Albania's travel and tourism sector is on a strong growth trajectory, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. According to the latest report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism is expected to contribute Lek 685.3 billion (about Dollar 7.3 billion) to the economy during 2025, an increase of 52.8% compared to 2019.

This sector now represents 26.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), up from 20.6% in 2019. The data shows that tourism has grown much faster than the economy, expanding by 52.8% since 2019, compared to 3.6% for the entire economy over the same period.

“With over 80% of tourism spending coming from international visitors and over 90% of trips being made for leisure purposes, Albania is increasingly emerging as an important tourist destination in Europe,” the report notes.

While growth relative to the size of the economy is strong, the impact on employment is not as high. In 2019, travel and tourism contributed to the creation of 250.8 thousand jobs, or 19.9% ??of the total. In 2024, this sector generated 269.2 thousand jobs, or just 18 thousand additional jobs, accounting for 20.4% of the total.

For 2025, the contribution of tourism is expected to be at the same level, 26.4% of GDP (Dollar 7.3 billion), while the number of jobs is expected to increase to 274 thousand, or 21% of the total.

Meanwhile, the share of tourism in the economy is expected to slow down in the coming decade. While tourism in the country is at its best, WTTC expects it to slow down in the coming decade, relative to the size of the economy. In 2035, the contribution of tourism and travel to the economy is expected to fall to 23.9% of GDP (Dollar 8.6 billion), while another 30 thousand jobs are expected to be added (26% of the total).

WTTC is the only one that provides an assessment of the impact of the travel and tourism sector on gross domestic product, while INSTAT does not report this sector as a whole, but only provides an assessment of "accommodation and food services", which reached around 4% of GDP by the end of 2023.

Albania has long been one of Europe’s most underrated destinations, but that’s changing fast. Thanks to relaxed visa requirements and expanded international flight routes, the country is quickly rising on the travel radar. In 2024, Albania welcomed a record 11.7 million international visitors, a surge driven in part by the global rise in interest in lesser-known Mediterranean escapes, which means that now is prime time to see this beautiful country before it books up.