TIRANA, Oct. 6 – Poland’s state-run airline LOT has expressed its interest to launch direct flights with Tirana as Albania has emerged a top 10 destination for Poles.
Karol Bachura, the Polish Ambassador to Tirana, has told Albanian Transport Minister Sokol Dervishaj Poland and Albania should boost cooperation, especially in tourism and transport.
“National airline LOT is interested in direct Warsaw-Tirana flights after an increase in demand by Polish tourists to visit Albania,” ambassador Bachura is quoted as saying by a ministry statement.
Albanian Transport Minister Dervishi said Albanian authorities welcome the move which would serve both the tourism industry and Albanian passengers.
“Albanian authorities are ready to launch talks to enable the operation of this airline which will have a considerable impact on the increase of Polish tourists to Albania and increase competitiveness by offering Albanian passengers improved services and lower prices,” said Dervishaj.
An annual survey conducted by the Polish Tour Operators Association, PZOT, ranked Albania’s as the Poles’ ninth favourite destination for 2015-2016, sandwiched between Portugal and Cyprus.
The southernmost Albanian town of Saranda along the Albanian Riviera is one of the Poles’ favourite destination with their number estimated at 12,000 a year, according to Saranda Mayor Florjana Koka.
A record 59,000 Polish tourists visited Albania last year while their number for the first three quarters of this is estimated to have exceeded 60,000.
