July brings record hotel visitors: how much did it grow compared to a year earlier?

The summer tourist season has boosted the activity of accommodation structures in Albania, with around 817,000 visitors registered in July alone. Data shows that the number of visitors who stayed in hotels and other accommodation structures rose by 15% compared to July a year earlier.

The overwhelming majority of the growth came from foreign tourists. The number of non-resident visitors reached 622,700, versus 526,300 a year earlier, or 18.3% more. Resident visitors grew at a more moderate pace of 6.4%, reaching 194,000 people.

The tourism growth is reflected not only in the number of accommodated persons, but also in overnight stays. In July, the number of overnight stays rose by 14% compared to the same period last year. For foreign visitors the increase was 17%, while for residents 4.4%.

Another important indicator for the hotel industry is the room occupancy rate. In July 2026, it reached 55%, up from 53% in July last year, rising by 2.4 percentage points. This shows a higher use of hotel capacity at the peak of the tourist season.

Kosovo continues to be the main origin market for foreign visitors using accommodation structures in Albania. In July, tourists from Kosovo made up 18% of foreign visitors, followed by Italy with 13% and Poland with 11%. France accounted for 7% and Germany 6%, while 45% of visitors came from other countries.