I am a Tourism undergraduate in London. i am working on a academical project of Albania%26#39;s tourism. from my research i realize that the tourism in albania is being destroyed before developing it . what do you think?
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Tourism in Albania is multi-faceted. There are elements that are threatened by overbuilding but others that are completely unexplored. The development of all aspects of the country%26#39;s economy are held back by corruption and lack of infrastructure. There is progress in tourism, but very slow and small-scale. The biggest long term threat is the %26quot;Benidorm-ization%26quot; of the coastline with no control or regard for local culture or environment. Fortunately fear of corruption, crime, and pollution have kept many foreign developers at bay. If you%26#39;d like to discuss more specifics about any aspect of the tourism industry, drop me a line at sksintirana@hotmail.com.
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I visit Albania every year and each year i see more and more people on the plane that are tourists rather than those visiting families or relatives. Albania has started to appear on travel programmes as the next hottest thing.
I have to admit I love Albania because it isn%26#39;t over populated, its tourist industry has yet to really take off. Its still considered to be an adventure to visit there.
However I can see that the tourist industry will boom soon enough. The property is incredibly cheap in certain parts of the country - and you know what Brits are like for holiday homes!
I worry that this will actually hinder the Albanian economy. If house prices sky rocket over there what will the Albanians do? The wages just about cover the cost of living currently - but if prices continue to increase God knows how things will be.
I don%26#39;t want to be negative - Albania needs tourism - currently 70% of the economy is coming from money sent from Albanians living abroad sending money into the country.
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I first visited Albania in 2006, having read an article suggesting that Albania%26#39;s coast at the time was like Italy in the 1950%26#39;s... the Italy I knew as a child when I went to visit relatives year after year and Italy was emerging from it%26#39;s post war destruction.That year I drove a motor scooter from Durres to Sarande, then went on to corfu. I was intrigued by the raw beauty of the coast, and evenm developed areas like durres did, in fact, look like Italy did in the late 50%26#39;s and early 60%26#39;s. Albania%26#39;s roads were so badly maintained in many places they were little more than piles of rubble. i loved the challenge of driving it and I loved the unspoiled coast and uncrowded towns (it was October, so the high season was long over. However, i saw many building projects going up in all the towns. Cranes were a regular fixture every so many meters, and I was amazed at what appeared to be the beginning of explosive growth. I loved it so much i returned the next year, driving from Montenegro, through Skhoder and then at Sarande turning inward and north. At Vlore I had to wait out a storm and from the balcony of my hotel I counted over thirty cranes. It was pretty shocking. They were also working on putting in a really good road, and I noticed that part of the road was now flawless, where it had been rubble only a year before. i heard a few weeks ago on CNN that the road is finished now and one can drive smoothly from north to south. i saw roadwork in the interior as well, although I don%26#39;t know if that is finished. It seemed like every cove had a hotel and a taberna sprouting on it, and I realized that soon this beautiful country would meet the same fate as the coastal communities of Italy and Greece---- not a square merer undeveloped and the raw beaches gone forever.The hoteliers still have a lot to learn, as they did not understand the notion of %26quot;competition%26quot; when the communists ruled, but that, too, is slowly coming.For locals that wil mean an influx of capital and jobs, but it is a loss for those like me, who liked the undeveloped and noncommercial nature of the country.
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We spent 18 days in Albania in June 2009. I agree with almost all of what the other replies say. I will offer in respect to the coast road that it is still being being built in stretches of varying length from Saranda to Vlore. In other parts of the country however the potential ,for better and for worst , has yet to really take off. The mountain area where the population is so small is probably more fragile than the coast.
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Just came back from a 6 day tour in South Albania with some visitors from Sweden! I have to say that from Vlora to Saranda the road is 95% finished now and it is without exagerating one of the most beautiful mediterranean roads you could travel to. Really worth a visit!
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Hey man,
Would you have any tips where to stay in Albania ? We are planning a 10 day tour in the South – Vlora down.
Thanks.
Larry
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Hi,
Would you have any tips where to stay in Albania? As in accommodation. We are planning a 10 day tour in the South – Vlora down.
Thanks.
Larry
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Hi,
Would you have any tips where to stay in Albania? As in accommodation. We are planning a 10 day tour in the South – Vlora down.
Thanks.
Larry
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Hi,
Would you have any tips where to stay in Albania? As in accommodation. We are planning a 10 day tour in the South – Vlora down.
Thanks.
Larry
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Where to stay in Albania? Hmmm ... If you come before the end of August, it might be tough finding a room anywhere south of Vlora. OK, you will probably be able to find something, but it will take some looking or settling for something less than ideal. If you come in September or later, it%26#39;s wide open. I%26#39;ll repeat a message I wrote earlier to save typing.........
Good to hear you are planning on coming to Albania. It%26#39;s a fascinating little country with a lot of quirky aspects. Some are very annoying quirks, some are funny, and others maddening.
The first question to address is how will you get around. If you are coming with a vehicle, then your possibilites are wide open and you can do lots of stuff. If you plan on riding public transportation it will take more time and limit your options somewhat. August here is the peak tourist season with the majority of the tourists being Albanians who head to the beaches and Kosovars who come for the same reason. The number of international tourists is on the rise, but still a small part of the overall trade. It will also be hot here.
