32 TOURISM LAW IN EUROPE the tourism sector recorded a direct contribution of USD 9,170 BN, accounting for about 10.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while along 2020, the tourism sector recorded a direct contribution of USD 4,671 BN, accounting for about 5.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)21. Meanwhile, the sector’s contribution to the economy is projected to grow significantly over the next 10 years, while, by 2028, the sector may reach 9.3% of the GDP22. Thus, taking into account this upward trend, it is projected that by 2028 the direct and indirect effect of the tourism sector will reach approximately one-third of Albania’s total GDP23. Europe is the main source of tourists visiting Albania taking up a volume of about 92.4% of all tourists, which reflects that the access >3 hours from one destination to another is still an important factor for the influx of travellers for tourism purposes24. However, recently tourists from the United States of America, or Asia, and especially China, have shown a significant increasing interest, thus indirectly encouraging the development of other tourism subsectors, especially the historical and cultural tourism25. However, compared to other Mediterranean countries, the development of tourism in Albania is still far from the potential represented by the country’s natural, historical and cultural assets. Infrastructure, accommodation capacities, quality of services, the tourism offers and products are all factors that have somewhat inhibited the sustainable and consistent development of tourism in Albania, leaving room for uncontrolled and chaotic development that has actually kept this industry in operation, but endangering its sustainability in the long run26. 3. TOURISM PRODUCTS IN ALBANIA In terms of their contribution to tourism revenue, the tourism products are classified into three main categories.27 These categories consist of those forms of tourism development, which occupy an important role in the sector’s 21 Idem. 22 “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. 23 Idem. 24 Idem. 25 Idem. 26 Idem. 27 Idem.
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