PHOENIX 4.0 at Balkonnect 2026: Tourism, Heritage and Innovation

01.06.2026Sparks

Tirana hosted the Balkonnect Festival 2026, a regional event that brought together public institutions, investors, entrepreneurs, tourism professionals, and experts in innovation, destination development, infrastructure, cultural heritage, and the creative economy.

The festival created space for practical discussions on how tourism in Albania and the wider Western Balkans can develop in a more sustainable and resilient way. It also gave participants an opportunity to exchange experiences, present new ideas, and establish connections for future cooperation.

Arctur was represented at the festival by Tomi Ilijas, CEO and Founder of Arctur, and Urska Starc Peceny, Chief Innovation Officer and Lead of the Tourism 4.0 initiative, who contributed to two thematic sessions.

Tomi Ilijas took part in the session “Season Extension & Destination Management and Hospitality Technology & Experience Design,” while Urska Starc Peceny participated in the panel discussion “Tourism, Real Estate & Infrastructure and Cultural Heritage and Creative Economy as Tourism Infrastructure.”

The discussion explored the role of cultural heritage and the creative economy in destination development. Heritage sites, local stories, cultural events, and creative industries were presented as an important part of a destination’s tourism infrastructure. When thoughtfully integrated into the tourism offer, they can strengthen local identity, create authentic visitor experiences, attract investment, and generate lasting value for local communities and businesses.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of connecting tourism with culture, technology, public institutions, and local companies. From the Tourism 4.0 perspective, data and digital tools can help destinations better understand visitor behaviour, monitor tourism flows, improve services, and make more informed decisions on investment, seasonality, infrastructure, and sustainable development.

The visit to Tirana also included a Steering Committee meeting of the PHOENIX 4.0 project. Project partners reviewed the progress achieved so far, discussed upcoming activities, and explored opportunities for further cooperation.

PHOENIX 4.0 supports small and medium-sized tourism businesses in becoming more resilient and better prepared for the green and digital transition. This approach is closely aligned with Tourism 4.0, which promotes the practical and responsible use of data and technology to support better destination management and more competitive tourism businesses.

The activities in Tirana connected project work with wider regional discussions and created new opportunities for cooperation among destinations, institutions, businesses, investors, and innovation experts across the Western Balkans.