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Tourism as a tool for development: Planeterra publishes Community Tourism Impact Report, at a time when Albania is experiencing a tourism boom

2025-07-29 17:17:29Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Tourism as a tool for development: Planeterra publishes Community Tourism Impact
Jamie Sweeting, President of Planeterra

In 2024 alone, Albania welcomed 11.7 million foreign visitors, a boom that has transformed the local economy and, according to the draft national strategy 2025–2030, will continue to be one of the main engines of development. But the question that naturally arises is: Are local communities benefiting from this growth?

This is precisely the dilemma that the model of the global organization Planeterra tries to answer, which has just published the Community Tourism Impact Report for 2024, a document rich in data and real stories from communities around the world that are actively involved in developing tourism as a sustainable source of livelihood.

Planeterra, the global organization that uses tourism to empower local communities and protect nature, demonstrates with evidence that tourism, when led by local communities, can create measurable social, economic, and environmental impact.

“Together, we are transforming tourism into a tool for greater impact—creating jobs, celebrating cultures, and protecting the environment,” said Jamie Sweeting, President of Planeterra. “This report clearly demonstrates the power of tourism when it is led by communities themselves.”

Key data from the report:

30,694 people in 51 countries around the world benefited from tourism initiatives supported by Planeterra, directly empowering individuals and families.

Over 191,764 people experienced the positive impact of community tourism, benefiting from strengthened local economies and improved community well-being.

133,340 travelers visited community tourism experiences, indicating a growing demand for responsible and authentic travel that benefits locals.

2.65 million trees have been planted through our environmentally friendly tourism efforts, contributing to the preservation and recovery of the environment.

Empowering communities, beyond numbers

At the core of the Planeterra model is the idea that communities themselves should be at the center of tourism development. Through the Global Community Tourism Network, which now includes over 550 organizations in 80 countries around the world, Planeterra provides mentorship, financial support, and international market connections to social enterprises that create jobs, preserve culture, and protect nature.

An innovation for the European region

This year’s report also includes inspiring stories from Europe, such as Italy, Greece and Hungary, where community organizations are using tourism to promote social inclusion and preserve cultural heritage. As part of efforts to expand their presence in Europe, Albanian sustainable tourism expert Blerina Ago has joined Planeterra’s global team in the role of Regional Manager for Europe.

Tourism as a tool for development: Planeterra publishes Community Tourism Impact

Migrantour offers intercultural guides led by migrants, promoting social inclusion and appreciation of cultural heritage. With the support of the Planeterra Global Fund, nine young guides were trained in Florence, Rome and Turin, from countries such as Palestine, Brazil and Ukraine. They share personal stories that foster dialogue and awareness, while the Migrantour initiative was enhanced to increase access to itineraries and reservations. As coordinator Rosina Irene Chiurazzi emphasizes, “Positive change is best born through community work and mutual exchange.”

Is Albania ready for this step?

The benefits of community-led tourism are already recognized on a global scale: increased local income, preservation of cultural heritage, social inclusion and protection of nature. Albania, with its natural and cultural wealth, has an extraordinary potential to build such models.

At this stage of rapid tourism growth in Albania, a strategic opportunity presents itself to place communities at the center of tourism development — not only as beneficiaries, but as co-designers, decision-makers, and owners of sustainable tourism models. This means creating mechanisms that enable the active participation of communities in planning and management, strengthening skills through vocational training, improving access to financing, and increasing the visibility of authentic local products, always in line with the objectives of environmental protection and sustainable development of the territory.

Planeterra's approach can serve as a practical model for policymakers, international donors, and Albanian entrepreneurs, showing that tourism can be a strong ally for local development, advancing equality, and preserving nature, when led by the communities themselves.

A vision for the years to come

“Raise the World” is a joint initiative of G Adventures and Planeterra, an ambitious effort to support 300 community tourism organizations by 2030, leaving a lasting legacy in the regions where GX events are held.

During its first year, the Raise the World initiative managed to raise over (approximately) 300,000 USD – a significant achievement that directly impacts the lives of local people, strengthens local economies, and fosters the development of positive-impact tourism.

The full report, enriched with stories of communities from India to Peru to Tanzania, can be read at: https://planeterra.org/impact/


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