Foreign visitors are increasingly choosing Airbnbs to stay in, where they also prefer to cook for themselves. Local products are more sought after in fruit and vegetable markets, such as "Pazari i Ri". 

"We are going shopping, we have three days here and we have learned some places like supermarkets or fruit and vegetable markets, one is near here called 'New Market', there are not many fruits and vegetables like those in France. 

We were surprised to see carpets, traditional works and used things etc. But we can finish work there for anything. It's good to have both meat and fish nearby. 

Prices are slightly lower than in France, such as meat products and some types of fruit. We think we have made a good choice, as we save this way too", says Sandra Sascha, 45 years old from France. 

Beatel and Dieter Korner, 74 and 78 from Germany, say that everywhere they've gone in recent years they've chosen to take an Airbnb. 

"Supermarkets in Tirana do not have a large variety of products, but they meet our needs. We choose to cook but also eat out. If we have found a good restaurant with traditional food, we choose to eat there. 

We are traveling with a rental car, we have been here for over 4 weeks and will be staying another week. What impressed me the most are the prices of dairy products, which are more expensive than in Germany, but the rest is very okay. 

For food per day we spend about 30-40 euros for both of us, if we exceed this amount, we try to save for the next day" - said Korner. 

Airbnb owners in the New Market area say that from May to September, many Airbnbs have been added in Tirana. Other months there is less movement. Mostly locals take it, because at off-season prices, an apartment is worth more than a hotel room. 

"In the season it varies from 40-60 euros / night, being updated with competitors in my area. I try to keep the price a little lower than others. 

They mostly stay from 1-4 days, because foreigners have Tirana as a temporary stop from the airport, before going south, or when returning from the beach. Out of season, they stay for weeks, up to a month," says Vivian Mecollari, owner of an Airbnb in Tirana. 

INSTAT data show that the majority of tourists prefer to stay outside registered accommodation structures. For example, in April, a total of 614,000 foreign citizens entered the country, while a total of 68,000 overnight stays were recorded in accommodation facilities. 

The data shows that only about 11% of tourists stay in hotels for at least one night. Part of the foreigners are also Albanians who have foreign passports, while many foreigners choose to rent houses that are not registered. 

The high flow of tourists has also positively affected the activity of hotels. In April, for accommodation structures, the number of total visitors increased by 55.6%, compared to April 2022. 

The highest increase was among foreigners with 85.6% and residents with 26.5%. The occupancy rate of "Hotel and similar accommodation" rooms is 13.5%, compared to 10.2% in April 2022. 

For a meal in a restaurant in our country, 7-20 euros are spent and tourists choose to stay within their limits. 

"The tourists who come to Albania are of category B and C who do not spend much, they are for numbers that have movement, but not turnover, as they come either with "all inclusive" packages or for one day and with minimal consumption. 

Foreign visitors to the country prefer traditional food as well as takeaway food, mostly based on TripAdvasior, which ranks 'Tymin' in third place" - says Enri Jahaj, president of the Association of Bars and Restaurants. 

Tim Richet, 39 years old, a tourist from Germany, says that it is his second time in Albania and he does not plan to spend much in restaurants. 

"I booked an Airbnb in Tirana for 6 days. I will cook dinner and breakfast there. I can eat lunch outside, as I only plan to do day trips, in the South and in the North. I planned to spend up to 30 euros a day on food and drinks." 

In Durrës, the "champion" of tourism for 2022, the attendance of foreign visitors in bars has increased by 20-25% from last year in the month of May, which fills, in a way, the gaps left by the emigration of young people Albanians. 

They have brought a 30-40% drop in the country's clubs, says Andi Malkaj, manager at "Illirian Garden" in Durrës.

Stefan Pinguli, chairman of the Association of Beer Producers, claims that the production of local beer has remained in the country. 

Tourists choose more foreign beer, while restaurants and resorts order more Kriko beer, which is cheaper and placed more in the packages they offer. 

Neighbors show a great interest and choose to visit local stores and shopping centers, increasing the consumption of toys, seasonal products, accessories and many other products, 

Sokol Kondi, from the BALFIN group, confirms for "Monitor" that consumption in the "Jumbo" company has increased by 11.4% from tourists. 

"If we compare it with a year ago, the number of tourists in Albania has increased, and based on the sales results, 'Jumbo' has experienced an increase of 11.4%." 

"In districts such as Vlora and Durrës, where the number of tourists is high during the summer, shops are frequented by tourists from neighboring countries (about 40%) and other tourists from Europe," Kondi underlined.

(Source: Monitor)