Albania in the tourism frenzy: record numbers and new perspectives!

Albania in the tourism frenzy: record numbers and new perspectives!

Baku, Aserbaidschan - Albania experiences an impressive increase in the tourism sector, which is considered an international model for successful tourism. Prime Minister Edi Rama referred to a new report, which was presented during the 71st meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Europe in Baku, Azerbaijan. The report documents an increase in tourist flows by 136 % compared to the time before pandemic. Albania puts this at the top of the growth of tourism trends in Europe, as reported.

In the meeting, Rama emphasized that Albania presented his experiences as an inspiring success story. In particular, the focus was on the discussions about sustainable tourism, which reflects the intention of the Albanian government to rely on environmentally friendly approaches in tourism

record numbers and economic importance

Interest in Albania as a travel destination accepted record dimensions in 2023. According to the Albanian Statistics Authority, 3.4 million foreign tourists already visited the country in the first half of 2023, an increase of 33 % compared to the previous year. Throughout 2022, Albania counted around 7.5 million international guests and achieved sales of around 3.5 billion euros. Tourism now contributes 24 % to Albania, which underlines the economic importance of the sector, such as Gtai

It is astonishing that 90 % of tourism companies in Albania are small and small businesses that even generate 83 % of industry sales. This variety of smaller companies is an indicator of the diversity and dynamics of the Albanian tourism sector.

popular travel destinations and challenges

The Albanian coast, which extends over 480 kilometers, remains the most popular attraction for tourists. Main beaches such as Velipoja, Shëngjin, Durrës, Golem, Spille, Divjaka and Vlora attract numerous visitors, especially in the midsummer months. However, the authorities face the challenge between overloading the infrastructure and overcrowded beaches in July and August.

In order to promote sustainable tourism, the Albanian tourism and environment minister Mirela Kumbaro relies on concepts such as agricultural and ecotourism. The nature of Albania, including the "enchanted mountains" in the north and the impressive valleys around Valbona and Theth, offers many opportunities for tourists. The Peaks of the Balkans Trail, which connects Albania with Montenegro and Kosovo, has established itself as a popular destination, but reached the capacity limits during the summer months.

strategic development and support

The Albanian government plans to further expand nature -related activities such as mountaineering, mountain biking and water sports. The 2019-2023 tourism strategy focuses on the development of national and nature parks as well as the offer of bike tourism and water tourism. Even if these areas are still underdeveloped, German organizations such as GIZ have been working on Albania's sustainable tourism development since 2005 by supporting projects in the field of agrotourism and active tourism.

The challenges with which Albania is faced with the tourism sector include a lack of infrastructure, insufficient transport routes and waste management. The efforts to approach these problems and to further establish Albania as an attractive and sustainable travel destination are all the more important.