A new study by the Kosovo Business Alliance (AKB) highlights the significant impact Kosovo citizens have on Albania’s tourism economy. According to the findings, Kosovars are expected to spend approximately €195 million during weekends alone throughout the May–October 2026 tourist season.
Citizens of Kosovo continue to be the largest contributors to Albania’s tourism industry, spending hundreds of millions of euros each summer season. This is the conclusion of the Kosovo Business Alliance (AKB), based on a study conducted between May 28 and June 28, 2026, analyzing the travel patterns and spending habits of Kosovo citizens during weekend trips to Albania.
According to the study, an average of 25,000 Kosovars spent each monitored weekend in Albania.
“For a stay of two to three nights, each visitor spends an average of at least €300, including accommodation in hotels or apartments, food and beverages, fuel, road tolls, transportation, entertainment, and shopping.”
According to AKB, this means that Albania’s economy benefits by approximately €7.5 million every weekend from visitors arriving from Kosovo.
“Taking the entire tourist season from May 1 to October 30, which includes 26 weekends, total spending reaches approximately €195 million. This figure does not include one-week or longer vacations that many Kosovo families spend in Albania during the summer, meaning the actual financial contribution is even greater.”
AKB says these figures confirm Kosovo as Albania’s most important tourism market and partner.
According to the organization, visitors from Kosovo directly contribute to increased revenues for the hospitality, gastronomy, transportation, retail, and other service sectors.
In its statement, the Kosovo Business Alliance called for this economic cooperation to go beyond consumption by encouraging joint investments in tourism, improving road infrastructure, facilitating the free movement of citizens, and developing joint tourism packages between Kosovo and Albania.
AKB President Agim Shahini said the study clearly demonstrates the crucial role Kosovo citizens play in the development of Albania’s tourism industry.
“The approximately €195 million spent during just the 26 weekends of the May–October tourist season represents an extraordinary contribution to Albania’s economy. This economic partnership should be recognized and further strengthened through joint policies and strategic investments. When Albanian tourism succeeds, businesses and citizens on both sides of the border benefit.”
According to AKB, tourism remains one of the strongest economic bridges connecting Kosovo and Albania, strengthening bilateral cooperation and creating mutual benefits for businesses and citizens in both countries.
