What an eventful and informative week for our Circular Tourism Albania project in Erlangen and Nuremberg for our study visit in Germany! Ten participants from our partner organizations in the project traveled from Albania to spend two and a half days learning about sustainability strategies in the tourism and education sectors. A packed program offered a wide range of insights and inspiration for the future of the Albanian tourism sector.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to:

• Our best practice Hotel Luise for the accommodation and the insight into how hotels can operate sustainably and become climate positive;
• Janina Baumbauer from the Environmental department of the City of Erlangen, the Zukunftsacker project, and the farm shop Nagelhof for inspiring projects and educational concepts;
• the Sustainable Greeters Nuremberg—Holger and Susanne Honsel, Barbara Gaab, and Astrid Klier-Marx—for encouraging us to rethink city tours and for the tour of Nuremberg;
• the VET school FOSBOS Erlangen, especially teachers Christian Altmann, Nora Lehnerer, and Carmen Eismann, as well as the students of the Sustainability Club (Leon Ulbrich, Julia Klesev, Martin Hilleprandt, Marianna Vezyroglou, and Timo Schönwälder), for proving that small, creative ideas can spark big changes;
• the Nuremberg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) and Jonas Sassenhausen for insights into the principles of sustainable corporate social responsibility and the work of the Chamber of Commerce;
• BUND Reisen and Harry Karpp for a fruitful exchange on the challenges and opportunities facing tour operators and tourism companies in Albania;
• Romy Eißner from the City of Nuremberg’s department for environmental and health affairs for comprehensive insights into strategies for addressing climate change and the path to becoming a Fairtrade City;
• and Annika Brendel and Tanya Rubenbauer from the Sustainable Network of the CTZ Nuremberg for presenting their concept and their work.

Without the generous support of these local partners, the trip would not have been possible!

The study trip was part of the capacity building program of our Erasmus+ project. Another group will travel to France in a few days, and a one-week training session is planned for next year in Spain. The participants come from the project partners AULEDA, the Chamber of Commerce in Tirana, the vocational schools in Vlore, Elbasan, and Saranda, as well as from Albanian SMEs.