Programi për Zhvillim e Integruar Urban dhe Turizmin (PZHIUT)

Buxheti: 63.8 milionë Euro

Implementation period : 2017 – 2022

Funding: World Bank

Geographical coverage: 3 Counties (Vlora, Berat, Gjirokastra) 4 municipalities (Saranda, Gjirokastra, Berat, Permet) and the tourism corridor of this region.

Beneficiaries: 92 thousand beneficiaries

Project Objective:

Improving urban infrastructure, promoting tourism and strengthening institutional capacity to support tourism and the development of local economy in selected areas in southern Albania. The project will impact the development of the economy and improve living conditions in the southern region of the country.

The project is founded by an activities package and its components are as follows:

Project Components:

Component 1 - Urban Upgrading and Infrastructure Improvement

This component will finance the design and the implementation of activities for urban development and improvement of municipal infrastructure in the cities/towns of Saranda, Gjirokastra, Berat, and Permet.

public spaces( ex: parks, squares, pedestrian walkways, etc);
street network, inter-modal junction and associated infrastructure(ex: sidewalks, road crossings, street lights, bicycle lanes, bus stops, etc);
restoration of selected heritage and improvement of facades in selected buildings;
upgrade of tourism areas (ex: access roads, visitors centers, parking lots, tourist signaling)

Through this component will be financed the preparation of urban projects, feasibility study, engineering projects and supervision of construction projects. Underground infrastructure is part of this component too.

Component 2 – Tourism Centers Upgrading

This component aims to improve tourism centers along the tourism corridor of Southern Albania. Main investments include: restoration of cultural heritage assets, improvement of infrastructure, preparation of feasibility studies, site management plans, engineering projects and supervision of works.

Component 3- Tourism market and product development

This component will fund activities to improve municipal management and provision of services, as well as value chain development. This component is divided into two complementary components:.

Support in improving municipal services.
Development of tourism products and value chain.

During 2021, were realized 5 consultancies.

Expected results:

rehabilitation of 100 thousand m² public spaces;
rehabilitation of 11 tourist sites
5% increase in satisfied tourists in rehabilitated tourist sites;
4 municipalities with improved management system and functional destination management partnership;
rehabilitation of 14 km urban roads;
19 km roads with improved lighting;
pedestrian roads rehabilitation 16 km;
5 site management plans;
25 products developed with the support of destination management;
20 trainings on increasing the capacities of municipalities.

During this period, ADF has worked intensively with the World Bank team, Local Government Units and MUD in order to achieve the objectives of project implementation.

During 2021, have been prepared a set of documents such as: project proposal and reprogramming, mainly of component 3, in close cooperation with the World Bank team. Also, it has been agreed between ADF and WB to amend the Loan Agreement and the Project and the next step consists in following the internal legal procedures which include its approval in principle by the Albanian Government and then its ratification by the Assembly of the Republic of Albania.

Furthermore, we have worked in cooperation with the consultancy engaged in "Marketing of South Albania" and the beneficiary municipalities, for the creation of their logos and touristic slogans as well as the preparation of their online presence with web pages and social media profiles.

Meanwhile, have started the tendering process for the consultancy "Development of tourism products" first and second package, as well as "Statistics in tourism".

In cooperation with the World Bank, we are working on the approach regarding the support that will be given to the beneficiary municipalities for increasing the capacities of destination management and piloting the first tourist management models of their territories.

Also, during 2021,we have worked on the drafting of terms of reference on the tourist sites Kala e Kanina, Kala e Borshi, and the cave of Spille.