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Albania is becoming more and more of a trend on TikTok and other social networks; travel influencers are choosing our country to experience it, not only for its natural beauty but also for the affordable costs it offers.
One of them is Laura Vega, a TikToker who recently visited Albania. She explains how she booked accommodation here and where she chose to stay.
"During my trip to Albania, I stayed in hotels, lodges, and Airbnb accommodations. It depended on the prices, availability, and what we were looking for during our stay: if we wanted a more relaxing experience, we booked a hotel or an Airbnb depending on what was more affordable.
But if we wanted to meet new people, other travelers with whom we could go on day trips and adventures, we chose lodges," Vega said.
Laura explains that she made her reservations through various online platforms. "I booked accommodation in Albania using two apps: Hostelworld and Booking.com.
I always look at the ratings and comments on those pages to make a decision on where to book. And I've been very satisfied with my choices."
The tourism sector is experiencing its best year ever in 2023. The latest data published by INSTAT reveals that for the first 6 months of the year, around 3.4 million foreign nationals entered the country, marking a 33% increase compared to the same period the previous year.
In June alone, more than 1 million foreigners entered the country, an increase of 15% compared to the same period in the previous year. These are the highest figures ever recorded, both for the 6-month period and for the month of June.
Other INSTAT data shows that around 80-85% of foreign nationals who come to the country do not stay in official accommodation structures. For instance, in May, 705 thousand foreign nationals entered the country.
Meanwhile, non-resident visitors who stayed in accommodation facilities numbered 109.4 thousand. Therefore, only 15% of them stayed at least one night in official accommodation structures, marking a rise from previous months when the indicator was around 11%.
Most of them stay in rented homes, which they get through Booking.com or Airbnb, or others might be immigrants staying with relatives or in homes they own themselves.
Even though renting a home or another accommodation structure is not something new for the market, the development of this business gained momentum worldwide after the pandemic.
One in four homes in the EU is rented out as vacation apartments, a rising trend that started during the pandemic.
When people started working from home, it gave them the opportunity to combine tourism with work and also reduce rental costs. In these cases, renting apartments in tourist areas became popular, as stated in the "Grand view research" report.
Businesses say that the market in Albania is a novelty compared to other countries, even though it has expanded significantly. The trend is expected to continue to grow rapidly, as Albania is developing as a tourist attraction.
"In the Albanian market, this has now become a novelty compared to other European countries, and I believe that over time, the market will offer expansion opportunities, considering the new customer response," said Fation Dizdar of "Destiny Apartment Tirana," one of the businesses that operates in the daily rental apartment market on Booking.com and Airbnb.
"This type of business has already expanded a lot, and I believe it will continue to expand since Albania is developing as a tourist attraction," expressed Megi Petriti from "Triplex house Tirana," which operates in the daily rental apartment market on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Tourism expert Zak Topuzi says that the tourist home business is growing increasingly due to the lack of regulations for these structures, making their operation very easy.