The number of foreign visitors staying in accommodation facilities reached 445,846, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), while total visitor numbers rose 17%.

Overnight stays increased 9.8% year-on-year. Stays by foreign visitors rose 9.2%, while those by Albanian residents increased 11.8%.

Coastal areas recorded the strongest growth, with 323,426 foreign visitors in June, up 27.4% from 253,867 a year earlier. Visitor numbers in non-coastal areas rose 5.7% to 122,420.

Hotels and similar accommodation facilities hosted 401,836 foreign visitors, compared with 336,226 in June 2025. Visitors staying in holiday and other short-term accommodation rose to 39,457 from 27,227.

Hotel room occupancy also increased, reaching 41.3%, up 1.8 percentage points from a year earlier.

Kosova remained Albania’s largest source market, accounting for 15% of foreign visitors, followed by Italy with 14% and Poland with 13%. France and Germany each accounted for 7%, while visitors from other countries made up the remaining 44%.

The latest figures underline the continued expansion of Albania’s tourism sector, with demand from foreign visitors strengthening as the peak summer season gets under way.

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The June ratio was the lowest recorded since 2007. Compared with June 2025, the NPL ratio fell by 0.31 percentage points, extending the indicator’s improving trend.

NPLs remain higher among businesses than individuals, although the ratio for businesses also improved in 2025, falling by 0.5 percentage points.

Individuals continued to have the stronger loan repayment performance, with their NPL ratio falling to 2.6% at the end of 2025, from 2.9% a year earlier, according to the central bank.

For businesses, the NPL ratio stood at 4.7% at the end of 2025, down from 5.2% at the end of 2024.

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Albania received 1.35 million foreign visitors in June, up 1.28% from a year earlier, compared with much stronger growth recorded in previous months, Gonxhja said.

Foreign arrivals totalled 5.06 million in the first half of 2026, up 6.25% year-on-year, although growth slowed from 8.2% recorded over the January-May period.

“As we warned, the tourism economy pays the price for the situation,” Gonxhja said in a statement, arguing that the pace of growth had weakened significantly in June.

The Minister said arrivals declined from several key source markets, including Kosovo, North Macedonia, Germany, Türkiye and Montenegro, which together accounted for nearly 97,000 fewer visitors than in June last year.

Gonxhja linked the slowdown to what he described as the impact of public protests and political tensions on Albania’s image abroad, saying perceptions of security, stability and normality play a decisive role in tourists’ travel decisions.

He added that feedback from tour operators, hotels and travel agencies pointed to slower bookings, cancellations and growing hesitation among foreign markets.

“Tourism is not just about statistics. It is the real economy, jobs, household incomes and the country’s image,” Gonxhja said.

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The National Statistics Institute (INSTAT) said imports climbed 9.1% from a year earlier to 83.5 billion leks, widening the trade deficit by 6.1% to 48 billion leks.

Export growth was led by minerals, fuels and electricity, followed by construction materials and metals, and machinery and equipment. Textile and footwear exports declined.

Italy and Kosovo recorded the strongest increases among Albania’s main export markets, with exports rising 7.6% and 38.5%, respectively.

Exports to Germany and North Macedonia fell 12.8% and 13% respectively.

On the import side, purchases from Italy rose 24.9% and from China 11.5%, while imports from Türkiye and Spain declined.

The European Union remained Albania’s largest trading partner, accounting for 58.4% of the country’s total trade.

Exports to EU member states represented 69.9% of total exports, while 53.6% of imports originated from the bloc, INSTAT said.

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The National Institute of Statistics, INSTAT, said the food and non-alcoholic beverages category made the largest contribution to annual inflation, adding 1.02 percentage points as prices rose 2.9% from a year earlier.

The recreation, sport and culture category contributed 0.65 percentage points to annual inflation, while restaurants and accommodation services added 0.56 percentage points.

Annual price increases were also recorded for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (4.9%), transport (1.9%), education (3.3%), personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services (3.8%), and health (1.9%), all of which contributed positively to the overall inflation rate.

On a monthly basis, the harmonised consumer price index edged down 0.1% in June from May.

The monthly decline was driven primarily by a 2.1% fall in transport costs. Prices also declined for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-0.8%), furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (-0.6%), and food and non-alcoholic beverages as well as clothing and footwear, both down 0.5%.

