The Municipality of Himara has recorded the most spectacular increase in local revenues in the entire country during 2025, becoming the absolute champion of local fiscality, but not as a result of the expansion of the taxpayer base or the increase in traditional economic activity. The figures show that the main engine of this growth has been the wave of construction permits along the coastline, from Palasa and Dhërmi, to Borsh and Lukovë.
According to the Annual Report on Local Public Finances for 2025, Himara has achieved a local income of about 212 thousand lek per capita, the highest level in Albania and several times higher than any other municipality. In just one year, the income per capita has increased by 169,075 lek, placing Himara well ahead of Kamza and Kavaja, which are ranked in the next places.
At the heart of this growth is the infrastructure impact tax, which is paid by developers for building permits. Revenue from this tax in Himara increased from 290.6 million lek in 2024 to 1.83 billion lek in 2025, or 532% more in one year.
This means that during 2025 an extraordinary volume of construction permits was granted, mainly for tourist complexes, residences, villas and accommodation structures in one of the most sought-after areas of the Albanian Riviera. The increase in fiscal revenues coincides with the intensification of urban developments throughout the municipality, from Palasa and Dhërmiu, which have been experiencing a rapid construction transformation for years, to Jalë, Vuno, Himarë, Qeparo, Borsh and Lukovë.
Other fiscal indicators confirm the same phenomenon. Other local taxes in Himara increased by 489%, while non-tax revenues by 528%, rates that are directly related to the expansion of construction activity and the development of tourist properties.
Data suggests that Himara’s fiscal model is increasingly relying on construction and urbanization of the coastline. If until a few years ago the local economy relied mainly on seasonal tourism and services, now a significant part of the municipality’s income is being generated from building permits and taxes related to property development. / ekofin.al
