Hotels in Albania have reduced their prices by up to 40% in a bid to target local tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Albanian hoteliers have seen cancellation rates of as much as 80% for bookings this summer and with little government assistance, they have been forced to drop their prices. With travel in disarray, no public transport, and no indication of when things will return to normality, business owners have taken drastic measures.
Many hotels and other types of accommodation have started offering “all-inclusive” packages for one or two nights at lower prices. Four-star hotels that usually run at 80% capacity are offering stays between EUR 32 and EUR 56 per night including breakfast.
All-inclusive packages are also being offered with discounts on three to seven-night stays. Discounts range between 15 and 40%.
Hotel operators such as Fafa Group and Royal G confirmed to Monitor that prices will decrease this year and that they are expecting lower occupation rates over the next month.
In Sarande, the hoteliers association have agreed on a 20% price drop. The agreement is not binding but has been agreed upon to make the coast competitive.
Last weekend, it was reported that several thousand tourists came from Kosovo. The only other foreign tourists who have visited Albania so far are from Belarus, via charter flight who holidayed in Durres, Vlore, and Sarande.
