After three years of double-digit growth and record figures at the European level, the growth rate of tourist overnight stays in Albania has slowed this year.

Eurostat data show that, in the first half of the year, overnight stays in the country increased by 9.1% compared with the same period in 2025. Stays by domestic tourists rose by 10.2%, while those by foreign visitors increased by 8.7%.

From January to June, Albania recorded a total of 3.38 million tourist overnight stays. Of these, 2.45 million were by foreign tourists.

With this performance, Albania no longer ranks first in Europe, but third. Ireland leads with an increase of 15%, while Malta ranks second with 10%.

Kosovo is in fourth place, where tourism activity continues to show a significant positive trend, with growth of 6%. During the second quarter, overnight stays by foreign tourists in Kosovo increased by 18%, compared with 8.5% in Albania for the same category.

Across the European Union, overnight stays during the first half of the year increased by just 1.7%. Meanwhile, in absolute terms, Spain, Italy and France recorded the highest numbers of tourist overnight stays.

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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.

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