site.btaOver 10% Higher Prices for Tourists in Albania, Montenegro 

Tourists planning to stay at Albanian resorts this summer should expect at least 10% higher accommodation prices. The forecast is based on the appreciation of energy, food and fuels and the increase of the personnel’s salaries as a chain reaction to the changes on the global market and certain decisions in the country. 

Albania’s government has decided to take out of the regulated energy market 7,500 businesses, including accommodation establishments. Before, they purchased energy at 11 to 12 lek/kWh, while now it will cost them 18.8 lek/kWh, Albanian Daily News writes. Bars and restaurants have been forced to increase the salaries of their personnel to keep them, and the pay raise might reach 30%.

Tour operators from Sarande, Durres and Vlore admit that accommodation prices are expected to increase by 10 to 20% during the active tourist season.  

This year, Albania relies on tourists from Poland to compensate for the changes in the sector. 

In the meantime, Montenegrin tourism experts forecast that while last summer season a tourist paid 2.50 euro per beer on the coast, this year they will have to pay 5 euro.

There are optimistic expectations as well: MINA Business quotes hotel owners who are satisfied with the pre-season and do not plan to increase their prices. But since everything is appreciating, bars in Budva have raised their prices already by some 10 to 15%, the agency writes. 

Centre for Research and Development of Tourism head Petar Golubovic says that there are good signs for this tourist season but admits prices on the coast have increased significantly. 

Montenegro Tourism Association President Zarko Radulovic says that the agreement between hotel owners is to not raise prices. “If the conditions change drastically, we will be forced to do it but for now none of us thinks about increasing the prices. Despite all food products having appreciated, for now we find internal reserves and maintain them,” he explained.  

Montenegro expects guests from Germany, Israel and Scandinavian countries to compensate for the possible drop in tourists from Russia and Ukraine. The traditional interest in the Montenegrin coast by Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina remains. Experts fear that the increase in prices will affect most of all tourists from neighbouring countries as they are used to cheaper tourist services.