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By Peter Marko Tase | AzerNEWS

When “The Aesthetics of Architecture” was first published in 1979 by United Kingdom’s Sir Roger Vernon Scruton, who remained true to his moral sensibility, the Republic of Albania was the poorest nation in Europe and the most isolated country in Eurasia. Albania was ruled for forty-five years by Enver Hoxha, the world’s last Stalinist dictator who ruled his country with an iron fist (1944 – 1985) and succeeded by his protégé Ramiz Alia (1985 – 1992). Today, over forty-five years after Scruton’s philosophical dictum, the Albanian economy, architecture and political landscape have radically changed, Tirana is Europe’s top pro-American nation and aspires to join the European Union at all costs. Over the last five years, Albania’s tourism sector has impressively flourished, it has become instrumental to increase the levels of national economic growth and improve the accommodation infrastructure throughout the country. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Edi Rama, over the last two years Albania has received the largest number of tourists in Europe, in 2023 Tirana welcomed over ten million visitors and in 2024 the land of Eagles welcomed over twelve million tourists. The foremost origin of foreigners who enjoyed the top-notch tradition of elite tourism experience in Albania’s resorts and hotels, was Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the Scandinavian countries.

On March 4^th, 2025, ITB Berlin opened its annual fair with an impressive artistic show organized by Prime Minister Rama’s cabinet, in cooperation with German hosts, where Albania was selected as this year’s host country. Over 5,800 exhibitors of tourism services and travel agencies from 170 countries attended this event.

Turning Albania into a Tourism Powerhouse

For Edi Rama: “Albania has developed from a hidden gem to a tourist powerhouse in only a short space of time. The saying that the house of an Albanian family belongs to "God and their guest" describes a sense of hospitality that is deeply rooted in local people’s consciousness. Prime Minister Rama calls it “Albanity“, in an effort to juxtapose his nation’s name and "hospitality". Together with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Tirana led the rankings in tourism growth, "even without a FIFA World Cup or Mecca", he said. He praised German tourists for staying longer and eating and drinking more than the average visitors.

The impressive transformation of Albania encompasses new trends in architecture that have become glowing jewels of the Mediterranean, a propensity that Roger V. Scruton has highlighted in his book and subsequent writings. As one of the most influential European philosophers of the XX Century Scruton argues that architecture does not derive its nature from being a form of art but rather from an everyday occupation of getting things right—which is basically an aesthetic concern. The aesthetics of everyday life are the basis of his discussions. In a book review published on October 3, 2017, by Hilde Heynen, is stated: “Scruton deals with theories that, according to him, detach aesthetics from architecture … He thus dismisses functionalism, rationalism, and theories of space and proportion, as well as discourses based upon art and historical concepts. … In order to give a positive account of the experience of architecture, Scruton reverts to the concept of imagination, which he deems absolutely crucial for his aesthetics…” Although, perhaps irrelevant, Scruton’s philosophy and ‘concept of imagination’ are highly embodied in the architectural design of Albania’s La Brisa Boutique Hotel, where national heritage, pristine nature, impeccable local food spiced with a remarkable Western European culinary tradition, and crystal waters of the Ionian Sea are elevated as a bouquet of sophisticated vacation experience that is truly unrivalled throughout South-eastern Europe. Albania’s ongoing National Strategy to embolden a vibrant, eco-friendly infrastructure of resorts and contemporary architecture - that attracts Luxury travellers with high expectations - is distinguished and epitomized by the maverick architecture of La Brisa Boutique Hotel, a refined approach of luxury tourism tradition. In Albania’s network of high-end resorts from Shkodra in the north to Saranda in the South, the influence of Azerbaijan’s School of Architecture is deeply pronounced and cherished by the local population and visitors alike. A unique feature to many, this is an architectural tradition that has been forged since the XIV Century in the Balkans.

Azerbaijan’s Architectural Legacy and Its Impact on Albania

The impressive tradition of Ahmad ibn Ayyub al-Hafiz Nakhichevani, the founder of the Nakhchivan School of Architecture, is evident in many contemporary architectural designs within the tourism industry. With a similar ingenuous quality, Albanian society has shown its admiration for Azerbaijan’s architectural heritage, by adopting Barda’s and Nakhchivan’s treasured architecture, in the modern development of religious architecture in Elbasan, its true hinterland. Other prominent architects that have influenced the development of Albania’s urban centres (1350 – 1890) are Amiraddin Masud Nakhchivani and Mammad Hasan Jafargulu oglu Hajinski, whose engineering inventions are surprisingly present in many parts of Europe.

In a globally competitive landscape, the Albanian tradition of hospitality is intensely distilled and bifurcated harmoniously with exceptional trends in architectural design amalgamating Baku’s architectural tradition with Europe’s marvellous coastline and the stunning Ionian Sea. In the same vein, Scruton’s philosophy of architecture marks a unique achievement and dazzling innovative spirit reflected within the shape and structure of La Brisa Boutique Hotel in Dhërmi – Southern Albania.

As Ivana Vukadinović had written in 2011 (Helsingborg): “Architecture always had a great significance in tourism. Most of the visible aspects in cultural landscape are tied to architecture of the place… (Hudman & Jackson, 2002) Branding and targeting unique architecture elements as tourism attraction of a destination can attract more tourists (Pla’tou, 2007) which in turn can bring financial and economic benefits to a host society.” Tirana’s central concern is the growth of architectural culture and its growing collection of innovative civil engineering projects with a focus on catering to high-end visitors is promising and will certainly ascend into greater aesthetic and architectural achievements.