Albania ranks first in Europe and second in the world in terms of the increase in foreign tourists visiting the country. According to the  World Tourism Organization barometer, the number of foreign tourists visiting the country in the first nine months of 2022 was 18% higher than in 2019.

Albania ranks first in Europe, while the number of foreign tourists has dropped significantly in many other countries with a consolidated tourism industry.

In this ranking, Albania achieved an impressive 56% growth rate, following Qatar, which secured first place with a remarkable 95% growth, and Saudi Arabia, taking second place with a substantial 59% growth rate.

Notably, Albania outperforms other well-known European destinations such as Greece, Italy, Spain, Croatia, and France, securing the top spot on the continent.

Croatia saw a decline of 11%, Greece saw a decrease of 12%, and Sweden saw 13%, while the number of foreign visitors arriving in Spain fell by 16%.

Europe, the world’s largest destination region, achieved 91% of pre-pandemic levels, driven by intra-regional solid demand.

The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, a regular tracker of short-term tourism trends providing updated insights into international tourism, has positioned Albania in the third spot globally from January to July 2023.