The main monthly increases were recorded in recreation, sport and culture, where prices rose 3.2%, followed by education (0.7%), and health and restaurants and accommodation services, both up 0.5%.

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Speaking at a trilateral meeting with counterparts from Romania and Moldova, Gogu said 417 vetting decisions were made in total, with 56% resulting in dismissal and 44% in confirmation of the vetted judges and prosecutors.

He described the vetting process as a key pillar of Albania’s justice reform, launched in 2016, and said it had delivered measurable results in strengthening accountability in the judiciary.

Gogu also said international assessments, including the European Commission’s 2025 Rule of Law Report, had noted progress but pointed to ongoing challenges in parliamentary oversight and merit-based appointments.

He said Albania was continuing to invest in justice sector reform, citing a 296 million euro budget for 2026, a 60% reduction in the Supreme Court backlog since 2020, and the ongoing digitisation of court records through the JURONIX system.

The meeting brought together parliamentary and judicial representatives from Albania, Romania and Moldova to discuss oversight mechanisms, post-reform experiences and institutional resilience in the justice sector.

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Hotels reported a significant rise in tourist flows and overnight stays, led by visitors from Kosovo, who made up 19% of foreign arrivals, followed by Italy at 13%.

INSTAT’s report shows total visitors up 37.2% year-on-year in June, with the number of non-resident (foreign) visitors rising 37.4% and resident visitors increasing 36.7%. Overnight stays at accommodation facilities jumped 38.2%, with foreign visitor stays up 38.3% and domestic visitor stays up 38.0%.

Coastal areas saw the largest increase in foreign visitors, growing 42.4%, while hotels and similar accommodations recorded a 35% rise in arrivals.

The majority of international guests staying in registered accommodation facilities originated from Kosovo (19%), followed by Italy (13%), Poland (10%), Germany (8%), and France (6%). Visitors from other countries make up 44% of the total foreign arrivals.

Hotel room occupancy rates improved to 39.5% in June 2025, compared to 35.9% in June 2024, signaling enhanced performance in Albania’s hospitality sector.

These figures confirm a continued upward trend in inbound tourism, particularly from key regional and European markets, further positioning Albania as a popular summer destination.

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The June figure was down from 4.12% in May and is the lowest level since 2008, according to the central bank’s Financial Soundness Indicators, June 2025 report.

The decline reflects both an improvement in borrowers’ financial health and rapid loan portfolio growth, which reached 892.7 billion leks at the end of June, about 12 billion leks more than in May.

NPLs started the year at 4.12% in January, dipped to 4.06% in February and 4.02% in March, before fluctuating slightly in April and May and reaching June’s new low, central bank said.

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According to official data from the central bank, the bulk of the reserves are held in debt securities and deposits, as part of a strategy to maintain liquidity and financial stability.

As of end-June, debt securities accounted for approximately 73% of the reserve portfolio, while cash deposits made up around 18%. The remaining portion is invested in gold and Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) held with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The foreign exchange reserve serves as a key buffer against potential external shocks, including those related to Albania’s current account deficit and the high level of euroization in the domestic financial sector. It also enables the central bank to support the financial system with foreign currency liquidity or intervene in the foreign exchange market if needed.

For 2025, the Bank of Albania has projected purchases of between 270 million euros and 350 million euros from the domestic foreign exchange market through auctions.

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According to official data, a total of 2,062,775 citizens entered the Albanian territory, an increase of 7.6% compared to the same month last year.

There was a high number of foreign tourists, but also of Albanian nationals who returned en masse for holidays or family visits.

The arrivals of foreign citizens in Albania reached 1,329,204, with an increase of 7.1% compared to the same period last year, confirming the growth trend of Albania as a preferred tourist destination in the region.

Exits from the country have also followed a similar growth rate.

In total, 1,918,569 Albanian and foreign citizens have left the territory of Albania, an increase of 7.2% compared to June last year.

INSTAT data show that 94% of foreigners coming to Albania are from the European continent. Within this contingent, Southern Europe occupies the leading position with 70% of entries, followed by Western and Central/Eastern Europe, each with 11%.

The purpose of entry into Albanian territory is in 98% of cases personal, with holidays, family visits and social activities prevailing. /j.p/p.s./