At ITB Berlin the Albanian Tourism Minister Mirela Kumbaro and Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, signed a partnership agreement for next year.

Mirela Kumbaro and Dr. Mario Tobias signed the agreement for next year’s host country partnership
Albania has been announced as the Official Host Country of ITB Berlin 2025. On Wednesday, 6 March 2024, Albania’s Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro and Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, signed a partnership agreement on the Albanian stand in Hall 1.1. Afterwards, the minister introduced the CEO to various regions and local specialities.

Whenever Mirela Kumbaro talks about her home country Albania, she finds it hard not to enthuse about it. “Albania is a hidden gem in the Mediterranean with a good tourism infrastructure“, she commented during the signing ceremony. “People are in search of new destinations and experiences. Albania doesn’t fit any of the usual stereotypes, but instead is a small and sort of mystical country where travellers can gain new experiences.“

According to Mirela Kumbaro, there is more to visit than just the sea and mountains, which together with the rivers and forests cover three-quarters of the country. It is the “Albanian spirit“ and the hospitality of the locals that make Albania so attractive. That has always been firmly part of Albanian culture, and not something just invented for the modern tourism age. “In Albania the house belongs to the guest and God“, said Mirela Kumbaro, quoting a common saying in her country. In Albania, visitors could expect to be treated like royalty, she added.

Furthermore, distances between tourist attractions in Albania are short. It takes only a few hours to reach the mountains from the coast. The Vjosa is part of Europe’s recently declared Wild River National Park. In the north, the Albanian Alps await with many hiking trails and pristine mountain villages, where visitors can find accommodation.

The latest statistics are proof that tourism in Albania is taking off. Last year, 10.1 million people visited Albania from abroad. According to UN Tourism (UNWTO), during the first six months of 2023 tourism in Albania experienced the third-highest growth worldwide and the highest in Europe. One million tourists have already visited Albania from abroad this year, 50 per cent more than over the same period last year.

www.itb.com