Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sports, Blendi Gonxhja, met with Xiaoqing Yu, head of the World Bank’s Western Balkans Division, and other Bank representatives.

The meeting followed technical discussions between the ministry, the World Bank, the Albanian Development Fund, and the Ministry of Finance. They focused on securing financial support for strategic tourism and cultural heritage investments.

Gonxhja said the talks addressed concrete steps toward a new financing agreement. A $3 million grant will fund a feasibility study to identify sustainable, high-impact projects. He added the cooperation aims to strengthen financing models and improve interventions, promoting Albania’s cultural and natural identity within a coordinated tourism strategy.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of including high-traffic areas like Vorë and biodiversity-rich zones such as Pogradec, which face challenges in management, environment, and infrastructure.