Italians are the group that dominated Albanian hotels during the last month of last year. Official data from the Institute of Statistics INSTAT on accommodation structures in December show that visitors from the neighboring country continued to prefer Albania as a destination, while citizens from Kosova remained in second place.

“In December 2025, the majority of non-resident visitors who were accommodated in accommodation structures in Albania came from Italy (25%), Kosova (16%), and Germany (6%).

France and the United States contributed 4% each, while 45% of them were from other countries. These data reflect the trend of increasing inbound tourism from the region's main markets and Europe. The occupancy rate of hotel rooms reached 20.4%, compared to 18.1% in December 2024, the INSTAT publication states.

Overall, the data show that in December 2025, accommodation structures recorded a significant increase in visitors and overnight stays, compared to the same month last year.

“Total visitors increased by 27.2%, with non-residents recording an increase of 47.6% and residents by 3.8%. Total overnight stays increased by 26.2%, with non-residents recording an increase of 39.2%, while residents recorded an increase of 8.7%. Non-resident visitors recorded an increase in non-coastal areas (+37.2%) and in hotels and similar accommodations (+47.6%),” the publication states.

The last months of last year have been relatively satisfactory for tourism with an increased focus on cultural tourism.

Albania ended last year with a number of foreign arrivals of over 12 million, with December alone recording over 600,000.

Albania's tourism sector is entering 2026 as one of the fastest-growing markets in Europe, shifting from a "hidden gem" to a mainstream Mediterranean powerhouse. While the initial "explosion" of triple-digit growth seen post-pandemic has stabilized, the outlook for 2026 is focused on infrastructure maturity and high-end market expansion.

After reaching approximately 12.5 million visitors in 2025 (a 7% increase from 2024), 2026 is expected to see a similar growth trajectory. Forecasts suggest arrivals will likely exceed 13 million, though the focus is shifting from "more people" to "higher spending."

Under the National Tourism Strategy (2025–2030), the government aims to boost tourism revenue to over Euro 5 billion, targeting a contribution of roughly 26% to the national GDP.