Albania Now Open for Tourist Business

The changes sweeping Eastern Europe have reached even isolated Albania, which recently lifted a ban on American travelers that had been in effect for more than four decades. The move is a result of Albania’s desire to rejoin the community of nations and restore diplomatic ties with the United States.

U.S. officials held talks with representatives from Albania last month, with Albania expressing interest in developing trade and tourism even before full diplomatic relations are established.

In recent years, the only Americans allowed to visit this small country bordered by Greece, Yugoslavia and the Adriatic Sea were those of Albanian descent. Now, any American can travel there via group tours arranged through the state tourism agency, Albturist.

European companies such as London-based Regent Holidays have been running tours to Albania for years, working first through friendship agencies and then through normal business arrangements. Many companies take tours out of Athens, but to date no American companies are arranging tours from the United States.

Boston-based Kutrubes Travel Agency--(617) 426-5668--hopes to develop such tours in the near future. The only North American agency running full tours to Albania is Exotik Tours of Montreal. Exotik offers seven trips between now and November out of Toronto and Montreal, with 12- and 19-day itineraries that visit as many as six Albanian cities and include one night in Paris.

Costs begin at $1,350 for the 12-day tour and $1,675 for 19 days, including Air France flights from the Canadian cities, plus all hotels, meals, guides, transportation and transfers. Lead time for obtaining a group visa is a minimum of three weeks. For more information, contact Exotik Tours, 1117 St. Catherine Street West, Suite 806, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3B 1H9, (514) 284-3324.

It is theoretically possible for individual travelers to visit Albania for a day by taking the ferry from Corfu. Arrangements can be made at the ferry terminal, although visa problems could arise.

Albania is a rural, agricultural country of 3.3 million with few roads or automobiles. Understandably, the country’s tourism infrastructure is not on a par with Western Europe, but the hotels are adequate, the food is good and guides are competent.

Albturist doesn’t employ any full-time guides, so most are moonlighting college or university professors.