FLASH
Shkruar nga Skënder Minxhozi
Albanian tourism, mainly in the South, increased the prices almost everywhere and the people of Vlorë almost did not give you fantasy, seeing with the eyes of the mind Ivanka's yachts and villas that whitened from afar through the monopaths all the bushes of Sazan, while there is still no one there shoveled and thrown in the name of her husband Jared Kushner?!
In America, amid a poisonous election campaign between Trump and Harris, there is a seemingly absurd debate related to the size of each candidate's rallies. Donald Trump has a penchant for endlessly declaring that he organizes the biggest rallies. So much so that even former President Obama made the now famous hand gesture for the "blonde Caligula" rallies, as Donald Trump is fondly called.
In Albania, in a different context and other circumstances, there is also a debate about numbers, about other dimensions. Which is related to the real dimensions of the summer tourist season that we are leaving behind, and that this summer also brought a large number of foreign vacationers to our beaches, mountains and cities.
Trying to find the real dimensions of this season in terms of the number of foreign tourists it brought to Albania and the millions it produced, is a natural impulse but it does not have to be a "life or death" battle of figures between politics , media and public opinion.
Albanians today live practically divided between permanent residence in Albania or emigration. Since the beginning of the 90s, we have a large number of compatriots living in the four corners of the world, who already have descendants and who are jointly equipped, in a significant part, with passports and residence documents in the countries where they live.
In this aspect, trying to distinguish between a tourist, in the true sense of the term, and an Albanian who comes to see those who are still alive from his family and relatives, is as complex as it is unnecessary.
Albania has exceeded the complex of figures in tourism. The country has really opened up to the world. Since the end of the pandemic, we have welcomed millions of tourists who today violate the territory of this country even more strongly and in a capillary way than a resident of Tirana, Shkodra or Elbasan. The media announced these days that foreign tourists had also landed in the distant Fushë Arrëzin, to enjoy the freshness and clean air. This is a destination that means nothing to many of us Albanians in terms of tourism.
We have overcome the isolation syndrome by turning houses into a galaxy of rooms for rent across the territory, converting the economy, increasing incomes and most importantly, opening doors for people who until yesterday we did not know could set foot on any days in our neighbourhoods, neighborhoods and palaces. Albania has turned into a giant tourist destination and this thing, after subtracting all the defects, negative sides and imaginable minuses, is nothing but a success story. Nothing else! Just look at Rinas!
The actual and real challenge of Albanian tourism, after this hot and messy season, is to raise the standard without being complicated by the numbers. Because a country unprepared for the tourist standard is destined to lose the challenge with the number of tourists. We need more professional service, potable water, paved roads capable of handling hundreds of thousands of tourists, controlled and quality food, fast and available transportation to quickly and comfortably disperse the large crowds of tourists who descend. in Rinas, Durrës or entering from land points.
Finally and above all, we need to understand what Albanian tourism will do "when it grows". In other words, will we continue to dream of exclusively elite tourism, or will we pay homage to something more real, closer and more tangible: the common regional and European tourist.
There has been a lot of debate over prices this summer. Few have talked enough about the basic factor that provoked this growth: the illusion that elite tourism was about to land in yachts, sailboats and limousines filled with rich people and millionaires, who would fill our bars, restaurants and hotels. Even the shacks of the provinces would open their doors and get ready to get wet under the green rain of currency that would magically fall like in the famous tale of Shllafari.
How many of the most common pasta dishes were sold as if they were filled with caviar and lobster in Vlora and Saranda, after the explosion of the millionaire fable of the Trump family's giant investment in Sazan?! How many prices moved up while rosy, inflated predictions about the big wave of tourism that was coming were heard already in the spring?! The result: Albanian tourism, mainly in the South, increased the prices almost everywhere and the people of Vlorë almost did not give you fantasy, seeing with the eyes of the mind Ivanka's yachts and villas that whitened from afar through the monopaths all the bushes of Sazan, while there is no still no shovel and thrown in the name of her husband Jared Kushner?!
Delusions are never a long term advisor. Before Trump, we have to bring water 24 hours a day to the banks of the Ion, Durres and Shengjin. It remains for us to clean the garbage that continues to live on the corners of the streets, in the rivers and streams, or in the garbage cans in cities, beaches and tourist centers. Everything starts and ends with cleanliness, this is the primary lesson of developed countries.
We then have to properly train the staff of waiters, cooks and the army of cleaners, so that Kosovar, Italian, German and Spanish tourists do not leave rude comments on the online pages of our hotels, which we may pay dearly for next summer. It remains to do even better what should have been done last year and what is needed for the next year as well.
Tourism is essentially an activity, which if used as much and as it should, will bring about the gradual improvement of the country in all aspects, will sound the economy and alleviate the crisis. With the passage of time, it will keep many Albanians who continue to think that this country cannot be built and that they are losing sight of their feet, at home or will push them to return. And for this to happen, we need to be realistic about what we offer to foreigners who come to spend their money here, and for that reason they don't give you any discounts when you don't like something. We are under a giant magnifying glass like never before, here in our once unknown country that has today turned into an international tourist destination. Let's not fail in this exam just because we are full of mind to take out the invested money of the restaurant or hotel in three months.
Lini një Përgjigje