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Between tourism and the "disappearance" of villages

2025-03-23 13:40:00, Sociale CNA

If there is one main merit to tourists who have visited Albania in recent years, it is that of promoting tradition.

They are becoming unexpected ambassadors of the country's culture. From the many craft fairs to folk music concerts, including traditional cuisine tastings and Albanian nights in the many seaside hotels, tourists are increasingly seeking the true Albanian identity.

If they sit at a bar, they ask for local drinks. In a restaurant, the first request they make is a traditional dish, or local products.

Agrotourism became one of the favorite destinations for tourists, stimulating investments both for expansion and for the opening of new units, with a chain effect on the development of the entire area.

The interest of foreigners encouraged restaurants to create dishes that reflect the identity of a nation rich in history and culture.

According to TripAdvisor reviews, foreign tourists give high marks to agritourism experiences in Albania and to traditional food. Visitors emphasize that agritourism offers an authentic and culturally rich experience, where the hospitality of the locals and the rural atmosphere create a warm and relaxed environment.

Traditional food, prepared with fresh local ingredients and time-honored recipes, reflects the Mediterranean and Balkan culinary heritage, giving a unique flavor to each meal. Overall, these experiences are seen as one of the main attractions that make Albania distinctive in the region.

This high potential for rural tourism development and Albania's competitive advantage is threatened by a massive abandonment of villages.

The data that Monitor processed, based on the results of the INSTAT Census for 2023, found that the population in rural areas, excluding Tirana, has decreased by 25% compared to the 2011 Census.

While the decline was expected and inevitable given the demographic developments of urban migration and emigration, the pace of emptying many villages is frightening.

For 36 administrative units mainly in the North, the population decline was between 50 and 84%, in 48 administrative units the population declined by 40-50%, in 80 administrative units, the population declined by 30-40% and in 72 units, the decline was between 20-30%.

At this rate, many villages will be left without inhabitants in the medium term.

In addition to the natural demographic trend, there are other factors that have influenced this rapid depletion. Although Albania is the most agricultural country in Europe, still contributing to 16% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), compared to the 2% that is the European average, the sector remains uncompetitive.

Over the years, problems such as land fragmentation, which hinders mechanization and economies of scale, infrastructure, irrigation systems, making agriculture uncompetitive, have not been solved. Today, it is easier to find tomatoes from Turkey, Greece, etc. on the market than from Albania.

The trade deficit in food products is deepening, "forcing" tourists to rely on imports. The lack of competitiveness is compounded by the low level of subsidies compared to the region, or the cessation of foreign IPARD funds as a result of their being awarded without merit.

Territorial reform is another reason that “expelled” villagers. A decentralization effort in 2014 transferred responsibility for providing services to the public from the central government to local authorities.

The World Bank has analyzed that many local authorities have not been able to acquire the operational and financial capacity to manage and provide these services on a consistent basis, resulting in insufficient delivery and low quality.

The provision of public services was deficient in rural areas and contributed to further deepening inequalities.

Can what has been done wrong be undone?! Tourism is a great opportunity. In Curraj i Epërm in the Tropoja area, where there is not even a road, tourists have found a path to climb, encouraging the return of residents who have restored the towers and offer traditional food.

But tourism alone is not enough. Just as tourists have explored even the most difficult paths, the government must find ways to make rural areas more attractive, so that this potential is not lost./ Monitor Magazine