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The situation in Zvërnec/Topuzi: Striking a balance between nature protection and quality tourism

2026-06-02 09:52:00, Aktualitet CNA

The situation in Zvërnec/Topuzi: Striking a balance between nature

The head of the Hotel and Tourism Association, Zak Topuzi, has reacted to the situation created in recent days in Zvërnec.

Through a post on social media, Topuzi states that the real debate is not whether or not construction should be done in this area, but what kind of development Albanians want.

According to him, Albania has a significant deficit in the high-value tourism segment, as about 1% are hotels and resorts of the highest standards.

Topuzi adds that in this case, the challenge is related to transparency and finding a balance between protecting nature and creating quality tourism products.

"The Zvërnec problem should not be treated like the English Revolution, where workers destroyed machinery out of fear of change.

For these areas, the real debate is not “to build or not to build,” but “what kind of development do we want.” To date, there has been a lack of transparency, and this has fueled public distrust.

Albania has a significant deficit in the high-end tourism segment. Only a very small portion of our accommodation capacity, around 1%, is in hotels and resorts of the highest standards, while countries like Montenegro and Croatia have 7-10%. They have been investing in this segment for years. This has enabled them to attract high-spending tourists and extend the tourist season.

On the other hand, the concern of civil society is not without basis. The experience of recent years has created the perception that many projects labeled as “tourism” have ended up mainly as real estate developments with the sale of apartments and villas, while the tourist function has remained secondary. This is why every new project is greeted with suspicion.

Therefore, transparency is key. If a destination is proposed in Zvërnec that guarantees a long-term tourist function, professional management, jobs, quality services and year-round activity, then the development is reasonable. If the main goal is the sale of real estate, then the criticism is completely legitimate.

Ultimately, Zvërnec should not remain an untouched area just out of fear of development, nor should it turn into an uncontrolled construction site. The challenge is to find the balance between protecting nature and creating quality tourism products.

Above all, Albania is still not sufficiently visible on the European tourist map. To compete successfully, we need not only more accommodation capacity, but a clear national BRAND, well-managed destinations and tourism products that create identity. Albania needs more real tourism and less concrete.

"The debate must be professional and based on facts, not populist, where every development is called betrayal and every criticism is called an obstacle. Only in this way can we build a tourism that serves the economy, the community and the generations to come," Topuzi said. /CNA