Tourism sector concerned about impact of political crisis

TIRANA, May 25 – As the new tourist season has officially kicked off in most Albanian coastal cities and the first foreign tourists are arriving with cruise ships, the Albanian Tourism Association (ATA) reiterates its concern over the escalation of the political crisis following the May 8 local elections. In a conference held this week, the Association said the recent unpleasant events with the political deadlock and violence over the Tirana mayoral race were damaging the country’s tourism image and risked damaging the thousands of businesses operating in the tourism sector. “We call on the Albanian political class to take over legal, moral and civic responsibility, to say stop once and for all to violence and the blockage of democratic progress,” said ATA in a statement. However, Albania’s placing as the top travel destination in 2011 by Lonely Planet Guide and sixth global destination by CNN experts is expected to bring positive effects this year. Albanian tourism has grown at a significant pace over the past few years, contributing over 2.4 billion USD in 2009 to the Albanian economy, with expectations of 4% growth in 2011– based on statistics from the World Travel and Tourism Council. Over 200,000 Albanians work in the tourism sector, and this number is expected to grow in 2011-12, despite the effects of the global crisis on the travel and tourism industry.