Foreign tourist flow to Albania decreased in September, with arrivals reaching 1,146,090, the Albanian statistical office INSTAT said.
Despite expectations that tourism in Albania will experience a kind of spring in autumn, it seems that the September statistics are somewhat disappointing, writes the publication.
Still, foreign tourist arrivals increased by 3.8 percent compared to the same month last year, although the increase was not as large as expected. This is the second month, after July (by 2.69 percent), with the smallest growth in arrivals, BTA reports.
Tourists from southern Europe made the most visits to Albania, accounting for 65 percent of total arrivals.
Foreign tourist arrivals in the country rose 17 percent year-on-year to 9.7 million in the first nine months of 2024, Tourism Minister Mirela Cumbaro said earlier this month.
In 2023, foreign visitors to Albania were 10.1 million, representing a 35 percent increase in flow compared to the previous year.
“In September 2024, Albania was visited by 1,794,274 visitors of Albanian and foreign origin. This represents an 8.7 percent increase compared to September 2023. 1,927,816 Albanian citizens and foreigners left the territory of Albania, which represents an increase of 12.6 percent compared to the same period last year,” INSTAT said in its report. “In September 2024, the number of Albanian citizens who entered Albanian territory was 648,184, which is a growth of 18.6 percent compared to September 2023. The number of foreign citizens who entered Albania was 1,146 090. This is 3.8 percent more compared to the same period in 2023.”