From flowers, to jewelry and trips abroad: How much does love cost in Albania?

That sign can be a flower, a gift, a trip, the common denominator of which is undoubtedly the fact that they cost.

For Valentine’s Day 2022, however, it seems that Albanians will spend less money on expensive gifts, focusing on exchanging romantic experiences and exchanging gifts like trips or a dinner out.

According to various research in businesses in the capital, who have been dressed in red since the beginning of last week, the focus of demand this year seems to be on flowers and the restaurant. Various clothing stores on the shopping street “Myslym Shyri” claim that purchases have been low. Also, in communication with several stores in two shopping centers in the country, the same trend is confirmed.

This drop in buying demand, however, according to businesses, does not make Valentine’s not celebrable, but suggests they are already reviewing the way they celebrate Valentine’s Day, amid factors like rising food costs, rising electricity and impacts. ongoing global pandemic.

While another sector that has received attention on this day, that of perfumes, results in higher sales than clothing. The perfumery in the COIN center claims that last week there was an increase in demand for women’s perfumes mainly, but without leaving behind the gifts for men, an increase which they single out as higher than last year.

While contacted by Monitor, the representatives of the jewelry sales “AltinBas” in the block show that there were many promotions and price discounts on the occasion of the holiday of love, discounts which in many items exceeded the value of -50% and this year the purchases have been somewhat better than previous years, however, according to them, expensive gifts have started to be less attractive.

“A February 14 better than the last two years” – says the representative of the flower and plant shop “Bloom” near Vasil Shanto. She claims that the preparations started after February 10, offering other accessories besides flowers such as bears, balloons, postcards, etc. and the requests and purchases, according to her have been higher than the last two years in the pandemic.

“We had more sales than in previous years. People had the opportunity to find something starting from 1000 lek, according to the possibilities of not being deprived for financial reasons. “Or even just a flower branch,” she said.

INSTAT data show that flower imports have increased year after year, culminating in February, March (for the March 8 holiday) and summer, when it is the wedding period. The record, imported flowers marked in 2021, increasing by 30.2% on an annual basis. Last year they reached 1’19 billion ALL, improving the situation created by the pandemic in 2020. (see graph)

Numerous offers started to “bombard” social networks but also advertisements on various televisions, for the form of how a couple should spend Valentine’s Day. In addition to a meal in a restaurant, the packages this year also offered personalized live music on the table or even sleeping in the case of a hotel or resort, making attractive this form of holiday transition, which in 2020 was missing.

Even for Valentine, trips have been required. There have been offers from various agencies in the country and the requests have been mainly focused on nearby destinations, perfect for a weekend getaway. The region is highly preferred, taking into account preliminary bookings from the data of three agencies in the capital. Also, the demands for Paris, Barcelona, ​​Istanbul have been high./Monitor/

top channel