23.05.2021 – 07:38
The first Ukrainian tourists arrived in the country on April 25. The frequency of charters brought by this organized group is expected to continue to increase, giving optimism that this summer will be better. Globally there is more information about COVID-19, the panic has subsided somewhat, there is an extensive vaccination plan and a red alert of the tourism sector which requires opening at all costs. It is all these indicators that make the summer season more promising in general.
But when the analysis goes to specific places, the performance will depend on internal developments. Tour operators agree that markets such as Ukraine and Belarus, where there are no measures imposed by the European Union, may have a large presence on our coast, which they have already launched. As for Russia, a large and important market, the decision is political and will depend heavily on lobbying between governments. European Union decisions to open will also be crucial for potential tourists who may visit us where the Swiss, Poles and Czechs have given a preliminary approval, while Germans and Nordics remain skeptical.
Kosovo enlivens the coast in Shengjin, but with short stays
The closure implemented by Kosovo as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, in many cases caused long queues at the customs with citizens addressing Albania, which did not apply closure at any time. Local tour operators say that the pandemic turned its eyes away from Kosovo, giving it greater importance and adapting packages dedicated to this market. Bledar Shima from the resort “Rafaelo” in Shengjin says that the movements in the coastal area have started for several weeks. According to him, this year the body has been better with the agencies in Kosovo.
“We have made dedicated packages and we have organized with agencies in Kosovo. Promotion and dissemination through them has been successful. It is the first time we apply it, as it seems more channeled. This enables us not to make quick and uncontrolled bookings, which create stagnation but everything is done with bank transfers and full transparency and for us it is better. “The years 2020 and 2021 have made us think more and more about what would be the best moves to ensure our stay in the market in times of pandemics,” he said.
Regarding the all-Albanian market, Shima estimates that Kosovo agencies are better organized than those of northern Macedonia. Mostly Northern Macedonia, if there is interest, calls 2-3 days in advance for arrivals, but the number of tourists is low. Although there is an attendance from Kosovo, the representative of “Rafaelo Resort” says that the all-Albanian market is insufficient for the capacities that the country has.
“We have a capacity of 2000 beds and despite the fact that we have had a continuous presence in the Kosovo market, if we will be left alone with it during this year, I think it will not be enough to ensure a good tourist year.
We have become resilient during this time, adapting to any tourist request regarding packages. We did both packages with everything included, as well as with bed and two meals or bed and breakfast. The market dictates that you have this kind of adaptation. “Package costs have increased on the one hand, but we have reduced prices by removing them from our profit margin, because we understand that we are living in abnormal times,” he said.
According to Shima, most of the tourists from Kosovo who have visited Shengjin these days have been family in 95 percent of cases and the maximum stay is 1-2 nights, only on weekends.
In Durrës, the highest attendance at the weekend, how the packages are working
The Golem area in Durrës has also been a favorite of Kosovo tourists. The hotel structures of the area report that the attendance was mainly on weekends, when the weather was also good. Fatos Çerenishti, administrator of “FAFA Group”, said that despite the tourists from Kosovo, the stay is not long.
“They stay one or two nights and this for us as a structure is too little to make a difference. We are oriented towards 1-2-day packages. We have even done three days in some cases, but no money goes. Kosovo market helps us, but if we see it as a sector it can not meet all the needs of tourism in Albania. It is positive, but it does not change us. “Albania has 100 thousand beds and to fill this level for the whole season, the Kosovo market is small” – he claims.
What is noticed by the attitudes of tourists is their preference for ready-made packages, especially for families. This means that from the two-meal bed offer included or bed and breakfast, the preference has been for the former.
“We have designed two packages, breakfast and bed, or bed and two meals and families usually prefer the latter, while young people want more freedom and choose the simple package” – says Blerim Norja, General Manager of “Royal G” hotels .
Poles and Czechs may return, questioning Nordics, Serbs and Bulgarians in test
The Nordics, a significant group of tourists in the Golem area did not come during 2020 and their presence this year is not certain. The head of the Albanian Tourist Union, Rrahman Kasa, says that the European Union’s decision to open suspends some negotiations with international partners. We have currently received a preliminary confirmation, but still not sure that after May 25 the charters will start from Poland and later those from the Czech Republic. Of course this will depend on the pandemic developments and the policies that each country applies for restrictions or relief. For the group of Nordics, important in the sector in the past years, we still do not have a date when they will return to the Albanian coast.
Their governments are more skeptical and maintain strong travel restrictions. The Germans and the Swiss are also interested, but while for the former there is no movement, for the latter, our partners have made reservations and will work with the line that comes twice a week from Switzerland, which starts in the coming weeks “- says Kasa.
While reservations from Ukrainians and Belarusians have continued, it seems that some new markets are approaching to test Albania. These are Serbs, whom you have encountered for years as individual tourists, as well as Bulgarians. Interest from Bulgaria has increased.
For Easter, we had several groups of Bulgarians. They are the agencies that cooperated even earlier for the organization of the end-of-year holidays. This time they have decided to test the Albanian market in the summer, by introducing a charter. I notice that interest from Serbia has increased. Previously, the Serbian tourist has been sporadic, while this year they want to be organized with charters and there are companies that are taking this part seriously. The concentration and the whole peak this year will be July-August “- says Blerim Norja.
The opening of Greece may lead to an “outflow” of tourists fleeing Albania
The difficult situation of the economies of almost the entire globe from the pandemic has led to an aggressive competition in attracting tourists once the opening takes place. Vaccination of major tourist islands, sector employees and financial assistance to restart the engines of activity have been seen as a priority by countries that have tourism as their main sector.
In terms of government support for the tourism sector, Albania lags behind while competition with regional competitors is expected to be more aggressive. Tour operators estimate that the unconditional opening of Greece to a vaccination passport and the welcome of tourists from all over the Western Balkans, China and Russia could cause Albania to lose a good part of the tourists and it is about the elite.
“Opening the border with Greece means that a significant part of elite tourism will pass there and use Greece as a springboard, which will have a huge impact. We are talking about an Albania that on average provides, according to a recent study, almost 390 USD per tourist, while Kosovo has twice the income per tourist. There is a tourist with potential as there is diaspora that pays and spends. 2.5 times more per tourist. To tell the truth, Greece is in a moment of extraordinary crisis.
There was only 23 percent of the number of tourists in 2019, last year, which means that 26 million tourists are missing from a country with 11 million inhabitants. It’s a very big fight for survival. Greece has prepared a plan to provide a tourism fund of almost 300m euros, which will be grants to launch the tourist season. We are in an unequal situation, where the region is thinking broadly “- says Zak Topuzi, from the Albanian Tourism Association.
According to him, the coming weeks will be crucial to see what will be the tourism situation in the country, based on the events that will take place with Europe and the opening of neighbors. / MONITOR /
