Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sports, Blendi Gonxhja, opened Albania’s pavilion at the “Fitur” tourism fair in Madrid. He promised that the 2026 tourist season will be the best ever.

First, Gonxhja, together with the ministry staff and participating agencies, invited visitors to explore Albania—a country that is beautiful to live in and work in.

The pavilion, titled “Albania All Senses” (January 21–25), showcases the country through tourism agencies, partners, associations, municipal representatives, and teams promoting Albanian culture and traditions.

Gonxhja highlighted the shift in tourism focus: “Tourism is no longer just beaches, sea, and sand. We need event tourism, destination tourism, and activity-based tourism. Our ministry now oversees all these sectors. That’s why we have the Coast Agency and the National Tourism Agency here. They will play a key role in managing and promoting all forms of Albanian tourism.”

Next, the minister emphasized digital and virtual promotion. He said the goal is to develop year-round tourism, expanding beyond the summer season and covering more territories.

“This event allows business meetings, government-level discussions, local and international tourism cooperation. It strengthens our network and helps present Albania attractively to the world,” Gonxhja said.

He also invited citizens to visit the fair over the weekend to get information firsthand.

Finally, Gonxhja noted the fair’s economic impact. Madrid’s fair is one of the most successful, finalizing the highest number of contracts and bookings. “Currently, about 10 percent of tourism is already planned through bookings. We must increase this to ensure sustainable investment, better planning, and optimized use of facilities and services,” he added.

/a.c/