Deputy Minister of Tourism and Environment, Hajrulla �eku, outlines the strategy of this institution for 2018 with main emphasis of all-year tourism and improvement of services in this sector.
As 2017 saw an increasing flow of foreign visitors to our country with as many as 5 million tourists visiting Albania all year round, our goal is to drive this figure up for 2018, Deputy Minister �eku told Albanian Telegraphic Agency Sunday.
To support his figure, he cited an estimate for the revenues from foreign tourists in our country, which amount to roughly Lek 1.5 billion. Regarding all-year tourism, �eku pointed out that the coastline is seen with priority for its proximity to the mountains which have come to the focus of tourism as well.
With regard to tourist operator which acts independently, but monitored by the government structures, deputy Minister said it will be pivotal to its promotion abroad and as such will be encouraged in its investments in terms of infrastructure, culture and sanitation.
According to him, it is this operator that deals with promotion and distribution of foreign visitors to our main attractions.
Road infrastructure and environment is another priority for the Ministry of Tourism in the next five years to come, adding that for this year increase of revenues from tourism will be around 6.2 percent, whereas at the end of 2017, one in every 3 employees will be in tourism or other tourism-related sectors.
Designating the areas of tourist values will pave the way for investments and projects in tourism, �eku said. The trend of tourism in our country has resonated with foreign operators and media outlets, describing Albania as a Balkan destination that is worth a visit.