Archeological tourism displayed in Italy

TIRANA, Nov. 24 – Albania’s archeological tourism was displayed for four days in an international trade fair held in Paetum of Salerno province, southern Italy. Albania was represented with its own stand in this first participation at the World Fair of Archaeological Heritage along with exhibitors from 30 other countries from November 18 to 21 promoting the country’s top archeological and cultural sites.
Elda Omari, an Albanian archeology professor in Italy’s Padova University who lobbied Albania’s participation in the fair, made possible in cooperation with the country National Tourism Agency, elaborated for two consecutive days on Albania’s cultural heritage as a source for social and cultural development and the Butrnit case, an archeological site in southern Albania which has been a UNSECO World Heritage site since 1992.
Apart from advertising destinations, the trade fair also offered the opportunity of exchanging experience and launching joint tourist package projects which would prove of benefit to local communities through promoting employment.
The 13th edition of “Borsa Mediterranea del Turismo Archeologico” was also confirmed in 2010 as a unique international event of its kind: the seat of the world’s largest trade fair exhibition of the archaeological heritage and the first international exhibition of interactive technologies and virtual, place of study and dissemination of issues devoted to tourism and cultural heritage, organizers said. The fair also served as meeting point for business professional, travelers and fans.
Albania boast a rich archeological heritage dating from ancient times.
According to Auron Tare, the coordinator of a US-Albanian expedition which has been searching Albanian waters for four years to discover archaeological objects, the project’s final goal is to establish a museum of archaeology, possibly in Porto Palermo, which will make possible the preservation and display of underwater heritage.
Located in the 140-kilometer stretch of coastline between Vlora to Saranda, Porto Palermo along with its 18-century castle of Ali Pasha, is regarded as one of the most attractive locations in the Albanian Riviera.
Together with Albanian archaeologists the group has found 18 wrecks from ancient, medieval and modern times in their survey off the Balkan country’s coast in the last three years. Numerous amphoras and artefacts including ancient Greek, Roman, medial and modern ones have been found.