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Restriction of traffic due to Covid-19 seems to further complicate the recovery of tourism in the country.
Instat data show that 185.3 thousand foreign visitors entered the country in January, about 64.1 thousand less than the same period of 2020. While in total together with the Albanian citizens, the entries reached 405.7 thousand from 693.9 thousand that were in January last year.
The largest increase has been seen by tourists from Switzerland and Kosovo Albanians, as the number of the latter increased by about 10 thousand last month compared to January 2020, reaching 87.6 thousand visitors. The rest have seen a shrinking number of visitors.
A pessimistic situation also comes from market operators. For the president of the Association of Tour Operators Besnik Vathi, the year 2021 will be characterized by a scorched spring and a summer in danger as there is no contract with foreign tour operators.
“Albania really has 3 seasons, the spring season that in 2021 will be closed, the summer season that is in danger, that even if there is any optimistic situation, the realization of this summer can not be more than 50- 60% with those tourists planned. A wish that has not been concretized with real contracts or reservations “, says Besnik Vathi.
According to Vathi, due to the lack of foreign tourists, most travel agencies have suspended their work, not collecting since last March.
“About 80% of these businesses are either suspended or work simply without cash but keeping the staff so as not to lose those investments made from 15-20 years. There are dozens and dozens of businesses that have no activity. Nothing saves us today. We have lost about 70-80% of the employees “, said Besnik Vathi.
But, the imposition of blocking measures has also prevented the exit of Albanians, bringing almost half of them to 271.6 thousand in January from 531 thousand who crossed the borders in the same period of 2020.
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