In the small Balkan country of Albania, there is a bit of a tourism boom going on, and some forward-thinking companies are taking advantage of the interest to create a broader array of choices for visitors.
A startup called 1001 Albanian Adventures is a prime example of this kind of entrepreneurship. On the company website, visitors can see photos of Albania’s beautiful natural areas and attractions. Travelers can browse one-day tours and other sightseeing options and look at transportation information.
“We have been in business for three years now, and we know that for all startups, the main issue is finances,” Erilda Duzha, the company’s co-founder, told Balkan Business Wire.
Duzha said the company got started with a grant of $4,496 from earning an award in a startup competition and that the success of 1001 Albanian Adventures is also related to the drive and passion of its teams.
“Some of the biggest reasons for our startup’s success are the facts that the team is composed of relatively young guys, which imposes a high level of energy and creativity in offering the services, and introducing new ones to the market,” Duzha said.
Another strong point, he said, is the company’s commitment to sustainability.
“We wanted our business to be sustainable from the beginning, in all its aspects, such as protecting nature as much as possible, affecting the local economy through the creation of employment and being social, as well,” Duzha said, citing initiatives to recycle products and the sale of products made by disabled children and unemployed women in the community.
At the same time, 1001 Albanian Adventures has also innovated in the region, providing bike rentals in Berat for the first time in the city’s history, Duzha said.
“Among the values that are important to us, we appreciate and work on promoting our country and its heritage, either cultural, historical or natural,” Duzha said. “We aim to promote the not-so-famous areas of Berat and Albania as well, areas that are so rich in these values and traditions, but are not that famous, such as the waterfalls of Bogova and Sotira, the source of Sineci, Osumi canyons, etc. At 1001 Albanian Adventures, we try our best to work as team and reflect that to the clients and tourists as well, so that they can feel the collaboration and the understanding among us.”
In the future, the company would like to expand into other countries like Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo and Macedonia, Duzha said.
“We would also like to promote a larger number of foreigners visiting Albania … in order for them to know the good sides of Albania,” Duzha said.
