With the summer tourist season at its peak, popular tourist destinations across Albania are easily accessible for an increasingly growing number of visitors to the country thanks to the significantly improved road infrastructure this year, especially in the southern Albanian Riviera.

Two new roads linking the coastal villages of Orikum and Dukat, and Palasë – Dhërmi have been open to motorists to ease congestion at the peak period of traffic flow two main destinations and attractions in southern Albania. 

The 14,75-km long road between Orikum  and Dukat, where construction work is still underway, is seen as one of the most important infrastructure projects in the coastal city of Vlora and entire southern Albania, and it will connect Vlora bypass with the yachts port in the coastal village of Orikum, the Llogara Tunnel and the southern coast.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, inspected progress of work on construction of the two roads and drove on the newly-opened segments.

“This is the road segment connecting the yachts port at Shën Eliza Bridge or between Orikum and village of Dukat, a segment already opened to drivers to ease traffic at the peak of the tourist season. However, work on construction of this road has yet to complete. It is one of the most important road segments at it connects Vlora bypass road with the Llogara Tunnel and stretches further to connect with the road between the coastal villages of Palasë and Dhërmi that has been opened to traffic too.

This is a jewel in a whole infrastructure crown with its all elements connected with one another, starting from the new road to Vlora airport, the bypass road, Orikum-Dukat road, the Llogara Tunnel and the segment between Palasë and Dhërmi. It is a complete infrastructure package still to fully complete, although these segments are already passable. In the meantime, work is already underway for the aesthetical aspect of the road project, including tree planting to restore the road to its former glory . However, we should bear in mind the fact that construction of these roads is scheduled to complete by June 2024 and they will fully open to drivers,” the Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, also Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, explained.

The road linking the coastal villages of Palasë and Dhërmi is one of the most important road segments as it shortens distance and travel time along southern coast and, together with Llogara tunnel, eases access to most popular beaches in the Albanian Riviera.

This road project starts in the picturesque coastal village of Palasë and it will connect with Llogara Tunnel. The 4.4 -km long road includes construction of access roads to a number of tourist attractions and beaches in the area.

Infrastructure Minister Balluku said that construction of Palasë – Dhermi road has already completed and it has been opened to traffic. 

This important part of the infrastructure network along the Ionian coast is set to complete by next June, whereas work is underway on construction of the new road connecting Dhërmi with the coastal towns of Himara and Saranda, further south, as part of the government’s ambitious drive to develop infrastructure and give a boost to tourism in the country’s south and turn Albania into a regional champion for tourism by 2030.

As far as development of the accommodation infrastructure is concerned, the Prime Minister Rama said that construction of new hotels should be designed to meet the growing accommodation needs of the tourism sector. “We need to undertake a final review of the conditions of construction as we really need to enhance the accommodation and residential capacities and together with the Minister of Tourism and a team of experts we have hired, as well as foreign consultants to explore ways and projects in order to boost capacities to accommodate more visitors. This is indispensable, a new platform to make sure that strict and rigorous terms and conditions are met when construction permits for hotels and accommodation facilities along coast are issued by the National Territory Council,” PM Rama said.