More than 1.1 million foreigners entered Albania in May, tourist flow expanded by 15.9%

Albania continued to record growth in tourism activity, while the month of May brought an even faster pace. Data published by INSTAT show that during May 2026, more than 1.1 million foreign citizens entered the country, marking an increase of 15.9% compared with the same month last year.

Overall, the number of entries by Albanian and foreign citizens reached 1,880,161, or 12.2% more. Likewise, departures also increased by 8.9%, reaching 1,802,626.

There was also growth in the movement of Albanian citizens. During May, 736,566 Albanian citizens entered Albania, which translates into 6.9% more than in May 2025, while their departures expanded by 3.5%.

On the other hand, foreign citizens leaving the country reached 1,066,831, up 12.9% in annual terms.

INSTAT says that nearly 98% of foreigners who entered Albania during May were traveling for personal reasons, including holidays, visits to relatives, or transit. Compared with a year earlier, this category increased by 16.4%.

In contrast to this trend, entries for business and professional purposes posted a decline of 5.6%.

Europe continues to remain the main source of tourists for Albania. Around 70% of visitors from the continent come from Southern European countries, while 12% come from Western Europe.

For the first five months of the year, the country welcomed around 3.71 million foreign citizens, or 8.2% more than during the same period in 2025.