Albania, tourism is feeling the effects of the war in Ukraine

Prices have risen sharply and Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian tourists, whose number is growing every year, it seems that this season will miss the Albanian tourism. According to data from travel agencies, based on previously signed contracts, a number of 130 thousand citizens of Ukraine were expected. For the third year in a row, since the 2019 earthquake and the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism sector in the country is facing many difficulties.

The tourism industry in Albania for several years is facing successive challenges. Russian aggression against Ukraine has brought a shock to all markets and consequently increased prices in the supply chain. The tourism sector is also feeling the effects of this war, as experts in the field say, there is a paralysis of an important market for tourism, such as Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. The number of inflows from these countries in recent years according to official statistics has been increasing. Tour operators say that the expectations based on the bookings so far were for over 130 thousand tourists from Ukraine, who according to them seem to miss the Albanian tourism.

“There are about 20 days or a little more, where all markets seem to have agreed with each other, have stopped new bookings. Not below the 100% level but there is a pause. There are no cancellations but bookings are not continuing at the previous pace. “The reflection of the war is something that has now become a fact,” Arben Çipa, Chairman of the South Tour Operators, told VOA.

Tourism has a significant impact on the Albanian economy and according to the World Tourism and Travel Council is estimated at a share of 27% in GDP. The December 2019 earthquake, which damaged several areas with

tourism potential, and the Kovid 19 pandemic put the tourism sector in difficulty. In the first year of the pandemic, the number of foreign nationals entering Albania decreased by 60%, due to restrictions on movement. The situation improved significantly in 2021, and according to official statistics the number reached about 5 million 700 thousand, but the figures remained lower than before the crisis, about 700 thousand less. And when it seemed that the difficulties were being overcome, the war in Ukraine, according to experts, puts Albanian tourism in front of new problems.

“There are three main problems that Albanian tourism will face. The galloping increase of prices, it is not known when it will stop.

Representatives of tour operators, based on bookings, say that this year a return of Scandinavian tourists is expected, and an increase in the number of Dutch and Italian ones. One of the investors on the coast of Durrës, who runs several resorts, in recent years has based his work mainly on tourist flows from Poland and the Scandinavian countries. His concern is related to the fact that contracts with travel agencies were concluded in September-October last year. Now bookings are below cost, he says, as all prices have risen, excluding that of energy by 80%, which affects this category of businesses, which pay depending on the voltage from where they are supplied.

“We ask for the treatment of electricity with the price that was before January 2022. We are supplied by the medium voltage and the price was 11.1 lekë per kwh, now we have 18.5-18.7 lekë, almost 80% increase in electricity. We hope that they will take it into consideration “- said for VOA Fatos Çerenishti, entrepreneur of” Fafa “hotels in Durrës.

The Albanian Tourist Union a few days ago asked the government that tour operators, who have contracts signed in the autumn of

last year with their counterparts in other countries, to pay energy at the previous price, only for this season, as they find it impossible to change contracts. Authorities say their request will be considered in coordination with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, and add that not yet a decision.

Tourism in Albania, meanwhile, suffers from old problems, which hinder this sector from developing. In them is related to the quality of services provided. Investors themselves say they have a lot of difficulties, due to the lack of skilled workers.

“The part that has always faltered is the service part. This has come as a result of lack of experience in this field. Our employees still think that this is a temporary job, they think to spend the season and never come back, they do not consider it a profession. Therefore, we must fight hard, so that the season does not remain 3-4 months but is extended up to 6 months, why not 12 months “- said for VOA Fatos Çerenishti, entrepreneur of” Fafa “hotels in Durrës.

Officials say that in Albania there are some professional educational institutions for hotel-tourism, which according to them are still not strongly promoted. Meanwhile, special branches for tourism have been opened in several universities in the country in recent years.

“Seasonality, which until 3 years ago was only 3 months a year, interrupted the labor market and made those who were qualified to leave. We are already at 6 months a year and the goal is to go to 12 months. But we have moved faster with demand, there is much more demand, than we have supply. We still do not have enough service offer. We have taken incentive measures, we have reduced to 6% VAT for all accommodation facilities and for 4-5 star hotels for strategic investors, we have reduced to 0 all taxes, for a period of several years. This is in order to encourage strategic investments. If we add here that these 4 years we are running

“Managing crises one after another is not easy,” Mirela Kumbaro, Minister of Tourism and Environment, told VOA.

Authorities say they aim for quality tourism, noting some improvements in infrastructure and agritourism. Tourism in Albania continues to be measured by the entry of foreign nationals into Albanian territory in one year and the declaration of the purpose of the visit. According to statistics, 95% of the 5.7 million foreign nationals who entered Albania last year are considered tourists. The main weight with about 50% as before is held by the citizens from Kosovo, followed by those of Northern Macedonia, Italy, Montenegro, Greece, Poland, Germany, etc. But this year the tourist season is expected to start with some unknowns, which put this industry in serious difficulty for the third year in a row. What is known so far is the significant increase in prices as a whole and the step of new bookings from destinations that had begun to consolidate.VOA

top channel