TIRANA, Oct. 8 – Out-of-region tourist numbers increased by 25 percent this summer compared to a year ago, authorities say, adding the country is lowering its reliance on ethnic Albanians from neighboring Kosovo and Macedonia, who have made up the bulk of out-of-country tourists for the past two decades.
Targeting international tourists has been a key goal for the authorities this year. They have tried different ways to attract them, including promotions in different media partners throughout the world.
Authorities also say that this year foreign tourists have stayed longer, unlike previous times when they came just for a one-day tourist trip to the country.
No exact figures were made available at the announcement. In previous years, millions of visits were registered as tourists, but a good portion of the number was made up of Albanian immigrants coming for vacations over summer.
