Albania Opens Up To Become The New Travel Hotspot In Europe

Travelers have been adding a new destination to their bucket lists, as Albania continues to open up to the world as an affordable travel destination. However, while the Balkan state is seeing a boom in tourism and exports, there are still challenges, including poverty and waning organized crime. Despite this, it has come a long way in the four decades since the death of Enver Hoxha. He was the tyrannical leader who turned Albania into one of the most isolated countries in Europe.

Tourism grows in Albania

Forty years ago, Albania saw the death of Enver Hoxha, a tyrant who made the country one of the most isolated in Europe. Recently, the country has seen a rapid growth in tourism. In fact, tourism figures in the small Balkan country have surpassed their pre-pandemic figures, which popular nations like Italy and France have yet to return to their previous levels.

Meanwhile, the reason for the increase in tourism is that Albania offers competitive, affordable prices, pretty beaches and crystal-clear waters. It also has an exotic feel, without having to leave the European continent. As recently reported, the country is also becoming the next ecotourism destination.

Moreover, the country has run its digital marketing campaign on those attractions, which has led to thousands of people visiting the country. In fact, the country, which has a population of only 2.8 million, has to recruit workers from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and other countries to meet the increase in tourism demand.

El País quotes Marcos Fernández, a school teacher from Madrid, Spain who visited Albania in August. “Out of the five hotels we have stayed at, four opened last year and one this year,” he said, adding, “The whole country is under construction.”

Change is coming

Much of the funds for construction in the country came from criminal activities. However, organized crime figures are reportedly starting to wane, due to the importance of making Albania more accessible to the world. A part of this was due to judicial reforms requested by the US and the EU which led to the removal of judges who were not impartial in their sentencing.

Moreover, poverty is declining in the Balkan nation. Emanuel Salinas, World Bank representative in Tirana spoke of the decline, saying:

Albania was at the bottom of Europe and Central Asia in terms of poverty levels, and in 30 years it has attained an upper-middle income level with virtually all indicators moving in the right direction.

Salinas added that poverty has been steadily declining and GDP has been growing rapidly. Meanwhile, obviously, tourism is adding many new jobs for Albanians.

What does Albania have to offer tourists?

According to Trade.gov, this upcoming country could be Europe’s “last tourism secret.” Albania features diverse landscapes, including mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, forests and beaches. Moreover, the country has much in the way of cultural heritage and archaeological sites dating back to pre-Roman and Greek times. Among the sites are Roman cities, amphitheaters, castles, monasteries and ancient churches some of which are already UNESCO-protected sites.

The capital city, Tirana centers on the sprawling Skanderbeg Square, which hosts the National History Museum and the frescoed Et’hem Bey Mosque.

Meanwhile, the Balkan country’s 450 km (280 mi) Adriatic coastline is one of Albania’s best assets. The coast stretches from the Adriatic Sea in the north to the Ionian Sea in the south. However, most of this is currently underdeveloped and lacks Western-standard beach resorts. Meanwhile, with the arrival of more Western tourists, demand is growing, giving Albania great potential.