THROUGH THE TOURIST'S LENS: CULTURAL COMMODIFICATION IN ALBANIA VIA GERMAN TRAVEL BLOGS
THROUGH THE TOURIST'S LENS: CULTURAL COMMODIFICATION IN ALBANIA VIA GERMAN TRAVEL BLOGS

Summary/Abstract: As Albania emerges as a growing tourist destination, its unique cultural and historical elements are increasingly subject to global tourism dynamics. This paper explores cultural commodification in Albania, analyzing how it is represented and perceived by tourists through German-speaking travel blogs. Cultural commodification, defined as the transformation of local traditions, customs, and cultural products into commercialized goods for tourism consumption, plays a crucial role in shaping Albania’s cultural landscape. Despite the significance of this phenomenon, there remains a gap in research focusing specifically on Albania, particularly in terms of how tourists frame and contribute to the commodification process. By utilizing travel blogs as qualitative data, this study seeks to uncover how travelers interpret and report their experiences with Albania’s culture. These blogs, offering personal and often candid reflections, serve as valuable sources for examining tourist perceptions, revealing insights into how cultural heritage, folklore, traditions, and everyday life are marketed and consumed. The analysis of these narratives highlights the dual role of tourists as both consumers of culture and agents who contribute to its commodification through their interactions and storytelling. The study also aims to explore how tourism balances consumerism and authenticity, identifying when the commodification of culture enhances tourism or dilutes its authenticity in favor of consumerism. The existing literature on cultural commodification in tourism emphasizes the tensions between preserving cultural authenticity and adapting to the demands of the global tourism market. This paper builds on these discussions by examining how tourism in Albania reflects broader patterns of cultural commodification observed in other regions, while also exploring the specific challenges and opportunities unique to the Albanian context. German-speaking travel blogs provide a contemporary and relevant lens to assess the extent to which Albania’s cultural identity is commodified for tourism and how tourists negotiate notions of authenticity in their experiences. This research contributes to the academic understanding of cultural commodification in Albania by integrating travel blogs as a source of data, filling a gap in the study of tourism-driven cultural transformations. Through this analysis, the study sheds light on the role of tourism in shaping Albania’s cultural narrative and its place in the global tourism market.

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