Albania's online "explosion"/ Google Trends analysis: Our country is the champion of travel searches in the region
In the last three years, Albania has experienced a remarkable transformation in global perception as a tourist destination. From a little-known place on the European tourist map, Albania has become an increasingly mentioned name in the international media and an increasingly popular search object on global platforms such as Google. This change is not accidental, but the result of a combination of factors that include preserved natural beauty, hospitality, competitive prices and an increasingly active presence on social networks and digital marketing.
Albania has been repeatedly mentioned in the most popular international media and beyond. Articles in these media have particularly highlighted the pristine beaches of the Albanian Riviera, the historical and cultural heritage of areas such as Gjirokastra and Berat, the natural beauties of the Northern Alps, as well as the authentic Albanian experience of food and hospitality. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, Albania has been positioned as a safe and less crowded alternative compared to the usual Mediterranean destinations.
Mentions in lists such as "the best destinations to visit", "among the cheapest countries" or "the hidden gem of Europe", have directly influenced the growth of international interest and a new image of the country. Albania has increasingly been described as a country "authentic", "untouched", and "with extraordinary tourist potential".
Another important indicator of this success is the significant increase in searches for Albania on Google, especially during the tourist seasons. Terms such as “Albania beaches”, “Albania travel”, “Albanian Riviera” or “Albania hiking” have increased significantly from countries such as Italy, Germany, Poland, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. The highest increase is observed during the months of April-September, reflecting the interest in planning summer holidays, but recently there has also been an increase in interest in off-season tourism, such as hiking in the mountains or cultural heritage tourism.
Furthermore, keywords related to specific cities such as “Saranda”, “Ksamil”, “Shkodër”, “Valbona” and “Theth” show a growing recognition of different destinations, testifying to the diversification of Albania’s tourism profile.
A special role in this success is also played by the organic spread on social networks, where international travelers, influencers and bloggers share their experiences in Albania, often calling it a “secret that will not last long”. This presence on the network has helped to strengthen the trend of searches on Google and increase the positive image of Albania globally.
So, the "explosion" of tourism in the last two years has been noticed both by everyone's perception and through public figures on the entry and exit of foreign citizens, or even articles in prestigious foreign media outlets and beyond.
"Scan Intel" has continuously reported these figures, but this time it will focus on a different perspective, how much Albania was searched for online and the comparison with other countries in the region, for the months of May-July 2025.
A recent Google Trends analysis for the past 90 days reveals an encouraging picture for the tourism industry in Albania. The search graph for the term "Travel", which is available to view globally, shows that interest in Albania as a tourist destination is higher than for other countries in the region.
The data confirms that interest in traveling to Albania is highest in our country, but a deeper look at the "Compared breakdown by region" section shows that the high interest does not come only from Albania. Albania ranks first on the list, followed by Morocco, Italy and Portugal. This proves that potential visitors from these countries show a high interest in Albania as a destination.
If we focus on research interest, measured on a relative scale from 1 to 100, where 100 represents the maximum rating, we see that Albania is rated with 66 points. Global interest for Montenegro is rated with 61 points, lower than Albania.
This overview, in contrast to a limited regional analysis, serves as a strong indicator of the strength of the Albanian tourism brand at an international level. The high interest from countries such as Italy and Portugal, which are themselves well-known tourist destinations, shows that Albania is successfully positioning itself as an attractive and unique alternative.
On the other hand, data for other Balkan countries such as Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina show lower interest. This may indicate that internationally, these countries may not be in the spotlight of travel searches to the same extent.
A deep dive into Google Trends data, especially in related searches for the term "Travel", reveals an encouraging and quite specific trend for Albania as a tourist destination. The fastest growing searches globally show a strong interest in short trips and the country's natural destinations.
At the top of the list of growing searches is the term "last minute albania" with a 700% increase. This figure, followed by "albania last minute" with 300%, clearly shows that Albania is increasingly positioning itself as an ideal destination for holidays planned on the spur of the moment.
Another important finding comes from the search "green coast albania" with a 250% increase. This demonstrates a significant interest of the international public in the Albanian coast.
Foreign language searches, such as "afbudsrejser" (a Danish term meaning "cancelled trips") and "arnavutluk ksamil otelleri" (Turkish, meaning "hotels in Ksamil, Albania"), confirm that interest in the country is coming from a wide range of international markets. This highlights the diversity of tourists and the potential to attract visitors from Denmark, Turkey, and other countries.
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