According to the Albanian ACP, tourists booked 284,300 overnight stays in apartments listed on Airbnb, Booking.com, and other platforms over the course of the month. This is 23% more than a year ago. At the same time, the number of available properties grew by only 9.26%—from 28,900 to 31,600.
The supply shortage quickly impacted the market. The average occupancy rate rose to 60%, compared to 55% in June of last year. According to AirDNA, new listings on these platforms find renters almost immediately.
Prices have risen in tandem with demand. The average nightly rate in June reached €65.85, which is 5.48% higher than last year’s level (€62.43).
This growth was not a one-time occurrence. Over the past 12 months, the number of nights booked increased by 18%—to 2.5 million—and revenue in the short-term rental market grew by 20%, to €144 million. The average number of active listings reached 28,000, up 15.3% over the year. The average nightly rate during this period rose to €57.5, and the average annual occupancy rate stood at 54.5%.
One reason for this trend is a shift in the structure of tourist flows. More and more independent travelers are visiting Albania, choosing apartments and vacation rentals over hotels. This sustains high demand for private accommodations not only during the peak summer season but throughout the year.
In terms of supply growth, Albania remains the leader in the Balkans. Over the past year, the number of active listings here increased by 15.34%, outpacing Montenegro (+10.04%), Romania (+10%), Serbia (+8.5%), Slovenia (+6.6%), and Bulgaria (+5%).
In terms of the size of the short-term rental market, the country ranks second in the region after Romania. On average, about 28,000 properties are rented out monthly in Albania, compared to 34,300 in Romania. June figures show that tourist interest continues to grow, and with it, the appeal of Albanian real estate for investors seeking income from short-term rentals.
