Matthias Bickert

Publications (3) View all

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  Available from: Matthias Bickert

  Article: Terra incognita oder Touristenmagnet? Einblicke in die albanische Welterbestadt Gjirokastra

  Matthias Bickert, Daniel Göler
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  ABSTRACT: Classifi cation as a World Heritage site attracts tourism. This was not the original intention of the UNESCO committee, but the symbiosis that exists between World Heritage and tourism cannot be denied. The Albanian city of Gjirokastra presents an ambivalent case: The city’s historical assets represent its most important potential for development, but what route should that development take? What is the signifi cance of achieving a balance between a market economy and the demands of modern life on the one hand, and day-to-day life within the ancient walls of the World Heritage on the other?
  uni.vers Forschung. 04/2013; 2013(Mai):18-21.
• Article: Cultural Governance in Post-Socialism - The Example of the Southeast European World Heritage City Gjirokastër (Albania)’

  Matthias Bickert
  Xie Séminaire International. Initiatives Entrepreneuriales et Développement Régional: Comparaisons Européennes. 01/2012;
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  Available from: Matthias Bickert

  Article: Coastal Tourism in Montenegro – Economic Dynamics, Spatial Developments and Future Perspectives

  Matthias Bickert, Daniel Göler, Holger Lehmeier
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  ABSTRACT: Montenegro seeks its future perspectives in tourism. And there are good reasons for that: The country was considered to be the fastest growing tourism market worldwide in 2007. Notwithstanding a slight decrease during the last years, tourism is still seen as a crucial factor for future economic development. This seems to be a viable option if we consider Montenegro's natural potential, its beneficial position on the Adriatic coastline and the experience in tourism gained in the many years since the 1970s. These dynamic developments were motivation enough to explore tourism in Montene-gro in a research project with strong empirical evidence, organised as co-operation between Universities from Germany, Albania, Montenegro and Serbia. Our empirical approach included semi-structured, flexible interviews with different types of stakeholders. Since tourism in Montenegro is still almost entirely limited to the coast, we chose three coastal hot-spots in tourism, namely Kotor, Budva and Ulcinj. Our results show that the current development in tourism can surely be considered as progressive and dynamic. But it is also strongly affected by multiple polarisations and divergent trends. There is a need for infrastructural upgrades in the mass tourism sector, which is for the most part a low budget market with very difficult future perspectives. At the same time, there is a small but growing number of very exclusive offers, often seen as the vanguard of Montenegro's future as an upper class tourists' destination. All in all, the economic bias towards coastal tourism involves the risk of an increase in the already strong spatial disparities, leaving behind a mountainous hinterland with a shrinking eco-nomy and population.
  Hrvatski Geografski Glasnik 01/2011; 183(379):165-18033.