Tourist packages, how much does Albania "cost"

Albania has become a tourist destination of interest to be advertised by foreign agencies, which have included special packages, ranging from several hundred euros to several thousand euros, depending on the duration and services involved. Some of the active markets where cultural packages are offered, but also opportunities for summer vacations remain the British, Italian, Israeli markets, but also the United Arab Emirates. There is no longer just one coveted spot that should definitely be visited, Albania is advertised from South to North as a country that has a lot to offer, from nature to culture.

Albania has entered the map of countries that are most often marketed by international agencies with tourist packages.

These packages used to include our country as part of regional tours, mainly the Balkans, but international promotion and the attention gained in foreign media and social networks have made it attractive even as a single destination.

But how much do the tour packages that aim to entice foreign tourists from different markets to choose Albania cost?

From the 11-day tour to the most special points in the Alps, how the English are being lured

Explore.co.uk has on its website seven tour packages aimed at attracting British tourists to Albania. With the price ranging between 1100-1500 pounds, the offer is diverse.

The most preferred package and with the most evaluations from the experiences of individuals seems to be the one called "Albania's Most Special" or "Higlights Albania", with a price that is currently 1249 euros.

This package includes an 11-day tour of our site.

It is made clear to customers that the flight is not included in this price and it must be paid for separately. Included in the 11-day tour are hotel nights, 10 breakfasts, 2 dinners, transportation from one destination to another, a tour guide.

The places to be visited are: Tirana on the first day, cable car and Dajti on the second day and again a walk in the city. Elbasan and a visit to Ohrid, on the third day. Korça and Voskopoja on the fourth day.

In the fifth, Gjirokastra and Bënja. Day six, a lunch at Dhoksat in Gjirokastra. On the seventh day, the exploration of Butrint. On the eighth day, the Fortress of Ali Pasha and then the Park of Llogora.

On the ninth day, Apollonia and Vlora are visited on the way to Berat.

On the tenth day, a visit to Berat and then to Durrës. The last day is a stop in Kruja.

Other similar packages are those special for families, another for visiting the Albanian Alps, one for the coastal trails, as well as one for cyclists.

The most expensive of all is the regional tour "Undiscovered Balkans", priced at 2195 pounds and currently sold at a discount of 1945 pounds.

This tour includes Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania, with a total of 14 days where the arrival and departure is again from Tirana.

Italians visit the country of the "Eagles", packages start from 3 thousand euros

Italians are the group with the most steady growth, occupying the second place after Kosovo for the entry of foreign citizens.

The geographical proximity and the diverse modes of transport between the two countries, where especially the entry of low-cost lines and the number of destinations covered through them, has made Italians turn into year-round visitors.

Despite the fact that most choose to come for weekends individually, or even for longer vacations, Albania's offers as a package for Italian vacationers are not lacking.

On alpitour.it site, some of these that are made possible in collaboration stand out.

One of them is "Tour to the Land of Eagles". "A land rich in history and beauty, a classic itinerary that touches on the main places of interest, between the sea, mountains and archaeological sites, evidence of the past.

From Tirana, the modern symbolic capital of the new Albania, to Saranda, a lively tourist city, embraced by the crystalline waters of the Ionian Sea, with coastal landscapes of rare beauty and wonderful cities that are UNESCO cultural heritage sites", it is written in the description of the package that is calculated at 3630 euros for two people, which includes hotel, flight, and meals.

This offer includes an 8-day tour that starts from Tirana, continues to Kruja and Shkodra then to Apollonia and Vlora, to continue to Porto Palermo and Saranda.

On the fifth day, Butrint and Ksamil are visited, with a stay again in Saranda, to visit the Blue Eye the next day, then in Gjirokastra and Berat.

On the eighth day after Berat, the relocation is to Durrës and then to Tirana.

Israel returns "organized", in search of affordable summer vacation

This year, the Israeli airline "Sun d'Or", part of "EL AL Group" started with flights 5 times a week to Albania responding to the growing demand for the destination, in order to have a more economical summer vacation.

In "The Jerusalem Post", the CEO of this line, Gal Gershon, said at the beginning of June that the demand is high. "We are attentive to the high demand and we are happy to offer flights 5 times a week to Tirana.

This summer we launched direct flights to Albania for the first time and this will be the hit of summer 2025," he said. Albania, in the perspective of this line, offers fascinating beaches, nature and good food, and affordable prices.

On page myholidays.com, where packages for different countries are offered, those from Israel to Albania are also presented. One option is a 4-day tour priced at 77 thousand Lek per person, which includes exploring Tirana on the first day.

On the second day, the exploration of the coast of Vlora.

On the third day, a visit to Gjirokastra and on the fourth day, the South with beaches such as Dhermi or the landscapes in Llogora.

Another longer package includes 5 nights of stay, with a cost of 124 thousand ALL, which similar to the one above also includes destinations such as Saranda and Butrint or more stops in the South of the country.

