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

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

Albania is experiencing an impressive growth in the tourism sector, which is considered an international model for successful tourism. Prime Minister Edi Rama referred to a new report presented during the 71st session of the UN Tourism Commission for Europe in Baku, Azerbaijan. The report documents a 136% increase in tourist flows compared to the pre-pandemic period. This places Albania at the forefront of growth in tourism trends in Europe, such as RTSH reported.

In the session, Rama emphasized that Albania presented its experience as an inspiring success story. The focus was particularly on discussions about sustainable tourism, reflecting the Albanian government's intention to focus on environmentally friendly approaches to tourism.

Record numbers and economic importance

Interest in Albania as a travel destination has reached record levels in 2023. According to the Albanian statistics agency Instat, 3.4 million foreign tourists visited the country in the first half of 2023, an increase of 33% compared to the previous year. In the entire year of 2022, Albania had around 7.5 million international guests and generated sales of around 3.5 billion euros. Tourism now contributes 24% to Albania's economic output, underlining the economic importance of the sector, such as GTAI reported.

What is astonishing is that 90% of tourism companies in Albania are micro and small businesses, which even generate 83% of the industry's turnover. This large number of smaller companies is an indicator of the diversity and dynamism of the Albanian tourism sector.

Popular travel destinations and challenges

The Albanian coast, which stretches for 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 peak summer months. However, the authorities face the challenge between infrastructure overload and crowded beaches in July and August.

In order to promote sustainable tourism, Albanian Tourism and Environment Minister Mirela Kumbaro is relying on concepts such as agro- and eco-tourism. 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 reaches capacity during the summer months.

Strategic development and support

The Albanian government plans to further expand nature-based 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 offering of cycle tourism and water tourism. Although these areas are still underdeveloped, German organizations such as GIZ have been working on the sustainable tourism development of Albania since 2005 by supporting projects in the areas of agrotourism and active tourism.

The challenges Albania faces in the tourism sector include lack of infrastructure, inadequate transport routes and waste management. The efforts to address these problems and further establish Albania as an attractive and sustainable travel destination are all the more important.