Hopes for a significant increase in tourism have taken a severe blow this year, as official government data itself points to disappointing rates even at the peak of the season. The Institute of Statistics reported that in June the number of foreigners visiting Albania increased by 7.6 percent compared to June last year, far from the double-digit rates recorded in the previous two years.
But on a six-month basis, the growth is even more disappointing. According to Instat, in the first half of the year, Albania was visited by 4.76 million foreign tourists, up from 4.54 million in the same period last year, an increase of only 4.8 percent.
The disappointing pace of tourism growth this year was previously signaled by tourism businesses themselves, which have reported fewer visitors this year. Tourism has been the main engine of the Albanian economy over the past three years, holding the main weight of economic growth. But this year it seems that economic growth is also slower, while the contribution of tourism is expected to be lower.
According to the origin of foreign nationals entering the country, Europe continues to be the main region. Data shows that 94% of foreign nationals entering Albania are from the European region, with the southern region accounting for 70% of entries.
Editorial
