Albania is internet hosting a world discussion board aimed toward selling sustainable tourism as a essential income
TIRANA, Albania — A global discussion board bringing collectively officers from the Western Balkans and southern Europe to Albania’s capital goals to advertise sustainable regional tourism as a essential income, officers stated Tuesday.
Tirana is internet hosting three days of the “Way forward for Environmental and Sustainable Tourism in Albania” discussion board, supported by the United Nations World Tourism Group (UNWTO ).
UNWTO official Zurab Pololikashvili urged the Balkan international locations to affix collectively an kind a single tourism vacation spot in an effort to extra successfully compete with giant markets resembling China, america or the Gulf international locations.
“We aren’t rivals. We’re complimentary to one another,” stated Albanian Tourism Minister Mirela Kumbaro.
With 450 kilometers (280 miles) of shoreline and 300 days of sunshine per yr Albania provides a various vary of sights starting from seashores to mountain resorts, in addition to nice meals and tradition. .
“What’s new past the ocean and the seashores is nature, the protected areas, the adventurous, mountainous, pure tourism and agro-tourism,” stated Kumbaro, including that the intention is to draw vacationers year-round.
Tourism and agriculture are two essential income assets for post-communist Albania, considered one of Europe’s poorest international locations. Tourism generated 17% of GDP in 2021, with arrivals growing 33% final yr to 7.5 million folks. Kumbaro stated 59% extra vacationers have come within the first quarter this yr in comparison with final yr.
Albanian officers say environmental safety goes hand-in-hand with tourism promotion. Final month, Tirana declared the Vjosa River – the final wild river in Europe – a nationwide park that means that any growth is prohibited. Greater than a fifth of the nation is protected.
Mohamed Ali Alabbar of the Eagle Hills Group of Corporations, an Abu Dhabi-based non-public actual property funding and growth firm, is to take a position $2.5 billion to construct the Durres Yachts & Marina port and residence space.
Like many others, Albania’s tourism business is grappling with a employee scarcity as many younger Albanians have emigrated to western European international locations in the hunt for a greater life.
Dorin Sema, a chief waiter at Lalezi Bay vacationer resort, says it isn’t straightforward to maintain younger staff when increased salaries beckon overseas.
