Speaking at the “Future Hospitality” Forum, a tourism forum organised by the Albanian Investment Development Agency, the minister noted that growing international interest, expanding investment and a more diverse tourism offering are changing not only the size of the sector but also expectations for its future.

He said the government’s objective goes beyond simply increasing the number of tourists visiting Albania, focusing instead on how this growth can translate into higher standards, more professional services and the creation of more highly skilled jobs.

“The success of a destination is measured not only by the number of people who visit it, but also by the experience they take away, the length of their stay, their confidence in returning and, above all, the value they create for the local economy,” the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport said in his address.

The minister noted that, within a relatively short period, Albania has shifted from a limited hospitality offering to a more diversified market, with internationally recognised brands now operating in the country, including Marriott through the Tirana Marriott Hotel, Hilton through Hilton Garden Inn Tirana, as well as Radisson Hotel Group, Meliá Hotels, Maritim and others.

Gonxhja also presented figures for July this year, showing that the number of visitors staying in tourist accommodation facilities rose by 15.2% compared with July last year, while the number of non-resident visitors increased by 18.3%.

“A destination cannot develop sustainably if demand grows faster than quality. Therefore, one of the key challenges in the years ahead is to ensure that investment in hospitality infrastructure is matched by equally significant investment in human capital,” the minister said.

Highlighting the importance not only of recommendations but, above all, of visitors returning to Albania, Minister Gonxhja told investors and representatives of international brands attending the forum that now is the right time to invest in Albania.

/j.p/sm/