Tirana is a combination of the best and worst of Albania. The city has grown rapidly with some of the growth being uncontrolled. The complete chaos of urban anarchy that existed in 1995-1998 has been cleaned up and the parks have recovered almost completely. The center of the city is vibrant and offers services on a par with any other Balkan capital. There are an unbelievable number of bars, cafe bars, and restaurants offering everything from traditional Albanian good to Indian to Chinese. There is also a lot of poverty, dust, and garbage, particularly in the periphery of the city. It can be something of a shock if you aren%26#39;t prepared for it.
As for hotels, it depends on your budget and travelling style. There is one youth hostel in Tirana that is supposed to be pretty good. It%26#39;s centrally located and has a webpage at www.tiranahostel.com.
At the top of the scale is the Sheraton which goes for about 150-200 Euro a night. The Rogner and Tirana International are also in that league. The next step down is the Xheko Imperial which is a smaller boutique hotel with wonderful facilites that is right in the heart of the restaurant/nightlife district called The Bllok. It%26#39;s website is www.xheko-imperal.com. If you want to make reservations there, tell them Agron%26#39;s (the owner) friend Steve sent you. You may be able to get the reduced rate of 90 Euro a night. There are a slew of other small hotels of varying quality and convenience scattered around Tirana that can be found on the internet. The Diplomat, The Mondial, The Grand, it all depends on how much you want to spend and what standard of facilites and service you require. If you find something and want my opinion on a specific place, drop me an e-mail.
Near Tirana, there are many interesting things to do. In the city there is the national museum, art museum, opera, the mosque and clock tower, the central square and boulevard, and some examples of Ottoman neighborhoods still exist. There%26#39;s also a cable car up to the National Park on Mount Dajti which has great views, is cooler in summer, and there are several good restaurants up there. Nearby is the castle of Petrela as well as the city of Kruje which houses a fantastic ethnographic museum and an interesting museum dedicated to Abania%26#39;s national hero, Skanderbeg. Kruje also has a restored Ottoman market street with interesting architecture and souvenir shopping.
The best beaches in terms of cleanliness are located in the South. From Vlora on down there are scattered small towns with some facilites and beautiful beaches. They include Vlora, Radhime, Orikum, Palasa, Dhermi, Jal, Himare, Qeparo, Borshi, Kakome, Saranda, and Ksamil. All of these villages/towns have some level of accomodation and all lie in beautiful scenery The beaches on the Ionian tend to be smaller, with pebbles rather than sand, and the water is colder than the Adriatic beaches which lie north of Vlora.
The Adriatic beaches include Divjake, Kavaje, Golem/Durres, Gjiri Lalzit, Lezhe/Shengjin, and Velipoje. The water is warmer, the beaches are broad and sandy, and they all have some level of accomodations. Durres/Golem is the primary destination for most beachgoers. It is an 11-km stretch of sand running from the port of Durres south along the bay. It is terribly overbuilt in the north and central sections. I have also heard many people complain about the pollution in the water there. Durres is the best place for beachfront clubs and bars and is loaded with youngsters out for summer holiday during August. It also has some interesting historical sites and a museum that are worth a look.
Away from the beach, I recommend Berat as a must-see. It%26#39;s a UNESCO heritage and has a fabulous castle with a great museum featuring the works of Onufri, one of the greatest iconographers. There are a few hotels there in the old quarter which are nice and reasonably priced.
Other hisorical sites which merit a visit are (from north to south):
Shkoder - Rozafa Castle
Lezhe - Castle
Kruje - Castle
Petrela - Castle
Durres - Roman Amphitheater/Venetian fortifications
Elbasan - Turkish fortress
Appolonia - Illyrian/Greek/Roman Ruins
Bylis - Illyrian/Greek Ruins near Patos
Ardenica - Orthodox Monastery between Lushnje and Fier
Berat - Castle
Gjirokaster - Castle
Butrint - Illyrian/Greek/Roman/Venetian/Turkish ruins. UNESCO world heritage site. Must see.
Good food is everywhere here. Just remember, near the sea: eat fish... in the mountains, eat meat. If you drink, the local wines can be quite good and Birra Korca is fantastic (particularly the dark variety).
For mountain trekking, Theth and Valbona are located in the Albanian Alps and offer spectacular scenery. The trip to Valbona is particularly challenging and involves riding the Koman ferry, one of the worlds most spectacular boat rides on Lake Koman. If the water in the reservoir is high enough in August, that is. If you only want to go walking in the hills, just pick a point on the map. Most of Albania is mountainous and most of it is unexploited for tourism. If you prefer an organized trip out into the wilderness, contact Outdoor Albania at www.outdooralbania.com for kayaking, hiking, 4x4 touring, etc. A good outfit with lots of local knowledge.
Lake Ohrid is beautiful and there are hotels along the western shore, the city of Pogradec at the southwest corner, and Tushemisht/Drilon on the southern end. Drilon has some springs which are the source of water for the lake as well as wonderful trout farming/dining.
As you can see, you could fill up 12 months with activity here, not just 12 days. I hope I%26#39;ve provided some useful leads.
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