According to data published by MIA – the Media and Information Agency, in July, air travel dominated passenger movement as ‘Mother Teresa’ Airport served more than 1.8 million people. Sea ports handled smaller shares: Saranda recorded 131,000 passengers, Durres 111,000 and Vlora just 17,000.

The data show a large jump in summer travel. This proves high tourism levels in the country. Total passenger numbers will rise further because land borders are not counted.

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Ibrahimaj emphasized that tourism sector has become a major economic engine for Albania, with over 12 million foreign tourists—a massive rise from 2019 levels—driving €5.7 billion in revenue and powering 270,000+ jobs.

She highlighted the significance of maritime tourism and development of tourist ports, presenting a master plan based on the best regional and international models.

The proposed legislation by MP Zamira Sina aims to align strategic investment procedures with concession laws, streamlining the approval and development of tourist ports by the project proponent.

“When tourist ports are part of strategic projects, their construction is carried out by the strategic entity itself without being subject to the general concession procedure. This does not violate transparency and enables the advancement of projects according to the approved procedures,” Ibrahimaj added.

The minister noted that this initiative drives strategic tourism investment, boosting Albania’s economic growth. /e.xh/j.p/p.s./

Zhupa said that the draft law proposed by Socialist Party MP Zamira Sina is as a matter of fact a government law that will avoid the public consultation process.

“This is a draft-law that poses severe constitutional, economic, and national security risks. It enables the seizure of public ports by political cronies and oligarchs close to the government who will receive the strategic investor title”, said Zhupa.

In conclusion, Zhupa said that, “As vital, irreplaceable assets, our coastlines and ports demand responsible, sustainable, and strategic management. The government treats Albania as private property that it can share with friends of power, without asking about the constitution and rules”.

She took the opportunity to call on the citizens to join the opposition protest on February 28. /m.q/a.f/p.s./

Interior Minister Albana Koçiu and State Police Director General Ilir Proda, speaking during an inspection at Rinas, highlighted the system’s role in speeding up border procedures and enhancing national security.

“Over the first 10 months of this year, more than 10 million citizens used e-Gate,” Koçiu said. “It is a system that guarantees efficiency, security, and dignified service for every citizen.”

Koçiu said the rollout to seaports aims to provide travelers using maritime routes with the same level of service as at Rinas Airport, especially during the next summer tourist season.

Proda added that e-Gate has helped manage record passenger flows at Rinas, which is increasingly becoming a regional hub. Passenger traffic at the airport is expected to reach 12 million by year-end.

The expansion of e-Gate to seaports is part of Albania’s broader efforts to modernize border management, improve security, and offer European-standard services to citizens and tourists.

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Addressing a presentation event of the digital National Tourism Calendar via TEA 2.0 app, PM Rama focused on his government’s efforts and projects to develop Albania’s tourism infrastructure as part of the ambition to transform Albania into a major tourist destination.

The government head highlighted the ongoing investment projects on construction of tourist ports in Durres and Vlora, the country’s two largest coastal cities, in a bid to increase the number of visitors.

Rama noted that Albania has been included on the map of tourist map in the Mediterranean in the past few years, underlining that work is underway on the Durrës and Vlorë ports, aiming to increase the number of visitors and contracts with five-star hotels.

“Work has kicked off on construction of the tourist ports in Durres and Vlora. We are waiting for due procedures to complete so that the way is cleared for construction of a tourist port in Saranda too. We are pretty optimistic that with development of the tourist ports will lead not only to the increase of the number of visitors, but also to the revenue increase,” he said.

PM Rama voiced optimism about the future of Albania’s tourism industry, citing the country’s unique cultural and artistic offerings as major attractions.

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INSTAT data show that Shengjin harbour in northwest Albania has handled around 2.6 % of the volume, southern Vlora port handled 1.9% of the total volume and the port of Saranda processed 0.7% of the volume.

According to INSTAT, a total of 425, 8000 metric tonnes of cargos were handled in the country’s ports during April, down by 5.7 % compared to the same period of the previous year.

Meanwhile, the volume of goods handed in the first four months was estimated at 1.4 million tonnes, registering a decline by 6.9 % compared to the same period of 2021.

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INSTAT data show that cargo handling rose23.3 % year-on-year to over 465,000 tonnes in July.

Statistics show that cargo handling at the country’s ports in July has increased by 25.7% compared to the period between 2018 and 2020.

INSTAT said that the volume of cargo handled at ports during the seven months of this year totalled 2.810,8 000 tons, up by 16.6 % compared to the same period of the previous year.

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According to INSTAT data, volume of freight loading/unloading in ports, in April 2021 is 451.6 thousand metric tonnes, rising 27.7 % compared to April 2020.

Compared with the monthly average for April period 2018-2020, the volume of freight loading/unloading in ports increased by 24.6 %.

In the first four months of 2021, the volume of freight loading/unloading in ports is 1,531.9 thousand tonnes, up by 18.1 % compared to the first four months of 2020.

Port of Durres, Albania’s largest seaport, is accounted for the largest share of cargo handling, followed by the port of Vlora, Saranda and Lezhe.

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In March 2021, the volume of goods loaded/unloaded at ports is estimated at 370.8 thousand tons, marking an increase of 45.7%, compared to the same period a year earlier, the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) reported.

According to INSTAT, the volume of goods loaded/unloaded at ports has increased by 13.5% compared to the March of 2018-2020.

While, in January – March 2021, the volume of goods loaded/unloaded at ports is 1,080.4 thousand tons, marking an increase of 14.5% compared to the first quarter of 2020. //a.i/

Speaking during the signing ceremony of the agreement for construction of the new Vlora International Airport, Rama said that, “Albania will become a country where the number of tourists, the number of visitors will notably increase.”

Rama emphasized that, “These are not the only 4 gates from the air, which also include two small gates, the sports airport of Korça and that of Gjirokastra, which are airports of a completely different level, but still opportunities to enter Albania”.

“And 4 other ports by the sea. The work has started on the tourist port of Saranda. The one in Durrës that is already in preparation for the construction site. That of Vlora and that of Shengjin that I wish and hope together with Belinda (Balluku) to make it possible to start within 2023 “.

“There are ignorant people who still insist that Albania does not need airports. Albania does not need ports. Albania needs bread. While, for the first time, Albanians have not suffered for bread since the time of Skanderbeg. For bread in the sense of hunger, never. And that because of the very way the Albanian community is formed”, said Rama.

“Apart from tourist ports, we will also have two new commercial ports of Durrës and Vlora. Ports are the largest “bread” factories for a country. In the metaphorical sense of the word and in this case we are not talking about bread in the narrow sense, but we are talking about the great boost of the economy “, Rama emphasized.

“Croatia has a population of 4 million and is one of the many examples that can be brought here. It has 9 airports. It is the 7th tourist power of the world. Besides the sea, we have also extraordinary capacities for mountain tourism, we have extraordinary capacities for agro-tourism “, said Rama. /j.p/p.s./