The Palace of Congresses hosted the yearly gathering for the examination of the summer travel season of 2024 and the introduction of the new National Tourism Strategy, which aims to establish Albania as a tourism destination by 2030.
Minister Mirela Kumbaro summarized the projects and shared data, noting that the tourist season ended with 9.7 million international tourists from January to September.
“By the end of the season, 9.7 million foreign visitors had arrived from January to September, almost matching the total number of visitors from the previous year, which set a record for tourism. This is a clear indicator of the growth of tourism, in line with our ambitions to consolidate a quality, standard, and hospitable offer,” confirmed Minister Kumbaro.
She also noted that Albania has managed to consolidate a year-round tourism offer throughout the country, which is reflected in the increasing number of visitors to protected areas, national parks, cultural sites, and agrotourism enterprises.
“As shown by the 1 million visitors to cultural sites or the 4.5 million tourists in protected areas in 2024, we have found a way to offer tourism that is dispersed in time and place, thanks to the tremendous work done in the promotion of cultural assets. The 270 agritourism establishments and the high demand in this sector are further proof of this. The agrotourism strategy should enable this industry to reach a potential of 1,000 units by 2030,” said Minister Kumbaro.
Minister Kumbaro focused on the National Tourism Strategy 2024-2030, presenting the pillars on which the sustainable development model is built, as well as some of the quantitative targets it aims to achieve.
“The strategy is based on six main pillars: investment, tourism fiscal and regulatory policies, destination management, tourism product development, destination marketing, and capacity building, all supported by the three fundamental principles of social, environmental, and economic,” said the minister, announcing that the document will be released for public consultation next week.
The National Tourism Strategy 2024-2030 also foresees the creation, improvement, and consolidation of tourism products by dividing the country into six tourism regions: the Adriatic Coast Tourism Region, the Northern Interior Tourism Region, the Tirana Tourism Region, the Ionian Coast Tourism Region, and the Southern Interior Tourism Region.
At the end of her speech, Minister Kumbaro also spoke about the new beach management system.
“The country’s all-inclusive tourism offer has also changed the philosophy of travel, where visitors no longer stay only on the coast, and tourists don’t visit Albania only in summer for the beaches but want to explore the surrounding tourist offers, such as agrotourism, cultural sites, trails, festivals, and fairs,” said Kumbaro, adding that the new beach management regulations, to be presented in October, are based on the principle that sunbeds alone cannot be the primary business model but should be treated as an additional accessory to accommodation facilities.
Belinda Balluku, the Deputy Prime Minister, and Blendi Gonxhja, the Minister of Economy, Culture, and Innovation, both spoke during the ceremony.