February sees 30% jump in hotel visitors, with strong growth in foreign tourism

Albania recorded a notable increase in both the number of hotel visitors and overnight stays in February 2025, compared to the same month a year earlier, according to the country’s statistics agency, INSTAT.

Why is this important: The data confirms a continued rise in inbound tourism, particularly from key European markets. It reflects growing international interest in Albania as an off-season destination — a development with long-term potential for the tourism economy.

Context: A total of 118,000 visitors stayed in hotels and other accommodation structures in February — a 30% increase from February 2024.

Of these, 72,914 were foreign (non-resident) visitors, up 32% from the 55,163 recorded last year.

Overnight stays increased by 34.2% overall, with nights spent by foreign visitors rising 35.4%, and by domestic visitors 32%.

The central region of Albania was the most visited during the month, INSTAT reported.

Most foreign tourists staying in Albania’s accommodation facilities came from Italy, followed by Kosovo, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France — all key source markets for Albania’s growing tourism sector.

Officials from the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Business Climate noted that the rise aligns with broader efforts to position Albania as a year-round destination and expand ties with regional and EU travel markets.

However, hotel room occupancy dropped slightly:
Despite the increase in arrivals and overnight stays, hotel room occupancy rates fell slightly to 16.5% in February 2025, compared to 16.7% in the same month last year.

This suggests that while more visitors are coming and staying longer, Albania still faces challenges in boosting efficiency and capacity utilization in its hospitality sector.