TIRANA, June 19 /ATA/ – Albania received more than 3 million foreign visitors in the first five months of 2026, Tourism Minister Blendi Gonxhja said on Friday, highlighting continued strong growth in the country’s tourism sector.
Speaking at Tirana International Airport during the inauguration of the first direct flight from Canada to Albania, Gonxhja said connectivity remained a key driver of tourism development and economic growth.
He described the new transatlantic link as a milestone for both civil aviation and tourism, calling it the first intercontinental route connecting Albania directly to a major international market in North America.
“Connectivity is one of the key pillars of tourism,” Gonxhja said. “The more direct links we create with international markets, the more opportunities open up for tourists, businesses and investment.”
Gonxhja said Albania’s tourism sector had entered a highly dynamic phase of development, becoming one of the main pillars of the national economy.
He said the country recorded around 12.4 million foreign visitors in 2025, with tourism contributing approximately 24% of gross domestic product.
Preliminary data for 2026 show continued growth momentum, with over 3 million foreign visitors between January and May, he said.
Gonxhja added that only in May, arrivals were up by 143,595 compared with the same month last year, an increase of 16%.
He said Albania was increasingly gaining the confidence of international travellers and consolidating its position as a fast-growing tourism destination.
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