TIRANA, June 25  /ATA/ Arrivals of foreign nationals in Albania recorded a significant increase in May 2026, reflecting the start of the tourism season and a rise in visitor flows to the country.

According to the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), 1,143,595 foreign nationals entered the territory of the Republic of Albania in May, marking an increase of 15.9%, or nearly 16%, compared with the same period last year.

In total, arrivals of Albanian and foreign nationals reached 1,880,161 in May, up 12.2% from a year earlier, while departures totalled 1,802,626, an increase of 8.9%.

Arrivals of Albanian nationals stood at 736,566, while departures reached 735,795, representing year-on-year increases of 6.9% and 3.6%, respectively.

INSTAT said Southern Europe accounted for 70% of foreign arrivals in Albania, while Western Europe represented 12%.

According to the data, 98% of foreign arrivals were for personal reasons, while arrivals for business and professional purposes fell by 5.6% in May 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier.

“For the January–May 2026 period, foreign arrivals to the country increased by 8.2% year on year,” INSTAT said.

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