Entrepreneurship education largely influences the social and economic dimensions of many countries. In the framework of development, frequent changes seek to discover the most effective way of adopting and integrating educational services to meet the requirements of the labour market. This paper aims to analyse entrepreneurial competence in a teaching context from the students’ perspectives. The main objective of the research study aims to measure students’ attitudes towards entrepreneurial intentions, as impacted in an entrepreneurial teaching context. Additionally, it seeks to highlight the significance of the entrepreneurial competence of the lecturing team that goes beyond traditional teaching methods and focuses on fostering an educational environment. As entrepreneurial competence guides opportunity identification by combining skills, knowledge, and attributes and developing them into values, it bridges the gap between teaching and learning, preparing the students to cope with the challenges of the entrepreneurial world. The data were gathered by administering a structured questionnaire that focuses on the perspectives of students in the third cycle of study. The disseminated questionnaire included closed-ended questions related to the entrepreneurial education context, the entrepreneurial competence of the lecturing team, and entrepreneurial intentions. The results of this study demonstrate that the relationship between the entrepreneurial competence of lecturers and entrepreneurial education is crucial for fostering a dynamic and effective learning environment to enhance the entrepreneurial intentions of the students.

This study explores the quality of tourist destinations along the Albanian Adriatic coast, focusing on seasonality, visitor motivations, and barriers to year-round tourism. It examines key predictors of destination quality from stakeholder perspectives. Albania has a coastline stretching 477 kilometers, washed by both the Adriatic and Jon seas. They are integral parts of the Mediterranean basin. The study focuses on the Albanian Adriatic coastline, which represent not only a valuable natural resource, but also a key asset for sustainable tourism development. From a physical geography perspective, this area is part of Albania’s Western Lowland. A quantitative approach was employed, using an online questionnaire completed by 186 stakeholders from tourism-related sectors. They offer a multifaceted perspective on tourism development. Addressing challenges such as seasonality and ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of destination quality. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, Spearman’s correlation, and multiple regression. Findings reveal that seaside tourism (23.6%) is the primary reason for visits, followed by cultural (16.8%) and gastronomic tourism (13.5%). However, strong seasonality persists, with 88.2% of visits occurring in summer. Regression analysis indicates that public transport is the strongest predictor of destination quality, followed by accommodation, and pre-arrival information, accessibility, and on-site tourist information. To extend the tourism season, investment in infrastructure, and accessibility is important. Strengthenin g public transport, improving tourist information, and enhancing environmental sustainability will boost destination qual ity and competitiveness. Furthermore, improving collaboration between local stakeholders and central institutions is important for strengthening destination quality. The study contributes to the literature on emerging tourism by offering recommendations for more effective policies and practices in managing coastal destinations in Albania.

Management of tourist destinations oriented towards sustainable development is necessary for a competitive international market. The impor­tance of the authorities responsible for the management of tourist destina­tions, the coordination of activities, and the orientation of interest groups in the design and implementation of policies towards a common goal are in fo­cus today. Given the role, responsibilities, and importance of the authorities re­sponsible for the management of tourist destination management, the need to evaluate their performance in terms of the management and marketing ini­tiatives of the tourist destination is evident. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the performance of the responsi­ble authorities regarding the performance evaluation indicators. The research methodology is based on the collection of secondary data on the performance indicators, which belong to the last few years. The secondary data collected for each indicator served to complete the ques­tionnaire that evaluates the trend of the performance indicators of the local, regional, and national authorities responsible for the management of the tourist destination. This research provides an understanding of the performance evaluation of the responsible authorities in tourist destination management as well as the im­portance of evaluating performance indicators in the sustainable manage­ment of tourist destinations and taking appropriate measures related to their improvement.

Innovation problems often result from the weak or missing connec¬tions between industry and academia. This is caused by several barriers, such as the mismatch between available skills and those required by industry, or the limited ability of firms to recruit and develop human resources. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that hinder “University-Industry (U-I)” collaboration, and to examine the perceptions of both the academic and industrial sectors in our country regarding the impact of these factors on cooperation. This study is based on a review of an extensive domestic and foreign literature. Based on the conclusions of the literature review, two structured questionnaires were developed—one for academia and one for industry. The questionnaires evaluate and analyze the perception in the academic sector in our country as well as businesses about the factors that hinder cooperation and the perception about the necessary measures for the positive progress of this cooperation.

Tourism expansion presents development opportunities but also challenges requiring long-term planning and stakeholders’ collaboration. Many destinations face difficulties in translating sustainability principles into tourist satisfaction improvements (Yen et al., 2024) due to limited stakeholder engagement, inadequate long-term planning, and weak integration of local economic development into tourism policies (Coccossis & Koutsopoulou, 2020). Although responsible tourism is important, its mediating role between sustainability practices and tourist experiences remains underexplored, particularly from local stakeholders’ perspectives (Spadaro et al., 2023; Cheer et al., 2021). This study examines how stakeholder-driven sustainability initiatives enhance tourist satisfaction and how responsible tourism impacts sustainable development strategies with positive tourism outcomes along Albania’s Adriatic coast. Data from 185 stakeholders were used to assess the impact of sustainability factors on tourist satisfaction and the mediating role of responsible tourism in destination development. Findings reveal that long-term planning has the most substantial direct effect on tourist satisfaction, followed by local economic development and stakeholder participation. Furthermore, mediation analysis shows that responsible tourism initiatives in terms of local employment, cultural heritage preservation, and community-based service provision mediate the relationship between sustainability and tourist satisfaction. These results highlight the importance of integrating responsible tourism into sustainable destination management to enhance tourist experiences.

Introduction: The tourism sector is a fundamental pillar of a country's growth and development. Despite extensive study in this field, it remains an attractive domain for analysing tourist flows based on travel motivations, seen in the dynamics and characteristics of the region. Objectives: Within the framework of this study, the main objective is to understand travel motivations from the perspective of push and pull factors, helping to create a more complete and integrated tourism product. Thinking about how to create an integrated tourist product supports the promotion of the main values and unique resources that this tourism destination offers, fostering the year-round exploitation of tourism. By understanding these factors, this may have important implications for the region, especially in terms of segmenting markets, designing the tourism product, and decision-making about destination development. Methods: The study analyses the perceptions of 205 tourists who visited Vlora between September and October of 2024, using a quantitative research approach based on factor analysis and cluster analysis. Results: The findings confirm that coastal tourism remains Vlora's primary attraction, while the segmentation analysis highlights opportunities for diversifying tourism offerings to cater to different tourist motivations. By understanding the unique characteristics and preferences of each cluster, companies operating in the tourism sector and destination managers can develop targeted strategies to enhance the integrated tourism product and foster a more effective and sustainable tourism development in the Vlora region. Conclusions: This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by applying the push and pull motivation framework to a specific coastal tourism destination, offering empirical insights into how different tourist segments perceive and engage with Vlora. By integrating these findings with destination development strategies, the research enhances understanding of how to create a more sustainable and diversified tourism product. Furthermore, the study provides valuable data for policymakers and businesses seeking to optimise tourism offerings and extend the tourism season beyond peak summer months, addressing a gap in studies focused on seasonal tourism patterns in the coastal region.