Italian tourists flock to Albania in key boost for economy
Italian tourists flock to Albania in key boost for economy Reuters
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Sustainable Development Goals and Italian Tourists in Albania
SARANDA, Albania, Aug 23 (Reuters) – A waiter in an Albanian restaurant in the coastal resort town of Saranda apologised to newly arriving customers that little or nothing was still available on the menu.
“Italians have eaten everything because Italy is occupying us again, this time for good,” the waiter joked, while explaining to a local diner the limited choices left for a meal.
The waiter was echoing the feeling among some Albanians about the tens of thousands of Italian tourists who have visited Saranda in the south close to the Greek border.
Italian Tourists Boosting Albanian Tourism
Some recall the occupation of Albania by Italy’s fascist regime under Mussolini for a few years during World War Two.
Eight decades on, however, Italians form a major part of a burgeoning and increasingly lucrative tourist trade that accounted for 20% of GDP last year in a Balkan country where underdevelopment remains widespread.
That figure is likely to rise in 2023, Tourism Minister Mirela Kumbaro said.
Reasons for Italian Tourists’ Interest in Albania
Italians arrive on discounted flights or by ferry, from as a little as 80 km (50 miles) away across the Adriatic Sea.
Italians and other Europeans have been lured to Albania by pristine sand beaches, scenic rugged landscapes and much cheaper prices than in other, longer-standing and much wealthier Mediterranean holiday destinations like Italy and France.
“For years we heard a lot of talk about Albania – good beaches and also without any doubt the cheap prices, and this year with other friends we decided to organise a trip here,” said Italian tourist Daniela Cudini.
Impact on Albanian Economy and Tourism
“At the moment here we can say that 80 percent could be foreigners and the rest are Albanians,” said Aurora Marku, manager of a small white sand beach near Saranda while arranging beach loungers for two groups of Italian tourists.
Data show that tourist numbers increased by 25% this July compared with the same month in 2022. In the first seven months of 2023, more than 5.1 million foreigners – including over 430,000 Italians, 50 percent more than last year – visited Albania compared with 3.9 million in all of last year.
Albania’s Focus on Quality Tourism
“Albania is working to have quality tourists,” Kumbaro told Reuters from her office in the capital Tirana. “We don’t need millions and millions of tourists who don’t spend, who stay for a short period of time and just come in and out.”
reuters.com
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