Sustainable Travel Could Stop Albania from Crumbling

Sustainable travel has the power the power to do a lot of things. Preserving the earth and promoting social change can be attributed to sustainable travel, but what about keeping neighborhoods from sliding away? Stopping what seems like an act of God with sustainable travel may seem outrageous, but the industry actually plays quite a part in preventing gradual disasters such as the disaster looming in the minds of some Albanians.

The nation of Albania has quite a colorful past. Located in southeastern Europe, Albania was once infamous for its corporate corruption, complete with pyramid schemes and crooked politicians. While most travel brochures and agencies would have you to believe that this naturally majestic country has turned its wayward ways around, the truly sustainable traveler will quickly see that this is not the case. Not only does the country remain one of Europe's poorest countries to date, its villages and countryside seems to be crumbling and sliding more and more each day. Just south of Tirana, the village of Vuno is home for more than 200 stone houses. Vuno may appear as a quaint countryside with its cute cobblestone streets, but its physical state is far from cute. The cobblestone streets are in very poor condition, threatening the stability of the foundations of all the village's structures.  Out of the 200 stone houses, only about 40 families actually live in them. The others are abandoned and quickly deteriorating.

A few eager and willing souls decided to take the village's fate in their own hands. The Vuno Turistik branch of the Outdoor Albania Association is determined to reverse this beautiful region's destiny. The non- profit organization seeks to eradicate the region of its crumbling conditions and danger of slipping away. Through volunteerism, Vuno Turistik organizes operations to rebuild unstable structures.

By rebuilding a crumbing countryside, Vuno Turistik hopes to attract the attention of the tourism industry. Some of the most pristine mountains and beaches can be found close to Vuno. Unfortunately, the region will be unable to benefit from tourism revenue if it does not actually attract tourists at all. And while the need to balance the benefits of sustainable travel revenue and awareness or effort is obvious, so is the need to create a new source of profit so that it can the dwindling community of Vuno.

So how can the sustainable traveler help? There are a number of opportunities to volunteer. Volunteering to clean up villages and beaches is an option for those who like to have hands- on experiences.  Others can volunteer by supplying travel industry printing services or donating money. There are a number of ways to contribute to Vuno Turistik's effort, so consider sustainable travel for a Vuno volunteering experience.

Photo Credit: Denis Defreyne