate travel. With the worldwide lockdown and strict travel restrictions, our homes turned into offices, and miles of distance turned […]
News / bashkëpunimi ETG dhe Albatros S.A: këshillimi i hotelierëve Posted on 12 Jan 2018 Bashkëpunimi ETG dhe Albatros S.A: këshillimi i hotelierëve Projekt midis Albatros S.A, Elite Travel Group & Elite Academy Një nga fokuset e kompanisë sonë është këshillimi i hotelierëve, restoranteve dhe ofruesve të aktiviteteve. Për këtë arsye, ne krijuam Elite Coaching dhe Elite […]
News / bashkëpunimi i ETG me shkollat Posted on 12 Nov 2020 Bashkëpunimi i ETG me shkollat VET: 32 studentë në 4 disiplina Ka kaluar disa kohë tashmë që nga prezantimi i projektit tonë për Përgjegjësinë Sociale të Korporatës, i cili ka të bëjë me edukimin dhe trajnimin e të rinjve në qytetin tonë. Prandaj […]
News / inside the social media workshop Posted on 13 Feb 2020 Inside the social media workshop at ETG What is the big deal with social media? What is the right social media strategy? On the verge of improving communication and bonding our team at ETG, we decided to have workshops on different aspects of our job […]
News / hiking & guiding in the outdoors Posted on 03 Mar 2020 Hiking & Guiding in the outdoors workshop at ETG What is hiking? Why is it so popular? What makes it one of the biggest trends in tourism? Among different workshops held at ETG headquarters, one of them was the Hiking and Guiding […]
News / history of tourism & today’s problem Posted on 27 Mar 2020 History of tourism and today’s problems Humans have traveled since the beginning of time. Initially, they traveled mostly for their basic needs and trade. Later on, following the evolution of technology, people started to travel for leisure and exploring. How did […]
News/steps towards Elbasan Digital City Posted on 02 Feb 2021 Oracle agreement: steps toward elbasan digital city 2025 In December, we invited Jane Richardson, the Senior Director of Oracle Academy, to the annual youth conference SpoonbillNest 2020. During her speech, she discussed the advancements in computer science and global learning, as well as the role of women in […]
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