TIRANA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The increasing number of tourists in Albania's natural parks boosted revenues for the country, head of the National Agency of Protected Areas (NAPA) Zamir Dedej told media here Wednesday.
In the first four months of 2017, revenues from tourism in Albania's 15 natural parks and six natural monuments, known as the protected areas, have already reached 9 million lek (75,000 U.S. dollars), while the revenues in 2015 were only at 7 million lek (58,333 U.S. dollars), Dedej said.
According to the official, the growing revenues came as a result of the establishment of the NAPA and of the policies on developing sustainable tourism.
The agency was established by the government in 2015 aiming at the management, protection, development and enlargement of the protected areas which now consist of 16 percent of the territory of Albania.
A new law on protected areas has also entered into force to increase the revenues and re-direct them to investments and services.
