TIRANA, Sept. 1 /ATA/ – Albania has expanded the number of public beach plots by 67% during the summer tourist season, while the total area designated for public beaches has grown by more than 10%, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said on Tuesday.
The expansion covers the country’s coastal, river and lake areas and is aimed at giving residents and tourists greater access to beaches and more affordable services, Gonxhja said.
For the first time, beaches managed by municipalities are also offering services such as umbrellas and sun loungers at rates approved by municipal councils, a measure intended to help curb excessive pricing during the tourist season, he said.
Sarandë and several other municipalities in southern Albania have emerged as examples of the new management model, Gonxhja said, adding that efforts to improve the management of public coastal areas would continue.
“The atmosphere in Sarandë this year is the clearest indication of the tangible results in terms of beach access and public space,” Gonxhja said.
He said the authorities were also working to formalise the management of beaches in protected and rural areas, with the aim of ensuring that tourism revenues generate broader public benefits.
“We will continue our commitment to public beaches and to citizens’ right to affordable beach access, with affordable prices in every respect,” Gonxhja said.
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