TIRANA, June 13 – Albanians continue cutting spending on trips abroad despite the economy officially slightly recovering but domestic consumption remaining at sluggish growth rates.
Central bank data shows Albanians cut spending on trips abroad for the sixth quarter in a row in the first quarter of 2016 when travel expenditure hit a three-year low of €216 million.
Albanians spent about €1.1 billion in trips abroad in 2015, €78 million less than in 2014 and even less than in 2009 ahead of being granted visa free travel in late 2010. Most trips abroad are made to visit relatives mainly in Italy and Greece where about 1 million Albanians live and work, but last year also witnessed a record 66,000 Albanians who sought asylum in EU countries, mainly in Germany.
Italy, Greece and Turkey are Albania’s top travel destinations for trips abroad mainly during the summer vacations.
