While in Albania there is a debate about why the sunbeds on the beaches are in some areas, it seems that the citizens of Albania and Kosovo are the ones who have “abandoned” the beaches, as they have been their most regular visitors.
Part of the Albanian citizens have fled to emigration (the Census showed 420,000 Albanians less than in 2011), while vacationers from Kosovo have more alternatives after the abolition of visas in January of this year.
On the other hand, foreign tourists seem to have a different way of spending time, not sitting all day in the shade of a tent sitting in one place, but also walking around cities and mountainous areas. The extension of visits throughout the whole year is another phenomenon of foreign tourists.
An indicator that directly measures the performance of foreign tourists in the country is the number of stays in rental accommodation structures, resulting in a significant increase, at least until the end of June.
Data from Airbnb, which measures the performance of units of accommodation units that are rented through the Airbnb platform, made available to “Monitor”, show that in the first six months of the year, the demand for overnight stays in these structures is almost doubled.
In total, for the first six months of 2024, 412,000 nights were booked in Airbnb structures, with an increase of 97% compared to the same period a year ago. Compared to the first six months of 2022, overnight stays have almost tripled.
Only in June, the period that coincides with the start of beach vacations, a total of 140,000 nights were booked through Airbnb platforms, with an increase of 90% on an annual basis.
The data shows an expansion of visits to Albania throughout the year, with overnight stays in February and March increasing by 108%. The record was set by May, where bookings were 118% higher than May of the previous year.
High demand from tourists for daily rental homes has prompted many homeowners to let them out for short periods, removing them from the long-term rental market, and causing rents to become more expensive for locals.
Rents are about 30-40% more expensive compared to a year ago. In June, the number of listings across the country reached a record 21.5 thousand, according to data from Airbnb.
Compared to the same period a year ago, there are 39% more accommodation units for daily rent across the country.
The number of those connecting to the Airbnb platform to rent an apartment has increased significantly over the past two years. In January 2022 there were only about 6 thousand accommodation structures listed on this platform.
The average length of stay of foreign tourists according to data from Airbnb is an average of 3 nights. But they are staying less. In June 2023, the average number of stays was 3.1, while in the same month of this year, it dropped to 2.9. The longest period of stay is in July and August, with 3.4 and 3.6 nights of stay, respectively, according to data for 2023.