The French, towards the "free" sea and cultural tours in Albania

One of the markets that is showing rapid growth in Albania, especially visible this year, as confirmed by tour operators, is the French one. They come organized on cultural or even individual tours thanks to the low cost lines that operate from Tirana to several main cities in France.

There are many agencies that offer packages for Albania in France, but in this case we selected leclercvoyages.com, known for economic packages.

What stands out on the page is a large number of accommodation structures listed on it with the offer "all inclusive".

They are mainly structures located in Lalzi Bay, in Durrës or in Golem. Specifically, for one of the four-star structures with all included in Durrës, the offer is 605 euros per person, which includes a stay for 5 nights, but also a flight.

Departures are made from different cities such as Paris, Nice, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Marseille.

For accommodation in a structure categorized as a half board (bed and one or two meals) in Durrës, the offer starts from 194 euros. The options are numerous, according to the structure listed.

Organized tourist packages are also eye-catching. Specifically, one of them is the "Circuit Étonnants Trésors d'Albanie" (Tour of the Wonderful Treasures of Albania), which provides for 7 nights, in a defined program, which becomes active from July of this year, with prices starting at over 1 thousand euros.

Paketa parashikon nisjen nga Franca dhe mbërritjen në Tiranë, me akomodim në Durrës. Ditën e dytë parashikohen vizita në Krujë dhe në Muzeun e Skënderbeut.

Në ditën e tretë, udhëtimi përfshin Gjirokastrën dhe Kalanë e saj dhe kthimin sërish në hotel në Durrës.

Ditën e katërt përfshihet Tirana dhe vizita në BunkArt. Dita e pestë ka në fokus Durrësin, kurse e gjashta Beratin dhe vizitën në Muzeun Onufri.

Në ditën e shtatë qëndrimi është sërish në Durrës për t’u rikthyer më pas drejt Francës në ditën e tetë.

Dubai zbulon Shqipërinë në paketa 4-ditore, vëmendja vetëm te Tirana 

Vizitorët nga vende si Emiratet e Bashkuara Arabe kanë qenë në numra të lëkundur. Pas një rritjeje në vitin 2022 pas pandemisë duket se ky treg pësoi një lloj luhatjeje edhe për shkak se Shqipëria nuk ofron disa shërbime specifike që kërkohen nga këto tregje, kryesisht e lidhur me ushqimin.

Gjithsesi ofertat për të vizituar vendin tonë nga agjenci të ndryshme në këto vende nuk kanë munguar, por fokusi është Tirana që duket se i ka më të zhvilluara shërbimet.

E marketuar nga Sharaftravel, me qendër në Dubai, një paketë për Shqipërinë përfshin një tur 3 net në Tiranë, me çmim 3099 AED apo rreth 740 euro.

Itinerari i shpjeguar nga agjencia parashikon që ditën e parë të mbërritjes në Tiranë të jetë një natë e lirë ku klientët të shëtisin të vetëm qytetin.

Në ditën e dytë parashikohet një tur në qytet me guidë, ku vizitohen pika të ndryshme të qytetit si Bulevardi me ndërtesat italiane, Galeria, Teatri i Operës, Monumenti i Skënderbeut, Xhamia e Et’hem Beut, Kulla e Sahatit.

Në ditën e tretë sërish në Tiranë vizitorët lihen të lirë për të ndjekur aktiviteteve të pavarura me interes për ta.

The fourth day is the return to their country. The package includes flights, three nights accommodation in a four-star hotel, breakfast, health insurance, as well as transportation to and from the airport.

Germans, exploring from North to South on long cultural tours

Germans are a market that has traditionally shown interest in cultural tours in recent years and it seems that the even wider promotion of tourism Albania has increased interest in them for individual exploration all year round.

Agencies that advertise Albania, as a tourist package, are numerous, whether for sea and sand tourism, or for culture, nature or gastronomy.

This time we took as a basis a relatively long package stretched over 8 days with a focus on a cultural tour from North to South. Tourradar.de presents the "Best Exploration in Albania" package at a price of 1155 euros per person, which includes a long tour of several key cities in the country.

The explained itinerary foresees on the first day the arrival in Tirana and the visit to some of the main points of the capital.

On the second day, the visit moves to Kruja and then again to Tirana. The third day includes visits to the cities of Lezha and Shkodra. On the fourth day, Durrës and Berat, which is underlined that it is part of UNESCO.

On the fifth day, tourists visit Ardenica, Apollonia and Vlora.

Then the next day, Himara, Ksamil, Butrint are visited with a stay in Saranda. On the seventh day, the focus is on a visit to Syri Blu and Gjirokastra, while on the eighth day it is the return. The services included in this package are accommodation, travel guides, meals, transportation, and some additional services.

Another "road trip" type package provides for visits to canyons, mountainous areas and crystal clear waters with 13 destinations included, knowing also the preference that German tourists have for nature and adventure tourism.

The price for this package is 1829 euros per person for 11 days and includes Tirana, Boga, Thethi, Komani, Shkodra, Durres, Berat, Saranda and Gjirokastra./MONITOR