Tasho family in the resort village of Dardhe, south-eastern district of Korca, has built a special tourist destination through clear vision and sheer hard work. The investment has turned snow into an economic tool through a highly-sought ski path, leading to a significant increase in the flow of visitors. Prime Minister Edi Rama, who paid a visit to the village of Dardhe today, said that such an investment has put the government support through the Albanian Development Fund high on the agenda. The ski resorts – the Premier said – are a tourist attraction during summer season too, as the number of nature tourists wanting to be involved in the tourism experience is growing constantly. The ski run –Tasho family members said – is also being used as training ground for sports teams and athletes.

“This centre has established cooperation with the Olympic Park in Korca for the centre to be used as training centre for sportsmen, and athletes, including foreign teams and athletes. This is another idea for more construction plans to build running tracks, two or three sports grounds, accommodation facilities for sports teams during summer season to use this centre for training programs. In addition to that, the ski resorts across the world are overcrowded during the summer season too,” the Premier said This fact was supported by the resort owners, who acknowledged that a number of foreign visitors and sportsmen, mainly from Russia, Belarus and Israel have visited their resort recently and have completed a three-week training program there.

Dritan Agolli, the Director of the Albanian Development Fund, informed that Dardha and two more villages in the area have been included in the government’s 100 Villages Project, and have benefited under the EU-funded programmes through a fund to support the project design to connect these villages with  hiking and trekking paths and other elements of tourist products. According to Agolli, the area’s specific has been seen as a whole and not as villages and as such has an extraordinary potential for nature and adventure tourism. 

“What is known as Upper Devoll is a brilliant a crown of villages that boast traditions and very beautiful buildings. The roads already under construction by the Albanian Development Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide link among all villages and parts of the area and will transform it into a tourist gem,” said lawmaker Niko Peleshi, also former Korca Mayor, adding that Korca’s tourist offer will be completed with the tourist and sports airport of Lumalas. 

Korça also offers cultural tourism in Voskopoje and Vithkuq. “Korca and Pogradec provide together a complete tourism offer, which can attract more tourists and new visitors who stay longer, attracting long-term bookings and generate more earnings,” Agolli said. Such an offer – the Premier added – would also create more jobs.

Thus, the Pogradec-Korça area, with its lake, ski path and cultural sites, become a region with the most extraordinary and attractive and all year round tourist offer. “After a year, the situation will be completely different. All these projects will complete,” Peleshi emphasized.

Prime Minister Rama cited the example of Vermosh and Valbona as models of success.

“As soon as we revealed plans to build the tourist information centre in Valbona, the area saw a boom in investments. God knows how many guesthouses have been built there and how many others will follow the lead soon, including a five-star hotel due to be built soon,” the Premier said. This has encouraged many Albanian migrants to return back home and invest in their homeland.

“There is also a truth, – the Prime Minister continues, referring to concrete cases, – that the pandemic helped many people to recognize Albania because they see it on TV in Tirana, but has this area ever been shown on TV?”

***

Likewise, intense work is underway on the second section of the road linking Korça and Erseka, which will cut the drive time to 20 minutes only, offering at the same time a driving and travelling experience through scenic and stunning landscape of Kolonja and best integrating the area to Korça’s tourist offer.