After "abandoning" visas, tourists from Kosovo are returning to Albania again this year

2026-07-16 07:35:00, Ekonomi CNA

After "abandoning" visas, tourists from Kosovo are returning to

Albania continues to be the main destination for vacationers from Kosovo during this summer season. Tourism and business representatives say that interest remains high, while prices, tourist offers and proximity continue to be among the main reasons for choosing.

Even this summer, Albania continues to remain the main vacation destination for Kosovo citizens.

Representatives of the tourism and business sectors say that interest has not decreased, while they estimate that after a period when many citizens tried other European destinations following visa liberalization, a large portion have returned to the Albanian coast.

In addition to family and national ties, factors such as prices, proximity, road infrastructure, and tourist offerings are being cited as the main reasons why Albania continues to attract vacationers from Kosovo.

The President of the Tourism Association in Kosovo, Ruzhdi Kurtishaj, estimates that Kosovo citizens make up the majority of tourists visiting Albania during the summer season.

"I believe that Kosovo Albanians make up over 50 percent of the total number of tourists in Albania."

According to him, the return of Kosovo citizens to Albania has become even more visible this year.

"I think, and this is now argued, that the citizens of Kosovo have seen that there is nowhere better than in Albania. We are saying this because in the past two years, in 2024 and 2025, citizens saw and enjoyed several other countries, as this was made possible by visa liberalization, but now this year they have returned to Albania again," he said.

Kurtishaj said that Albania's choice is no longer only related to patriotic aspects or family ties.

"Already in Albania they are going for quality and prices. I am speaking competently about what I say, because we deal with citizens every day. The Kosovo diaspora and resident citizens are only seeing Albania as a destination. Prices in Albania are affordable for every citizen. This also depends on the packages that are taken, but if we talk about All Inclusive, then this package is over 20 percent cheaper compared to Greece, Turkey, Montenegro or even Croatia."

He added that Kosovo citizens continue to be among the main factors of Albanian tourism.

"Kosovo Albanians are a major factor in Albanian tourism. If we talk about this period, in Shëngjin alone there are over 70 percent of Kosovo citizens vacationing. When we talk about longer vacations, from seven to ten days, Kosovo citizens are choosing the south."

The Kosovo Tourism Union also estimates that Albania continues to remain among the main destinations for vacationers from Kosovo, despite the expansion of travel opportunities outside the region.

Baki Hoti from the Kosovo Tourism Union said that the Albanian coast continues to maintain its position as one of the main choices for Kosovo citizens.

"Regarding your question, I can tell you that, nevertheless, the Albanian coast is one of the main destinations for vacationers from Kosovo, despite the numerous options that are now available to Kosovo citizens," Hoti declared.

Likewise, the director of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kushtrim Ahmeti, says that Albania continues to be the main destination for vacationers from Kosovo.

"Albania continues to remain the main destination for Kosovo Albanians. From what has been seen and reported, it is seen that there is better organization, greater control regarding prices, especially for sun loungers. There is no demolition of unauthorized buildings as happened last season, where vacationers were faced with noise and dust."

Regarding the number of vacationers this year, he said it is still too early to draw final conclusions.

"Albanians from Kosovo have already started their long summer vacations in Albania. To come to a conclusion about an increase or decrease in vacationers, this remains to be seen at the end of the season. But we must also have one thing clear, many Kosovo Albanians have already bought real estate in Albania and apart from summer vacations, they go very often, almost in every season of the year," he said.

Ahmeti also mentioned some difficulties that have arisen during the season.

"Although the agreement to facilitate border crossings is still in effect this year, during this period when Albania is facing protests, there have been some concerns about increased border controls, which have caused delays and queues at border crossings between the two countries."

According to Ahmeti, Albania continues to be attractive to vacationers from Kosovo due to a combination of factors.

"But above all, it is the language and blood that connects us, it is the common land of Albanians. Despite the increase in prices, Albania in general still has affordable prices for the pocket of citizens from Kosovo. It offers clean water and a natural sun. The good thing that Albania offers is that it has beaches with different prices, so each vacationer chooses the beach according to the economic possibilities he has. Accommodation is also at different prices, so we have different hotels, apartments, villas or resorts. Even the gastronomy has undergone significant improvements and has been adapted to the demands of vacationers from Kosovo. For those who do not only love the sea, Albania offers the opportunity of endless explorations of historical sites, parks, mountains and hills. The connection of Kosovo with Albania through the highway has made tourism easier, although the highway toll prices are high and, despite continuous requests, the Albanian government has not moved to lower them."

The impact of Kosovo citizens on Albania's tourism economy is also evidenced in the latest study by the Kosovo Business Alliance (KBA). According to this study, during the weekends of the tourist season alone, from May to October 2026, Kosovo citizens are expected to spend around 195 million euros in Albania.

The study shows that during the five monitored weekends, an average of about 25 thousand citizens from Kosovo spent the weekend in Albania.

According to AKB, for a two- to three-night stay, each vacationer spends on average at least 300 euros, including accommodation, food and beverages, fuel, road tax, transportation, entertainment, and shopping.

Based on this data, during one weekend alone, the Albanian economy benefits from around 7.5 million euros from visitors from Kosovo.

The alliance estimates that, during the entire tourist season from May 1 to October 30, which includes 26 weekends, the costs amount to around 195 million euros. This calculation does not include week-long or longer vacations, which means that the real financial contribution is even greater.

The President of the Kosovo Business Alliance, Agim Shahini, has indicated that the study proves the importance of Kosovo citizens for the Albanian economy.

"The approximately 195 million euros spent during the 26 weekends of the May-October season alone constitute an extraordinary contribution to the Albanian economy. This economic partnership should be valued and further developed through joint policies and strategic investments. When Albanian tourism wins, businesses and citizens on both sides of the border win too."

The high flow of Kosovo citizens towards Albania is also reflected in the data of the Albanian border authorities. During the months of May and June, over 2 million entries and exits were recorded at the border points between the Kukës region and Kosovo.

Meanwhile, for the month of July, which has just begun, during just four hours on a Saturday, over 12,000 citizens from Kosovo entered Albania through the Morinë border crossing with around 2,900 vehicles.

The facilitated passage regime continues to apply to vehicles with Kosovo license plates, while accelerated procedures are being implemented for vehicles with foreign license plates to avoid delays.

After a decline in 2025, the arrivals of citizens from Kosovo increase by 10% in the first 5 months

Figures published by INSTAT also confirm the trend of citizens returning from Kosovo. For the period January-May 2025, Albania recorded almost 127 thousand entries of citizens from Kosovo, with an increase of 10% compared to the same period a year earlier.

The trend is opposite compared to 2025, when tourists from Kosovo fell by 7% in January-May, compared to 2024, as many of them began to explore other destinations, such as Greece, or other European countries.

Kosovo continues to hold the main weight of tourism in Albania, with an average of 34% of total arrivals for the first five months of 2026, according to INSTAT. The second country with the most arrivals is Italy, with about 11%, or three times less than Kosovo./ Monitor Magazine