The complete rehabilitation of the urban area along the beach area of Shkembi i Kavajes, and Mali Robit in Golem, central Albanian region of Durres, has increased the value of properties and businesses in the area by 30%.  Not too long ago, what the beach area featured was a desolate and degraded space flooded by wastewater, dust and mud, but today the whole beach stretch has been totally transformed into a well-organized residential, tourist and service area. Some 5.5-km access and exit roads along coastal area in Shkembi Kavajes and Mali Robit have been reconstructed and rehabilitated, new drainage and sewerage and wastewater collector have been rebuilt and the rainwater systems have been also rehabilitated. The project also included creation and rehabilitation of the public spaces, construction of sidewalks, creation of green spaces, installation of lighting system, and construction of a daily urban waste collection station. In the meantime, the stream of Durres flowing through the beach area in Shkembi Kavajes has been rehabilitated too.

“All elements have been treated, including the Durres stream, once a source of constant pollution, has been now rehabilitated, lighting elements, sidewalks, and special lanes providing people with disabilities access to sea. This area used to be inundated and covered by mud. The value of local businesses and properties has jumped by around 30% following the area’s rehabilitation, bringing a significant impact on tourism development,” Director of the Albanian Development Fund Dritan Agolli said.

Investment in beach area have expanded to Golem too, where works to construct a promenade adjacent to the Mak Albania Resort and rehabilitate the drainage canal have completed.

The impact of these investments has been immediate, according to Tourism and Environment Minister Blendi Klosi, as this year’s tourist season marked significant increase in business activity and the quality of tourist accommodation.

“Considering what we have been told by the tour operators in the area, the whole range of hotel, restaurant and other related tourism services have improved significantly. If the area was once a kind of abandoned area with mostly 2 or 3-star services, every restaurant, bars and hotels in the area have undergone reconstruction projects and have improved their services,” Klosi said.

The next investment due to be developed in the beach area, according to Klosi, is a project to construct the access road in Plepa area to transform it into a ring road network.