Promoting Gjirokastra region as a one tourist destination, was the focus of the first Assembly meeting of Association Visit Gjirokastra, organized at Cajupi Hotel, on 28th January 2020. The aim of this meeting was to invite all the touristic businesses of Gjirokastra region, in 7 municipalities (Gjirokaster, Permet, Tepelene, Kelcyre, Dropull, Memaliaj, Libohovë) to work together and to be part of association. More than 100 businesses and representatives from different stakeholders in Gjirokastra region were present in the meeting. The mayors of 6 municipalities were also present (Flamur Golemi, Mayor of Gjirokastra; Alma Hoxha – Mayor of Permet; Termet Peci Mayor of Tepelene; Gjolek Guci Mayor of Memaliaj; Mayor of Libohova- Luiza Mandi and Mayor of Dropull, Dhimitraq Toli).
In his speech the Mayor of Gjirokastra Mr Golemi, says that he strongly support the work of Visit Gjirokastra, to inform all the tourists and promote the region as a whole. He added that the Gjirokastra Municipality will share a small financial contribution for supporting this association in marketing the region as a tourist destination, and invited other colleagues of other Municipalities do the same.
The representative of Risi Albania, a program of Swiss Agency for development and cooperation, Mr Stefan Joss, said that in tourism sector is crucial that everybody participate. “In Gjirokastra the project started with information, with portal Visit Gjirokastra to make Gjirokastra known worldwide, and not only the Unesco city of Gjirokastra, but the whole qarku. In tourism we deal with public assets which are nature, mountains, rivers etc, and we deal with private sector which are tour operators. And what we see in Visit Gjirokastra, is a risi, a innovative approach where the public and the private are working together” , the director of Risi Albania said.
The Board head of Visit Gjirokastra association Mrs Kristina Fidhi spoke about the aim of association, which is to promote every corner of Gjirokastra region, to bring tourists even in forgotten villages, which means benefits for all the communities living in this region. Mr Fidhi invited all the businesses in tourism sector, to be registered as legal businesses and then to be part of the Association, and this way become part of tourism portal also.
The representative of DMO Albania, Mrs Alma Gerxhani explained the work for tourism portal www.visit-gjirokastra.com, asked all the people presented in the meeting to contribute for more attractions, histories, and other information about the region to feed better the portal and social media channels.
Tourism Development is a priority for all municipalities in the Qarku of Gjirokastra and we are happy to see that the Visit Gjirokastra Association has a vision for the future.
