Only 12% of foreign visitors who entered the country in March were accommodated in the country's hotels, guesthouses, or rented apartments, at least according to official data. "This shows the informality. Albania has almost 48 percent of the accommodation capacity, apartments, and villas outside the tax system. This damages both the state budget and the competition in the tourism sector," said Zak Topuzi, president of the Hotel-Tourism Association.

However, the good news is that compared to March a year ago, the number of accommodations of foreign visitors expanded to around 68,000. "Albania has 107,000 registered accommodation structures. This includes kennels, hostels, and apartments. We have about 30 thousand apartments with about 90 thousand beds outside the system. That's why we have these numbers. Maybe we will see effects later as a result of the changes in the tourism law."

Data from the Institute of Statistics show that the majority of foreign tourists, nearly 50 thousand, were accommodated in hotels and apartments for rent, mainly in Tirana and Durrës. While in Vlora, Himarë, and Saranda, about 9,200 foreigners stayed, while the rest were accommodated in hostels in the north of the country.

The tourist season this year has started rapidly, with March marking another rise of the number of visitors and their overnight stays in tourist structures.

According to INSTAT data, the total number of visitors has increased by 45.6%, compared to March 2023, where that of residents increased by 21.5% and non-residents by 68.7%.

The total number of overnight stays has increased by 46.0%, compared to March 2023. The other two indicators follow the same trend: the number of overnight stays by residents has increased by 21.1%; the number of overnight stays by non-residents increased by 64.3%.

INSTAT informs that, during March 2024, there was an increase in the number of visitors in total by 45.6%, compared to March 2023

The number of non-resident visitors who have been accommodated in the Center Region has increased by 83.3%. In non-coastal areas, this indicator has increased by 71.4%, compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of non-resident visitors in "Hotels and similar accommodations" has increased by 64.1%.

In March 2024, the highest number of visitors results by region in the "Center Region" (62.3%); according to areas of proximity to the coast in "Non-migratory areas" (68.7%); according to the type of accommodation structures in "Hotels and similar accommodation" (95.0%).

Also for overnight stays, non-coastal areas lead. During March 2024, the number of total overnight stays increased by 46.0% compared to March 2023. The number of overnight stays of non-resident visitors who were accommodated in the Center Region increased by 66.1%.

In non-coastal areas, this indicator has increased by 71.6%, compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of overnight stays of non-resident visitors who were accommodated in "Hotels and similar accommodations" increased by 58.9%.

In March 2024, the highest number of overnight stays was realized: according to regions in the "Center Region" (65.0%); according to areas close to the coast in "Non-coastal areas" (68.2%); according to the type of accommodation structures in "Hotels and similar accommodation" (94.8%).