High informality in short-term rentals - Only 17.5% registered. Their prevalence, a challenge for the growth of tourism
The new tourism strategy 2025-2030 highlights the high levels of informality in the short-term accommodation sector.
According to the document, the development of tourism supply in Albania has brought about a significant increase in accommodation capacity, reaching 57,778 rooms and over 129,000 beds in 2023, while the vast majority of this growth is attributed to short-term rental structures.
Specifically, according to a study conducted for Booking.com in July 2023, the dominant category of accommodation is short-term rentals, accounting for 9,040 of the 10,526 properties listed on Booking.com. Similarly, data from AllTheRooms.com, a marketplace for short-term rentals, shows that in 2023, there were over 18,200 active short-term rental units listed on various booking platforms, an increase of 80% compared to the previous year.
But, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, in 2023 only 1,850 structures or 17.5% of the total listed on Booking.com were officially licensed and certified. This data shows that a significant part of accommodation structures in Albania operate without registration or proper regulation, thus falling into the category of what is widely known as the informal sector of the economy," the document states.
The strategy considers their dominance as a challenge to sustainable growth, emphasizing the need for stronger regulation of this market and the integration of these structures into the formal system. It also places special emphasis on monitoring, fair taxation, and inclusion in sustainable tourism planning policies.
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