Albania joins GSTC/ On December 6, the "Sustainable Tourism Conference" will be held

2024-12-03 14:15:00, Aktualitet CNA

Albania joins GSTC/ On December 6, the "Sustainable Tourism

Albania is the newest member country of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), a commitment that furthers Albania's comprehensive vision for the tourism sector.

Following the memorandum of understanding signed earlier by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and GTSC, on December 6, a "Sustainable Tourism Conference" will be organized in Tirana with the participation of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), representatives of the Organization World Tourism Organization as well as representatives of the private sector of tourism and industry from the region.

"Albania has a unique approach to tourism that is also reflected in our policies. We are one of the few countries where tourism and the environment are managed by the same ministry, creating an internal system of checks and balances. Our goal is to develop tourism as the main sector of our economy, but we are equally committed to doing it sustainably, taking care of our natural environment. The UN Tourism Barometer shows that Albania leads Europe in the growth of international visitors. Meanwhile, we have designated over 21% of our territory as protected areas, with national and natural parks offering great opportunities for ecotourism such as the Vjosa, Europe's last wild river. I am confident that GSTC will help us even more towards our objectives for a sustainable tourism that respects the environment", said the Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro about the country's membership to GSTC.

GSTC CEO Randy Durband expressed the commitment to collaborate in promoting sustainable tourism practices:

"We are pleased that the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of Albania has joined our global network as a GSTC member and we are committed to promoting sustainable tourism practices. We look forward to working with them to advance sustainable tourism practices in their country.”

Earlier, during the month of October, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment presented the National Tourism Strategy 2024-2030 with a focus on the presentation of Albania as a formalized and diverse tourist destination. Based on six main pillars, including investment, fiscal and regulatory policies in tourism, destination management, development of tourism products, marketing and training of qualified professionals, the strategy aims to increase tourism income and reduce the seasonal nature of tourism by extending the tourist offer throughout the year./ CNA