The cozy Balkan country near the Adriatic Sea, Albania, is inviting tourists to visit, but is mindful of concerns about super flows, reports Skift.
In order to distribute tourist flows, the state initiated a special project, within the framework of which tourists will be received by remote Albanian villages.
For example, the village of Njivica, nestled in the mountains behind an old, ruined fortress, is little known even to many Albanians, but an ambitious project aims to open the place up to the outside world and tourists eager to see the impressive natural beauty and rural lifestyle of the country's isolated areas.
"We've launched a pilot project based on the concept of close interaction with rural communities. For example, Njivice will be of interest to tourists because of its glorious history. Roman armies passed through here, and the Normans and Ottomans traveled here. This area is steeped in many stories and events. Plus, there's the stunning scenery, untouched nature, and the authentic way of life of the locals. Here you'll see people milking their sheep and goats. This was the case 4,000 years ago and continues today. Sheep's milk is still transported to the local cheese maker by donkey, and elderly villagers hike into the mountains to gather wild oregano and other herbs. Experience this way of life will be incredibly interesting for people who have lost this heritage. Here, they'll experience a special atmosphere and experience spiritual enrichment." the head of the Auron Tare project told the publication.
Currently, the region's most frequent visitors are young tourists from European countries, who travel along Albania's ancient trails and camp near the village. Over the past month, the village has seen approximately 150 visitors, mostly from the Czech Republic.
“This village is located deep in the mountains, and before the project began, I had never even heard of it,” admits Lorena Sinatrakai, an archaeologist working on the project.
At the project's inception, the village, whose daily life revolved around agriculture and livestock farming, was far from being a tourist destination and was in a rather dilapidated state. This was primarily due to the lack of a proper waste collection system, which left waste piling up on the streets. Furthermore, many local residents had moved to cities and other countries.
The first task of the project was to clear the area of debris, both within the village and in the nearby ravines. The second phase was to build accommodation. A new guesthouse is expected to be completed by next spring. The project also includes the restoration of old buildings, which will be used as guesthouses, and the construction of roads.
By the way, some residents who once left the village are already thinking about returning.
Meanwhile, project managers understand the risk of turning the village into a tourist attraction, where buses carrying hundreds of tourists will stop every day.
The danger of a too-rapid rise in mass tourism in this area is real. The project's goal is not to attract large numbers of tourists. This could destroy the area's tranquility and threaten the local way of life, they say.
"We're trying to introduce tourists to traditional hospitality without disrupting local culture. This is a challenging aspect, of course, and time will tell if we've taken the right path," says Auron Tare.
Source: trn-news.ru
