Tourism in Albania during 2025 is experiencing noticeable shifts, with a slowdown in the number of foreign arrivals—particularly from Kosovo.
According to data published by Monitor.al, between January and July, Albania welcomed 6.58 million foreign tourists, reflecting a modest growth of just 3.5%. In comparison, the same period last year had seen a 23% increase. Even in July, the numbers remained weak, with a marginal growth of only 0.4% compared to July 2024.
The sharpest decline was recorded among visitors from Kosovo, who traditionally make up around 35% of total arrivals in the first seven months of the year. Entries from Kosovo fell by 5%, translating into 121,000 fewer tourists, while in July alone the drop was 6%.
According to Monitor.al, this contraction in so-called “patriotic tourism” is linked to three main factors: visa liberalization for Kosovars traveling to EU countries since January 2024, rising prices in Albania, and the weakening of the euro compared to the common currency used in Kosovo.
The second-largest group of visitors, Italians, also showed a significant slowdown. Between January and July, their arrivals grew by only 4.5%, compared to a striking 47% increase a year earlier.
Meanwhile, North Macedonia maintained steady growth of 11.3%, while arrivals from Montenegro dropped by 2%.
Declines were also seen in arrivals from Turkey (-8.3% for the seven-month period and -33% in July alone), Poland (-12%), and Spain (-5.3%). Tour operators attribute this trend to a fall in the number of individual travelers.
A notable development, however, is the resurgence of Serbian tourists, whose arrivals increased by 16% between January and July—equivalent to 77,000 more visitors. In July alone, growth reached 28%, with most Serbian tourists favoring southern Albania.
Positive indicators were also recorded from France and Germany, with visitor numbers rising by 47% and 27%, respectively, during the first seven months of 2025.
