ALBANIA | NADA DOLLANI, XHON SKËNDERI, ARMELA MAXHELAKU 31 Tourism development in Albania builds up not only on the abundant available resources that the country has, but also on the unique local values and culture11. While it has not been the main focus, Albania’s resources and history in archaeology, heritage and culture offer considerable potential12. This area has been identified as Albania’s main strengths by various visitor surveys and travel trade from foreign markets13. Albania offers three World Heritage Sites: Butrinti archaeological park, Berat and Gjirokastra, followed by an array of historic and cultural attractions and monuments14. Albania’s climate, geography, and physical variety of territory, represented by a range of mountains, lakes, rivers, and lagoons is accompanied by rich biodiversity of flora and fauna15. These are present in a number of national parks and nature reserves within the country16. Natural and rural areas in Albania offer possibilities for the development of rural tourism, ecotourism and nature-based activities (river rafting, paragliding, mountain biking, windsurfing, sailing, fishing, trekking, climbing, hiking, horseback riding, study tours, etc.)17. Some of these activities are the main motivation for visits by foreign visitors to these locations, and the reason why this sector is seen as one of the main engines of national economic growth18. 2. OVERVIEW OF TOURISM SECTOR IN ALBANIA FROM AN ECONOMICAL PERSPECTIVE Albania has flirted with the prospect of becoming a tourist destination since at least the second half of the 20th century, but never truly committed to reflecting such an engagement at a policy and economic development level because of the imminent ideology and propaganda that comes with international tourism. Year after year, tourism is increasingly crystallising as one of the main engines of the country’s economic development19. According to the Economic Impact Report of 2021 of the World Travel and Tourism Council20 along 2019, 11 Albania, Report on the Harmonization of Sustainable Development Goals with Existing Sectoral Policies. United Nations Albania, 30 January 2018, p. 190. 12 Idem. 13 Idem. 14 Idem. 15 Idem. 16 Idem. 17 Idem. 18 Idem. 19 “National Strategy For Sustainable Tourism Development 2019 – 2023”, https://turizmi.gov.al/wpcontent/uploads/2019/12/National-Tourism-Strategy-2019-2023-EN.pdf, p. 5 accessed on 25.08.2021. 20 See https://wttc.org/Research/Economic-Impact, Albania, accessed on 25.08.2021.
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