Foreign tourist arrivals to Albania reached 2,167,665 in August, a 7.2% increase compared to the same month last year, the country’s statistics office, INSTAT, said on Wednesday.

Tourists from southern Europe represented the largest group, accounting for 70.5% of the total number of foreign tourists who visited Albania in August, INSTAT said in a monthly report.

Foreign tourist arrivals to Albania grew 18% to 8.5 million in the January-August period compared to the same period of last year, tourism minister Mirela Kumbaro said earlier this month.

In 2023, international visitors’ arrivals to Albania totaled 10.1 million, a 35% increase over the previous year, the tourism ministry has said.

In total, for the period of the peak season, July-August, about 4 million foreign nationals entered the country, with an increase of 5% compared to the same period a year ago, much lower than the previous six months, when the expansion was double-digit.

After a high increase in foreign arrivals in the first part of the year, hotel prices, especially in the south, increased by 20-90%, leading to cancellations of reservations.

On the other hand, after the liberalization of visas, the citizens of Kosovo chose other alternatives for long-term vacations.

According to INSTAT, arrivals of Kosovo Albanians fell by 16% in July 2024 compared to the same month of the previous year. Citizens from Kosovo have always been an important source of the country's tourism, accounting for 30-35% of total arrivals.

According to INSTAT, in August 2024, 96% of the arrivals of foreign citizens in Albania are from the European region. Southern Europe accounts for 77% of the arrivals of foreign nationals from the European continent, followed by Western Europe with 9%.

The purpose of entry into the Albanian territory of foreign citizens, in 99% of cases, is for personal purposes, dominated by entries for holidays, visiting relatives, etc. In August 2024, this indicator increased by 10.4%, compared to August 2023.

In August, there was also a significant increase in the entry of foreign citizens for business and professional purposes, by 49.4%, reports INSTAT.

The increase in hotel prices in the country not only ‘frightened’ foreigners, but forced many Albanians to look for cheaper alternatives, mainly in Greece.

INSTAT data revealed that in August 2024, 901,440 Albanian citizens are counted as having left the territory of Albania, marking an increase of 9.2%, compared to August 2023.

Other INSTAT data on accommodation structures revealed that the increase in domestic tourist overnight stays in July was only 6.2%, from 61% in July a year ago. Foreigners' overnight stays increased more slowly, by 21.3%, from 42.3% in the same month of the previous year.