@report {1614232,
	title = {Agritourism in Albania: Trends, Constraints, and Recommendations},
	year = {2018},
	institution = {Growth Lab at Harvard{\textquoteright}s Center for International Development},
	abstract = {
	In Albania, the average specific expenditure by foreign tourists (non-residents) was 13.3\%\&nbsp;of GDP during 2013-2017, which clocked a 30\% growth within the four-year duration. The number of foreign citizen arrivals in the first half of 2018 has seen an increase by 9.1\%, as compared to the same period in 2017. "Holiday"\&nbsp;is the second most popular purpose of their visit reported after "Others." Tourism being the largest industry since 1990, with Europe representing 42\%3 of its total share, there remain huge economic dividends to reap for the emerging tourism industry in Albania. Moreover, this sector can generate non-farm employment in the agriculture sector. The challenge then is it to understand what is driving tourism growth in Albania, and what binds Albania{\textquoteright}s tourism opportunities from growing faster.



	The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) defines sustainable tourism as an enterprise that achieves a balance between the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development for long-term benefits to recipient communities. The Government of Albania, led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, has identified Agritourism as a particularly inclusive and sustainable tourism opportunity and prioritized its development as a rural economic diversification tool within the country{\textquoteright}s new "100+ villages Programme." Consistent with this program, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MoTE) has started certifying Agritourism businesses, while Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD) through the Albanian Rural Development Agency (ARDA) is in the process of funding Agritourism projects. It is essential to understand the emerging patterns within the sector to strategize appropriately supportive policies.



	The Movements of citizens in Albania (INSTAT) report for June 2018 indicates a decrease by 13.3\% in the number of foreign citizens{\textquoteright} arrivals as compared to June 2017. There is (month-by-month) erratic traffic of tourists and hence undefined tourism season for the country. The Government of Albania faces a dearth of tourism specific information, like in attractions visited most by tourists, or mapping of identified agritourism farms to make better policy judgements required for seasonal tourism preparedness.

},
	author = {Neetisha Besra}
}
