Italian tourists flock to Albania to boost economy

SARANDA, Albania, Aug 23 (Reuters) – A waiter at an Albanian restaurant in the seaside resort of Saranda apologized to new customers because there was still little or nothing available on the menu.

“The Italians ate everything because Italy is occupying us again, this time for good,” the waiter joked, while explaining to a local restaurant the limited choice he had left for a meal.

The server echoed the feelings of some Albanians about the tens of thousands of Italian tourists who visited Saranda, in the south, near the Greek border.

Some remember the occupation of Albania by Mussolini’s Italian fascist regime for a few years during World War II.

However, eight decades later, Italians make up a significant part of a booming and increasingly lucrative tourism trade, which last year accounted for 20% of GDP in a Balkan country where underdevelopment remains widespread .

This figure is expected to increase in 2023, said Tourism Minister Mirela Kumbaro.

Italians arrive on discount flights or by ferry, just 80 km (50 miles) across the Adriatic Sea.

Italians and other Europeans have been attracted to Albania by pristine sandy beaches, picturesque, rugged landscapes and much cheaper prices than in other older and much wealthier Mediterranean vacation destinations like Italy and France.

“For years we have heard a lot about Albania – beautiful beaches and undoubtedly cheap prices, and this year, together with other friends, we decided to organize a trip here,” said Italian tourist Daniela Cudini.

“For now we can say that 80 percent could be foreigners and the rest are Albanians,” said Aurora Marku, manager of a small white sand beach near Saranda, while arranging sun loungers for two groups of Italian tourists.

Data shows that the number of tourists increased by 25% in July compared to the same month of 2022. In the first seven months of 2023, more than 5.1 million foreigners, including more than 430,000 Italians, i.e. 50% more than last year visited Albania, compared to 3.9 million. million over the entire last year.

“Albania strives to have quality tourists,” Kumbaro told Reuters from his office in Tirana, the capital. “We don’t need millions and millions of tourists who don’t spend, who stay for a short time and just come.” and outside.”

Quentin Billon, French CEO of local tour operator Breathe in Travel, said foreign tourists were attracted not only by the seaside but also by the lure of discovering a new frontier.

“For them, it’s about discovering a new territory that is really unknown, that has been blocked and closed for many, many years,” he said, “and that is now completely open to tourism, booming”.

For almost 50 years, Albania was in almost total isolation under communist dictator Enver Hoxha, during which time no one could leave the country and foreign tourists were banned.

Among the tens of thousands of Italians vacationing in Albania in July was Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

She even footed the bill for a group of her compatriots who fled a restaurant without paying for their meals, a decision welcomed in Saranda where one restaurateur said: “Now we know where to complain, we have Giorgia.”

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