TIRANA, Oct 30 /ATA/ – Albanian government is planning a sweeping overhaul of its tourism legislation, introducing mandatory registration of short-term rental properties through the e-Albania platform and new rules for hotels, travel agencies, tour guides and beach operators.
The draft law, prepared by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports and released for public consultation, would replace the existing tourism law and bring the sector’s regulatory framework closer to European Union legislation and international commitments.
Under the proposal, apartments, villas and rooms offered for short-term rental would have to be registered through e-Albania and receive a unique identification code.
The draft also introduces changes to the classification of accommodation facilities. Categorisation certificates would remain valid indefinitely, provided legal requirements continued to be met, while classification certificates would be valid for eight years, with the option of renewal. New accommodation models, including distributed hotels, mixed-use resorts and managed properties, would also be recognised.
The legislation would establish new investment mechanisms, including public-private partnerships, the use of state-owned assets and infrastructure support for priority tourism areas. It would also set criteria for granting special investment status to four- and five-star accommodation projects.
The National Tourism Agency would take on a broader role in promotion and tourism activities, while the National Coastal Agency would oversee integrated coastal management and beach monitoring. Beach operators would face requirements covering safety, hygiene, service quality and public access.
The draft also provides for seasonal construction suspensions in tourist areas to protect the holiday season and improve the visitor experience.
New regulations would cover tour guides, travel agencies, tour operators and tourist transport services, including sightseeing and hop-on hop-off buses.
To strengthen consumer protection, the proposal envisages establishing an alternative dispute resolution office within the ministry responsible for tourism to handle disputes between tourists and tourism service providers outside the courts.
The draft also envisages a new Tourism Data System, incorporating a Central Tourism Register, a National Register of Tourism Resources and an electronic e-Visitor module. Funding of 300 million leks has been proposed for the platform under the 2027 budget programme.
Additional provisions cover the registration and maintenance of hiking trails and the establishment of a National Tourism Trails Commission to promote nature tourism and improve visitor safety.
The initiative also aims to align Albanian legislation with EU rules on services and package travel and meet the country’s commitments under the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA).
/k.s/j.p/r.e/u.sh/
