Air sports tourism gains momentum in Albania

Air sports tourism is a branch that has been consolidating in recent years in Albania, bringing an increasing number of foreign tourists.

The founder of Skydive Albania, Egestina Levani, invited to the podcast Flasim, spoke about the challenges posed by this sport, for which, according to her, interest is growing day by day, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

The daughter of a military pilot, Levani explains how she turned her passion for skydiving from high altitudes into a business initiative by creating her own association, which organizes two major activities each year.

For skydiving jumps, she says, the Gjirokastër aerodrome is used, which has been transformed into a parachuting runway for aircraft jumps from over 3,000 meters in altitude.

Levani also spoke about the joint efforts with the relevant authorities to certify this aerodrome.

“I started the activity in Italy, where I have been operating for nine years, and for about three years I have also been organizing skydiving activities in Albania. As for air tourism, we organize two events during the year. We are a small, newly established association, so in cooperation with an Italian skydiving association we organize the activities in Gjirokastër,” she said.

Levani emphasized that around 150 skydivers from Italy come to Albania every year to jump at the Gjirokastër aerodrome.

Meanwhile, according to her, there is also a growing number of participants from Albania interested in skydiving.

As reported by Kosova Press, the Gjirokastër aerodrome began operating about 100 years ago, in 1924, and in the 1930s–1940s it was transformed into a small airport with a dual function, both military and civil, writes ATSH.

Today, this aerodrome has become an important hub for sports and air tourism in the south of the country, with ambitions to turn it into an elite adventure center.