Regional development strategy - RDA South

22.5REGIONAL PROFILESummary conclusions2.5 Summary conclusionsREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE ECONOMIC REGION SOUTHIn general, the conclusion should be thatthe region still has untapped reserves ineconomic development. The number ofsuccessful and profitable companies is stillrelatively small. Many smaller start-upslack the expertise on how to develop theirbusiness in a proper manner, to match theirentrepreneurial drive. Skilled resources andsupport delivery systems for the start-ups arestill largely missing and consequently executetheir ideas without conducting prior marketstudies, evaluations or putting together solidbusiness plans, without securing adequatefunding and without proper training. Thenumber of business support institutions isvery small and consequently there is a lack oftraining and business education centres,business incubators and consultancy companiesto provide support to businesses. Withoutthis type of infrastructure, the businesspotential of the region cannot be fulfilled.The future construction of the cross-Balkanhighway running through the Region Southwill create numerous opportunities for the regionin medium term horizon. The strategyshould therefore focus on the issue of employmentby developing a variety of initiatives toencourage people to be more proactive (supportingSME start-ups) and more businessoriented,building an appropriate entrepreneurialand business infrastructure as well asall other types of infrastructure. At the sametime, all the business opportunities in the areasof industry, agriculture and tourismshould be developed in a responsible way –with the goal of improving the quality of environmentand preserving the bio-diversity.Regarding industry, the focus should beplaced on completing the privatization oflarger enterprises, improving competitivenessof privately owned companies and generalbusiness climate as well as giving supportfor strengthening the SME sector. Thesewould become some of the main drivers ofsuccess for all industrial activity in the region.Encouraging the citizens of Kosovo, theDiaspora members and foreign investors to investin these sectors, improving the localknowledge on how to run businesses andbuilding appropriate institutions (infrastructure)that will support entrepreneurs to startnew businesses and enhance the technologicalcapacity of existing ones are some of theways to improve the entire economy of the region.Proper support should also be developedto meet the entrepreneurial aspirations of theyouth as well as significantly improving businessopportunities for the women.Development of tourism could become a significantsource of wellbeing for a growingpart of the region’s population. The regionhas a vast tourism potential which still remainsrelatively untapped. Suitable regionalgeographic position and rich natural basis,numerous cultural and historic buildings, aswell as folklore are main basis for developmentof tourism in Southern Region. There ispotential for sustainable development of transit,mountain and winter tourism and campingfor weekends. Within Sharri Mountainsreaching the height of up to 2750 m there are16 pristine mountain lakes. Major part of thiszone belongs to the National park and the areais under the protection for the purposes oftourism development. Sharri Mountains havehundreds of meters of skiing areas which arenot properly developed, but they present bigpotential for development of winter tourism.Mountains of Koritnik and Pashtrik in Dragash/DragašMunicipality also present poten-20