Tuesday, March 26

British tourists head to Albania for ‘feeling exotic’ without long-haul flights | Albanian


TOAlbania has been on the radar of intrepid backpackers for some time, but this year tour operators predict the southeastern Balkan country will become a top holiday destination for UK travelers after a surge in bookings. this January.

Interest in the country has been gradually increasing over the past decade as it has slowly opened up after a 44-year dictatorship that ended in 1985. Tour operators have seen a notable increase in bookings for 2022 as Albania expands its appeal to people looking for beautiful beaches. and landscapes as well as interesting culture and history at a lower price than neighboring destinations.

“Albania is one of those small, diverse destinations that can offer a little bit of everything for everyone, similar to Montenegro or Slovenia,” said Tine Murn, co-founder of New Deal Europe, a Balkan tourism marketing agency.

He said that Albania appealed because it was an “undiscovered Mediterranean gem” and “still has a sense of the exotic, even though it is geographically very close.”

This was especially attractive at the moment, as people were reluctant to travel long distances due to the pandemic, especially as Albania has had very low and unrestricted covid infection rates for most of the pandemic, he said.

Ottoman houses on a hillside in Gjirokaster, Albania.
Ottoman houses on a hillside in Gjirokaster, Albania. Photograph: Jesse Kraft/Alamy

Albania’s national tourism agency sees the UK as “a growing emerging market” and has actively promoted tourism in recent years. It is also becoming much easier to travel around the country, as the standard of its accommodation has improved and spending on infrastructure has increased, with a new highway connecting the western mountains to the eastern coast due to open this year.

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The UK’s large Albanian diaspora and vocal celebrity champions such as Southampton footballer Armando Broja and pop stars Dua Lipa and Rita Ora have further helped raise the country’s profile.

Flights from the UK to the capital Tirana are becoming more available and in demand. Booking website Skyscanner said it had seen a 48% increase in bookings to Albania compared to 2019, reflecting interest in “less popular destinations that are traditionally seen as off the beaten track”. The average reservations were 2.1 people, which suggests that the majority of reservations are couples and friends at this time.

However, Elton Caushi, who runs the Tirana-based tour operator Albanian Trip, said visitors had “changed significantly” in recent years from backpackers to families, especially from EU countries, and British families now They were becoming more visible.

“Croatia appeared on the map at the end of the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Romania amazed Europe with their beauty and history when they became part of the EU, and now the continent is eager to discover more. The day has come for one of Europe’s last secrets,” he said.

Buildings in the capital city, Tirana
Buildings in the capital city, Tirana. Photography: Matjaž Tančič / Alamy

Zina Bencheikh, managing director for Europe at Intrepid Travel, said there was an increase in bookings this year in part due to the fact that Albania offers adventures without the carbon footprint of a long-haul flight, as people were “more aware than ever of the environmental impact of their vacations”.

Wild Frontiers, one of the first operators to launch tours in Albania, said inquiries for its week-long guided tours, the only ones it offers below £1,000, were up 30% last January. Its founder, Jonny Bealby, said the country was “poised for a boom” in the coming years.

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He said that Albania had come a long way since the communist era. He recalled that when he began to make trips in the country 12 years ago, the tourist infrastructure was completely absent. Instead, he relied on a Channel 4 News mediator who had worked in the Balkan wars to help him arrange accommodation and transport.

He sees Albania as part of a new wave of destinations, including Georgia, Slovakia and Pakistan, that are growing in popularity as travelers seek to escape the tourist glut. “These were countries that were very niche destinations a decade ago and are now becoming more popular as people seek out places that are quirky and different and to get away from the crowds.”

Highlights of Albanian history

Delve into Albania’s rich past by visiting hilltop towns and fortresses, such as Krüje, the country’s first capital, or Gjirokastër and Berat. There are also Greek and Roman ruins at Apollonia and Butrint. For more recent history of the country under communist dictator Enver Hoxha, explore one of the many bunkers built to protect citizens by the paranoid regime, scattered across the landscape.

A communist-era bunker built on an Adriatic beach at Qerret.
A communist-era bunker built on an Adriatic beach at Qerret. Photograph: Gent Shkullaku/AFP/Getty

Breathtaking landscapes

The Albanian Alps are a spectacular mountain range with excellent hiking trails that take you past some of the cleanest rivers in Europe, remote villages and breathtaking views. Albania also has several large lakes, Ohrid, Prespa, and Shkodra, to explore. A new road, Arber, will open in 2022, connecting the western and eastern sides of the country and the traditional heart of the mountains with its more modern coastline.

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A vibrant capital

There is plenty to see and do in Tirana, which is safe, walkable and feels bustling without being overrun with tourists. There is a thriving bar and restaurant scene, especially in the Blloku district, and plenty of museums to visit. Tirana is the European Youth Capital for 2022 and will host a program of artistic and culinary events, and concerts by Dua Lipa and Rita Ora.

Tourists on a beach in Ksamil, Albania.
Tourists on a beach in Ksamil, Albania. Photograph: Xhulio Balliu/Getty/EyeEm

beautiful coast

Like other Adriatic nations, Albania has a long, beautiful stretch of coastline with turquoise sea and gorgeous beaches, and with fewer crowds, there’s more likely to be ample space for your towel too.

compelling culture

Albania has developed a distinctive culture after being isolated from other European countries for so long, in part due to its mountain range, which kept outside influence at bay. Albanian cuisine is a surprising mix of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors based on high-quality products, often sourced from chaotic local bazaars. The country is also an increasingly popular destination for music festivals, including the Unum electronic music festival.


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