FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Italians and other European tourists are flocking to Albania, one of Europe's poorest countries, whose image has long been tarnished by corruption and organized crime...
All the Italians have flocked to Albania this summer, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The prime minister left a holiday home surrounded by olive trees in Apulia and boarded a ferry packed with tourists to Vlora, whose beaches rival those of Italy on the other side of the Adriatic.
The catalyst for her short, last-minute trip was the discovery that thousands of Italians have shunned expensive sunbeds to head to Albania, a trend that has angered some Italian government officials.
The Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, ignited the debate after boasting on social networks about the "invasion" of "almost half a million" Italian tourists. He illustrated the case by drawing a parallel to a ferry full of Albanians when they left in 1991.
To calm the waters, Rama extended an invitation to Meloni, who spent several hours with her daughter and her partner at the holiday home by the sea.
"She got off [the ferry] with a big bunch of Italians who looked very proud of their special travel companion and were shouting as she got off," Rama told the Guardian. “What's great about Giorgia is that she's authentic and very direct – what you see is what you get. Her first words after I accompanied her to the place where she stayed were: 'Wow, what a beautiful city this is!'"
Italians and other European tourists are flocking to Albania, one of Europe's poorest countries, whose image has long been tarnished by corruption and organized crime. But, they are attracted to beaches and mountains. They are mostly fascinated, as Rama admits, by the cheap costs of the country.
Italian holidaymakers, especially those in Puglia, have been increasingly exasperated this summer by sometimes exorbitant costs.
The average cost of renting two sunbeds and an umbrella for the day is between €35 and €50 per day in Puglia - significantly higher than in Albania, where the cost is on average €10.
"The lower prices here definitely work their magic, but I think it's more than just the prices," said Rama. "Albania has finally gotten rid of the terrible stigma of the 90s that persecuted us for so many years. Albania is already the new tourist destination to be discovered in the Mediterranean", he added.
Among those traveling to Albania for the first time was Alessandro, a 32-year-old who lives in Bologna but grew up in Salento, an area of Puglia in the heel of Italy's boot, known for its unspoiled beaches. He and his girlfriend started their trip this weekend with a visit to the Shala River in the north before heading to the coast.
"We always like to visit different countries and I really like Eastern Europe, so the country itself is the first motive," he said. "The second is the price. Many of my colleagues also go to Albania because it is cheaper than Puglia, or Sicily, Sardinia and Tuscany. They are all beautiful, but they all cost a lot more this year.”
Ndërsa numri i turistëve të huaj në Itali është rritur këtë vit krahasuar me vitin 2022, udhëtimet e brendshme janë ulur deri në 30%, sipas shifrave të këtij muaji nga shoqata e turizmit, Federturismo. Disa italianë kanë hequr dorë fare nga pushimet për shkak të kostos së lartë të jetesës, ndërsa të tjerë kanë zgjedhur destinacione më të lira edhe nëse kjo nënkupton pagesën e fluturimeve apo trageteve. Demoskopia, instituti i kërkimit, tha se kostoja e një pushimi në Itali ishte rritur me një mesatare prej 9% krahasuar me vitin 2022.
Edhe pse shqiptarët vazhdojnë të largohen nga vendi i tyre, të shtyrë kryesisht nga varfëria dhe korrupsioni, vendi po tërhiqte vizitorë spanjollë, britanikë, amerikanë “e madje edhe australianë”, tha Rama.
Rama has focused a lot on tourism in recent years. New hotels have appeared and an airport is expected to open in Vlora next year. Albania is also becoming increasingly popular among young travelers for its party scene, with the Italian press comparing it to Rimini in the 1960s. / Adapted "Pamphlet" from " The Guardian "
Lini një Përgjigje