TIRANA, May 29- One of the pressing issues these days that is scaring foreign tourists away are the political tensions and the violent portrayals in the capital by international media. Although this turmoil is confined only in Tirana, touristic villages have also displayed some concerning problems of basic services, such as trash bins, sumped roads, lack of lighting, and infrastructure (etc.) projects started but never finished.
Director of “Shkodra Travel” touristic agency Sokol Hoxha, said that last year did good, but this year is uncertain since the weather hasn’t been holding well. He said that his agency has been receiving demands due to the cheap prices per offer, “because in conditions and services we can not compare ourselves to other countries or our neighbors.” Although the reduction of the VAT threshold for this sector brought some informality and encouragement, the main problem the sector faces is infrastructure. Hoxha said that a part of the roads have endless pits, there are missing orientation tables, and the categorization of hotels that has been suspended. He said they constantly ask for basic things like a garbage bin more, a better accessible sidewalk, or a sealed manhole.
“The secondary road that gives access to Golem where about half of the foreign tourists are accommodated is scandalous. We have asked the same things from all the governments for years and years, as much as we have bothersome, and nothing concrete has been done,” said Hoxha.
Hoxha said that the money collected from tourism don’t get invested in the sector. The cars the tourists rent are returned mangled due to the holed roads, and the customs check the incoming tourists with agency buses through passports and not lists. This elongates the waiting time in the border and leaves the tourists agitated and annoyed. But Hoxha said that the tourists seem a bit reluctant due to the threatened violence during the local elections, which are about to happen on June 30. Tourist agencies have requested the government to postpone elections on Fall or Winter so as not to affect foreign visitors, but their demands have been refused.
Yet, Hoxha said that they are expecting less visitors comparing to last years, and the bookings are mainly from French and German cultural groups that visit the archeological sites and museums only, starting from Shkodra, then Berat, Gjirokaster, Vlore, etc.. He said the German visitors are increasing and have promised a doubling in visitors next year if their demands for better infrastructure are met.
“One can’t go to Theth nowadays, because there is snow. Not one shovel of grit has been thrown on Koman Street. Velipoja has not one lighting bulb or a meter of asphalt. The streets of Shiroka and Velipoja are left in half. In Gjirokastra the city center is completely open. If you are going to the Blue Eye (Syri i Kalter), you should get a big car because that 1.5-kilometer-long road leading to it cannot be travelled with a small one,” said Hoxha, mentioning some setbacks that might leave tourists disappointed, implying that developments would be difficult as country-wide measures must be taken.
“Happy Tours” manager Rrahman Kasa has also confirmed that while the season beginning has so far had a good start, the follow-up remains uncertain. The first reason is related to indifference to improve the infrastructure problems inherited through years. Secondly, the uncertainty stemming from political tensions might affect bookings leading to cancellations. Kasa on the other hand said that 2019 will be the trial year for Norse tourists to decide whether they will become permanent visitors to Albania.
Kasa said the first Norse citizens arrived on May 11 and stayed in the Golem area. They have been disfavored by the bad weather, however their main dissatisfaction was with infrastructure and lack of standards offered. The foreign partners to the agencies promised a 20 percent increase in visitors because the domestic agencies promised better infrastructure. As no real developments have been made there will be most probably the same number of visitors this summer as last year. That is also the expectation of the tourist agencies, together with the hope that the turmoil won’t escalate to violence.
“We are especially concerned about the situation with the protests, as our partner agencies are under constant pressure from their customers that call to ask how the situation is, because some of them are not people who want to go through adventures in a country that does not have a well-consolidated image, and thus can cancel their reservation. This is the biggest concern we have, because Albania is not known for its strong image,” said Kasa.
