Kosovoers vacation in Albania, while Albanians in Greece

While Albanian officials of Albania have Greece as their first favourite, even from 13 regions of Greece, Albanians dominate as tourists in western Macedonia, Epirus and West Greece. In the West Greece region, Albanians from Albania have even left behind German and British tourists. Albanian “Tourist”, Greece's shortest joke of the 1990s, addressed mainly immigrants from Albania reached the neighbouring country has already become a reality.

Today, as ironic as fate, Albanian tourists in Greece are a fact and a real contributing data for the tourism sector in the state of Helen. Although many Albanians use the three-month Schengen deadline to work in Greece rather than tourism, the truth is that the number of Albanians choosing the neighbouring country for tourism has seen great growth in recent years, writes Koha Ditore.

Based on data from the Bank of Greece for 2018, 1,121.472 Albanians entered the neighbouring state for tourism, with an increase of 19%. Of Greece's 13 regions, Albanians dominate as tourists in western Macedonia, Epirus and western Greece. This study has also published data on the expenditures Albanian tourists make in these regions and the figures are significant. In Western Macedonia, Albanians have spent some 10m euros, as much as the Germans and Bulgarians. In Western Greece, expenditures arrive, according to the study published by Greek media, to 29m euros, followed by Germans with 26m euros and Britons at 14m euros. As for Epirus, there Albanians rank second with 40m euros in expenditures, standing behind Germans who have spent 52m euros but ahead of Italians with 19m euros.

In May of this year, on the eve of the tourist season in Albania, Albania's Statistics Institute (INSTAT) in co-operation with the Bank of Albania has drafted a separate publication for key indicators on tourism in Albania. On the basis of this publication, Albanians from Albania have a first destination of Greece with 40% of the number of tourists from Albania, Italy, with 17%, while Kosovo is third with 13%. While for the night of stay, Kosovo is the last with 1.5 nights of stay for visitors from Albania. The favourite seats of visitors from Albania are Greece at 40% with an average of 6.6 nights of stay, Italy with 17% average of 8.1 nat stay, Kosovo with 13% with an average of 1.5 nights of stay, northern Macedonia at 10%, with 2.2 nights of stay, Germany with 3% average of 9.8 nat stay. While average spending of visitors from Albania has been 46 euros for nights of stay. While foreign citizens who prefer to visit Albania, for 2018, according to this publication are citizens from Kosovo.

Visitors from Kosovo entering Albania make up 35% of the total number of foreign citizens who have visited this country for 2018, listing Albania as the first priority to visit. While Albanians from Albania have Greece and Kosovo as their first priority as third preference. Albania's Statistics Institute (INSTAT) in co-operation with the Bank of Albania has drafted a separate publication for key indicators on tourism in Albania. On the basis of this publication, Albanians from Albania have a first destination of Greece with 40% of the number of tourists from Albania, Italy, with 17%, while Kosovo is third with 13%. While for the night of stay Kosovo is the last with 1.5 nights of stay for visitors from Albania.

The favourite seats of visitors from Albania are Greece at 40% with an average of 6.6 nights of stay, Italy with 17% average of 8.1 nat stay, Kosovo with 13% with an average of 1.5 nights of stay, northern Macedonia at 10%, with 2.2 nights of stay, Germany with 3% average of 9.8 nat stay.

While average spending of visitors from Albania has been 46 euros for nights of stay. Despite “exodin” of Albanians towards Greece, Albanians living and working in EU countries are also addressing Albania.