Tirana Times
TIRANA, March 28 – Tourism revenues during 2010 dropped by 75 million euros compared to 2009, figures proving Albania’s most promising future industry did not manage to escape the crisis effects despite a significant rise in visitors reported by government officials.
The latest data published by the Bank of Albania show travel revenues during the whole of 2010 fell to 1.22 billion euros, down from 1.3 billion euros in 2009 which is the highest level registered since the central bank started reporting in 2004.
Bank of Albania data show travel revenues in the last quarter of 2010, worth 266 million euros, fell by 17 million euros year-on-year and halved compared to the third quarter of 2010.
Meanwhile, travel expenditure in 2010 also dropped, proving the consumer’s lower revenues and saving trend. Central bank data show Albanians spent 1.03 billion euros in trips abroad during 2010, around 100 million euros less compared to 2009. Travel expenditure during the last quarter of 2010 was 249 million euros, 11 million euros more year-on-year.
Central bank data show travel revenues during the July-September period, the peak of tourist season, increased to 534 million euros, up from 508 million euros in the third quarter of 2009. However, total revenues for the first nine months of 2010 dropped to 960 million euros, down from 1.019 billion euros during the same period in 2009. Statistics prove visitors to Albania, the majority of whom are Albanian immigrants living in Greece and Italy and tourists from neighbouring Kosovo and Macedonia spent significantly smaller amounts during their stay in Albania despite their number growing. The situation was mainly a result of the poor performance registered in the first half of this year when revenues dropped by 85 million euros year-on-year.
Government statistics on foreign visitors, excluding Albanian immigrants who hold Albanian citizenship and are residents in different host countries, show some 549,105 tourists or 26,908 people more, visited Albania during the first half of 2010. The Tourism Ministry says the figure for the first six months of this year marked a 5.2 percent increase compared to the same period in 2009 and 77 percent compared to 2006.
The biggest number of tourists during the first half of 2010 came from neighbouring countries, with Macedonia topping the list with 21 percent, followed by Kosovo with 19 percent, Montenegro 12 percent, Italy 8 percent, Greece 8 percent, Serbia 4 percent, UK and Germany 3 percent each.
Previous Tourism Ministry data also including Albanian immigrants showed 2.5 million people visited Albania during the January-August 2010, of whom 1.7 million were foreigners and 855,000 Albanian non-residents.
Albania’s travel and tourism competitiveness climbed 19 steps to 71st in 2011, according to a recent report released by the World Economic Forum covering 139 countries. Albania’s best perfuming indicators in the report were the affinity for travel and tourism, the top third in the world followed by safety and security 44th, policy rules and regulations 46th. The worst indicators were natural and cultural resources, which in fact in Albania are abundant but lack proper management, price competitiveness in the travel and tourism industry which ranked 94th as well as air and ground transport infrastructure.
The ongoing tense political situation which escalated in the killing of 4 anti-government protestors on Jan. 21 in Tirana is another concern for the country’s developing industry, which says the country’s image has already been spoilt after violent acts aired all over the world. However, Albania’s placing as the top travel destination in 2011 by Lonely Planet Guide and sixth global destination by CNN experts are expected to bring positive effects this year. Apart from the underdeveloped infrastructure, the high tax burden is another factor preventing the progress and competitiveness of the Albanian tourism industry. With three months to go before the new tourist season officially kicks off, the Albanian Tourism Association (ATA) has reiterated its perennial request for the review of the value added tax on this sector.
Albanian tourism has grown at a significant pace over the last few years, contributing over US$ 2.4 billion in 2009 to the Albanian economy, with expectations to grow by 4% in 2011 נbased on statistics from the World Travel and Tourism Council. Over 200,000 Albanians are involved in tourism businesses and this number is expected to grow in 2010-11, despite the effects of the global crisis on the travel and tourism industry.
