Our country is increasingly attracting the attention of foreigners as a growing destination in the Mediterranean, thanks to strategic investments in sustainable tourism and infrastructure improvement.

On World Tourism Day, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja shared in the social media a video postcard of Albania as a tourist destination.

For the period January-August 2025, Albania welcomed about 9 million foreign visitors, about 500 thousand more than the same period in 2024, according to official data from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.

INSTAT data show that 94% of foreigners come from the European continent.

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

Regional Director of Cultural Heritage in Gjirokastra Ardis Duka told ATA today that, “In the period January-March, there were 14,000 tourists who have visited the castle of Gjirokastra, 40% more than in 2023. Most of the tourists to the stone city were from Spain and Italy”.

“Meanwhile, 3160 tourists visited in January-March the three museums, that of Arms, Ethnographic and “Kadare House”, which are important centers for the promotion and development of tourism”, said Duka.

Duke added that the Reginal Directorate of Cultural Heritage Gjirokastra and the municipality have taken measures to welcome the tourists.

“There have also been carried out actions to clean the system of monuments, archaeological sites, museums, etc. so that tourists can find clean environments”, he added.

2023 was the most successful year for Gjirokastra in terms of tourism, not only because of the number of visitors, 300 thousand of them, but also because of the impact it creates including the growth of the local economy.

Known for its characteristic houses, stone roofs and white walls, Gjirokastra is one of the main tourist spots in the country. The stone castle, the park of Antigone, the museums of the city continue to be the favorite spots to be visited by local and foreign tourist groups along their guides and trips in the Gjirokastra area./k.s/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama highlighted the fact that the number of tourists during the 5-month period of the current year has increased by 42%.

“42% more visitors than last year have chosen Albania, in the first five months of this year, which promises more tourists at the peak of the summer season we are entering”, wrote Rama.

During the January-May period, 2,389,899 foreign tourists entered the Albanian territory, compared to 1,667,671 foreign tourists who visited the country last year in the same period.

Only during the month of May, 705,069 foreign tourists entered the Albanian territory, when in the same period of 2022, there were 604,430 foreign tourists, i.e. 17% more. /p.s./

Dorina Dhima, tourism specialist at the Butrint National Park, told Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) on Saturday that a total of 56 363 tourists visited the ancient monuments and museums at this site, with ticket revenue rising by 44% from January to August 2022.

Dhima said that the highest number of local and foreign visitors to the ancient city of Butrint was recorded in August, with a total of 21 745 visitors.

Butrint is one of Albania’s most important archaeological sites and features an immense wealth of cultural, historical, and natural values and is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Park. It contains archaeological sites and relics dating back from the 10th century BC.

Today, it is a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of visitors every year.

Albania is home to a significant number of archaeological parks like the Butrint, Apolon, Orik, Amantia archaeological parks, as well as historic and cultural heritage sites, old castles, including the castle of Gjirokaster, Lekurs castle in Saranda, Kruja castle, Berat Castle, Petrela castle in Tirana, Ali Pasha castle in Tepelene, Rozafa castle in Shkoder etc.

Some of the must-see museums include the Iconography Onufri Museum and the Ethnography Museum in Berat, Archaeological Museums in Durres, Tirana, Korça, the Weapons and Ethnographic Museum in Gjirokaster, Ethnography Museum in Saranda, National History Museum in Tirana, Archaeological Museum in Tirana, History Museum in Shkoder etc.

1 of 5

/k.s/u.sh/

Today, the head of government shared images of the influx of foreign visitors to the Port of Durrës.

“Good morning and with the extraordinary influx of these days in the Port of Durrës, in a tourist season that is recording numbers of foreign visitor arrivals, beyond every expectation, I wish you a nice day”, wrote Rama in a post on social networks.

According to the figures published yesterday, the turnover of businesses in hotel-tourism industry has increased by 23% during the months of May-June compared to the same period of last year and employment in the sector has also increased by 16% compared to 2021 or 23% more compared to in 2019. /j.p/p.s./

Kumbaro underlined that the turnover of hotels-tourism industry has increased by 23% during the months of May-June compared to the same period last year and employment in the sector has also increased by 16% compared to 2021 or 23% more compared to 2019.

“It is up to everyone to believe the words or to see the data and facts. It is our duty to provide the truth”, emphasized Kumbaro in a post on social networks

“No self-satisfaction, but inspiration and gratitude for the work of every hotelier, tour operator and professional in the sector so that together we can give more strength and effort to tourism, which is experience, emancipation, economic development”, said Kumbaro./p.s./

Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro visited Kune Vain on the weekend saying that, “The good news is that on the year we are closing the highest number of tourists has been recorded in Kune-Vain-Tale Natural Park! This lagoon has also been declared a significant bird area in Europe and everyone there can understand why. Those who have not been there yet, what do they expect?” she said.

Likewise, Kumbaro added that 196 species of birds populate the area and the experts of the National Agency of Protected Areas claim that there is a return of birds and an increase in their number.

“The hunting moratorium has largely avoided abuses of the fauna, but vigilance and fieldwork must not be slowed down so that to ensure that animals can live in peace in their habitats,” she said.

“Kune-Vain-Tale” Natural Park in Lezha is one of the pearls of the lagoons of Albania and beyond, a natural wonder.

Not only the natural beauty, the habitat of birds and aquatic species, but also the flora has in an immense diversity.

Kune-Vain-Tale Natural Park is the first protected area in Albania. Declared in 1940 as a hunting reserve, at present it is an important Bird Area. The complex lagoon eco-system, formed by the dynamics of the Drini Bay, is an important habitat for wintering ducks and a breeding area for many species of fish of commercial value. /j.p/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama provided today the statistics considering them as “good news for Albania, tourist destination”.

Rama said that compared to the period before the pandemic, there have been 4.5% more foreign nationals who have entered Albania.

“From August 1-15, 859,316 foreign citizens have entered, which is 4.5% more than the same period of 2019, i.e. before the pandemic”, said the prime minister.

Tourism is one of the most important pillars of the country’s development, while thanks to the improved pandemic situation and the easing of the anti-Covid measures, the number of foreigners visiting Albania has increased./m.m/j.p/p.s./

Number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 in Albania increased to 382,998 since the country launched “Albania Smiles” mass inoculation campaign.

Albania has administered more than 700,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccines to date and the country has the highest rate of COVID-19 vaccination in the Balkan region.

The mass immunisation drive continues under a combined vaccination program for people over 60 and critical service workers.

The vaccination process is taking place in line with all safety and quality standards by trained vaccinators all over the country.

/r.e/u.sh/