At a time when protests for the prime minister’s removal have entered their 18th day, historian and researcher Auron Tare has refuted Prime Minister Rama’s claims that the protests are negatively affecting Albanian tourism.
In a Facebook post, Tare presents several arguments that, according to him, refute the claims of the head of government. According to him, the lack of warnings from the US embassy, as it usually does, shows that there is no risk to foreign visitors.
He further argues that peaceful protests can also have a positive effect, as they demonstrate an active society and citizens engaged in public life.
“This morning, the American cruise ship Seabourn arrived at the Port of Saranda. It is well known in the tourism industry that, when a country is considered unsafe or involved in serious unrest, the first to change itineraries are cruise ships. The reason is simple: cruise companies face very high insurance costs and avoid any destination that is classified as problematic.
If Albania were a country engulfed in turmoil and uncertainty, this cruise ship would not be anchored in Saranda today. On the contrary, other tourist ships are scheduled to arrive after it, according to the usual seasonal calendar.
Another significant indicator is the fact that the US Embassy has not issued any warnings about the dangers of the protests in Albania. This clearly shows that the situation is not perceived as a threat to foreign visitors.
“It can even be said that peaceful protests make a society more interesting in the eyes of tourists, because they prove that citizens are active and engaged in the public life of the country,” writes Tare.
According to Tare, the real threat to Albanian tourism is not protests, but the concreting of protected areas, damage to natural landscapes, constructions without architectural identity, and the loss of cultural heritage.
“The real threat to Albanian tourism is not protests. The real threat is the concreting of protected areas, the destruction of natural landscapes, constructions with no connection to local architecture and tradition, and the transformation of Albania into a destination without a cultural identity.”
Tourists don’t travel thousands of kilometers to see the concrete they can find everywhere. They come for the nature, history, culture and uniqueness of this place. These are precisely the assets that need to be protected if we want sustainable and long-term tourism.
“Therefore, protesting to protect Albanian nature, our heritage and culture is not only a legitimate right but a valuable service rendered to this country exhausted by its own political class,” the historian concludes his post.
