Prof.As.Dr. Drita KrujaHead of Tourism Department

Shkodra Universitydkruja@unishk.edu.al

The Sector Strategy: Tourism Development in Albania, 2002‐2012

Why Specialty Tourism?Low start up investments compared to investments needed to develop mass sun and beach tourism;

The attractions, being those natural, religious or cultural do exist;

This type of tourism does not depend entirely on the development of infrastructure;

The demand for this type of tourism is growing;

Customers prefer more the tourism that offers new experiences and new unseen places.

Bjeshkët e NemunaBjeshkët e Nemuna is extensions

of the Albanian Alps from the North of Albania and the

province of Plava and Gucia in Montenegro.

Recreational potentialThe recreational potential of this area is very high in terms of

downhill skiing, driving through the scenic canyon, hiking in the mountains, mountain and rock climbing, and whitewater kayaking in the river.

The highest peak of these hostile mountains, intersected by steep valleys in Albania is Maja Jezerce(2694), and in the part of Kosova the highest peak is Gjeravica‐2656

The biggest cave systems in Balkan - Great Canyon, (source Aragonite speleo association (2007).

Summer tourismResidence on the open nature, alpinism, hunting, and fishing. Mountain climate during the summer season attracts the tourists. In general the mountain complex of the BN have a convenient mountain climate conditions with different ecosystems, beautiful landscape, water abundance which represent for tourist healthy climate.

Winter tourism

Hunting and Fishing Fishing is very important for recreation tourism that represents one important reason of visitors comingOn the rivers of BN there is Trout (Salmo truta), which is a typical fish of mountains watercourse of clean water

Study CaseThethi, Shkoder, Albania

Thethi is a village in the mountain area of the Albanian Alps, 78 km northeast of Shkoder; The northern mountain region is one of the poorest in Albania characterized by:

Depopulation due to remote location;Lack of resources;Isolation in wintertime

Traditional economic activity of the area is agriculture;

continues…..In 2005 GTZ (The German Agency for Technical Cooperation) launched a project to develop tourism in Thethi having as main objectives:

Reduction of poverty and emigration;

Development of a market oriented and ecologically compatible special interest tourism;

Improvement of the attractiveness of the cultural heritage;Upgrading of supporting infrastructure;

Increase of knowledge about the region and its tourism offer.

continues…..Since the Project started several special tourism offers are implemented like:

Eight walking paths for hiking and trekking that existed in Thethi and nine more in the Albanian Alps are identified, marked and partly signposted;

A bicycle tourism route from Shkodra to Podgorica through the mountain area of Northern Albania and Montenegro including Thethi and Plava is identified;

For alpinists and free climbers several cliffs and routes are identified by experts. A small map is prepared.

continues…..Some of the families are reinvesting their profits to improve their hosting facilities or building new ones;

Other donors are supporting the development of tourism in Thethi.

RecommendationsSpecial Interest Tourism represents good development potential at BN;Foreign markets which might its primary target can be reached by:

Creating a network of students studying outside Albania; Combining tour packages with those of international tour operators;Organizing familiarizing trips with international tour operators.