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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
That these summer holidays will also be "salty"... this was almost a given. Tourism, like any other sector, is subject to the rules of the market, demand and supply. Where demand increases, supply becomes more expensive.
The same is happening on the eve of the massive summer tourist season. Compared to a year ago, hotel and beach accommodation, along with transportation, have become more expensive by an average of 5 percent. Drinks and food have become more expensive by an average of 10 percent.
" I think the country is developing, but we have to be very careful because sometimes this boom can be followed by a vacuum," said Albana Nanaj, a journalist and expert on the tourism sector.
" We don't have a match between what we advertise and what foreign tourists find when they come to Albania ," says Blerina Ago, entrepreneur and tourism expert.
However, there are no shortage of choices for spending a somewhat cheaper vacation. The beaches in the north of the country, Shëngjin and Velipojë can be two options. Durrës and part of Vlora also offer affordable prices. The same cannot be said for Saranda, Palasa or Dhërmi where a couple can choose to pay from 80 to 200 euros to sleep one night.
" I think operators in the north of the country have chosen a better formula. Stable prices create loyal tourists. Local vacationers, but also Russians and Poles or beyond, want good prices and this becomes almost impossible in the south of the country ," says Nanaj.
Despite the price hikes, Albania continues to offer lower prices than European countries, but on par with those in the region. According to the Booking platform, a couple can be accommodated on the country's beaches for an average of 80 euros, a figure lower than what a tourist would have to pay in Italy or Malta, but more expensive than in Turkey.
"I don't think Albania is a cheap destination and I don't think it should be sold as a cheap destination. Albania shouldn't follow the models of other countries that have developed through "low cost" tourism," says Blerina Ago.
High prices are considered one of the reasons that could somewhat curb tourism this year, as happened to the south of the country a year ago./ A2CNN
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