Albania’s hotels and other accommodation facilities recorded a sharp slowdown in tourism growth during the peak summer season. Both visitor numbers and overnight stays increased at much slower rates than a year earlier, according to the country’s statistics agency, INSTAT.
The number of visitors staying in Albanian accommodation rose by 10.3% in August 2026 compared with the same month in 2025. However, visitor numbers had grown by 35.1% in August last year, more than three times this year’s rate.
Domestic visitors increased by 9% in August 2026, while foreign visitors rose by 10.7%. The latter group had recorded much stronger growth of 40.5% a year earlier. Overnight stays by domestic visitors increased by 9.8%, while foreign visitors’ overnight stays climbed by 13.4%.
Total overnight stays rose by 12.5% in August 2026. In August 2025, the indicator had increased by 33.3%, while overnight stays by foreign visitors had surged by 42.6%. The latest figures therefore point to a considerable loss of momentum compared with the previous summer season.
Kosovo remained Albania’s largest source market for foreign visitors staying in accommodation facilities, accounting for 17% of the total. Poland ranked second with 12%, followed by Italy with 10%. France accounted for 8% and Germany for 7%, while visitors from other countries represented the remaining 46%, according to INSTAT.
Despite slower growth in visitor numbers, hotels improved their room occupancy rates. The room occupancy rate reached 67.4% in August 2026, up from 61.5% in August 2025. This marked an increase of 5.9 percentage points, indicating stronger room utilization despite the slowdown in tourism growth.
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