If you go on holiday to Albania, you are guaranteed to experience a holiday that you can live on for years to come with ‘strong’ stories.
What can tourists expect from it?
Photo: Ali Chhaib (TUI Experiences), Vera Schilder and Chantal van der Meer (both from the sales team of TUI Netherlands). TravMagazine went on one of the two study trips that TUI Netherlands organized to the country.
We look back at the tour operator’s offer, the excursions made and the findings of Chantal van der Meer and Vera Schilder of the sales team of TUI Netherlands, and Ali Chhaib of TUI Experiences. Accommodations Albania is, despite the fact that the tour operator already offered it ten years ago, a ‘new’ destination for TUI.
The TUI offer in Albania is diverse, from ‘simple’ to ‘Instagrammable’ hotels.
Arjan Kers (CEO TUI Netherlands & Belgium), Manfred Lahey (Head of Product Sun & Beach TUI Netherlands) and Kirsten Frazer-Zwiers (Product Manager Albania TUI Netherlands) visited the country last year to explore the possibilities for re-inclusion in the travel offer. 
In the center of Tirana.
Chantal: ‘The hotels are fresh and modernly furnished. We offer beautiful accommodations near the coast, where you can stay on a bed and breakfast basis, half board or all-inclusive. All inclusive can be a bit different than expected, but it is clearly indicated on our website. So it’s good to mention that in the sales conversation. We have a lot of contact with our partners about these kinds of matters, because we want to offer a level of service that the Dutch are satisfied with. But try to see through certain things and see the charm of them.”
‘I am positively surprised about Albania’
The group will spend the first two nights at Hotel Delight in Golem, which is about 45 minutes from the airport.
The hotel is within walking distance of the beach, where you will find a long boulevard with many restaurants, beach bars and sunbeds.
Hotel Delight, like all the hotels TUI offers on the coast, has a swimming pool.
The rooms are fine and equipped with a rain shower.
The breakfast is varied and tastes good.
Prices on the boulevard can be very reasonable, but also comparable to the prices in the Netherlands.
The second overnight hotel is Sol Tropikal Durres, which is located right on the beach.
The entertainment team here really packs a punch, with beach volleyball, a cooking workshop and a kids’ club.
The last hotel we stay in is Melia Durres.
This hotel has by far the best restaurant of the hotels we stayed in, but also the most beautiful swimming pools, location on the beach and the modern rooms are beautiful.
The fact that it is remote does not detract from the experience.
Site inspections also took place at Brilliant Hotel & Spa, hotel Monaco Garden, Klajdi Resort, Epidamn White Sensation (the ‘Instagrammable hotel’ and fully booked months in advance) and Mövenpick Lalez Durres. 
Epidamn White Sensation.Excursions ‘Albania has become hip and trendy, partly because of TikTok,’ says Chantal.
‘The excursions we have done are actually all within driving distance of the beach hotels. Of course, we also offer excursions to the places that have also become known on TikTok and are a little further inland. These places are perfect to visit if you book a round trip or fly-drive. For me, Albania is really worth repeating, because after this week I have become very curious about the interior, with the combination of nature and culture. I would really like to do that one day by means of a fly-drive, which TUI also offers.’ Tourism development Albania is a new destination for both Ali Chhaib (TUI Experiences) and TUI Experiences, with more than 50,000 products (excursions and numerous activities) worldwide.
With the country’s popularity increasing at a rapid pace, the number of English-speaking guides is becoming scarce.
Ali was impressed by the country during his stay: ‘I had no idea what to expect from it, because it is a completely new destination for me. It will be quite a challenge to develop tourism here as we know it in Spain and Greece, but I notice that the Albanians really have very good intentions. The infrastructure is very good, in terms of traffic it is not too bad and the hotels cooperate well. I’ve already visited a lot of destinations and I’m positively surprised about Albania.’ 
Terrace in Tirana. Architecture, nature and gastronomy Ali: ‘If you are going to Albania yourself or sending your customers to Albania, be sure to check out travelagents.tuiexperiences.com where you can find excursions and activities in Albania and where you can easily book them.’ During this short study trip, there was time for three excursions.
A trip to Kruja where the old bazaar and the castle of the folk hero Skanderbeg were visited, with a visit to the capital Tirana in the afternoon with the stories about the communist past.
Today, Tirana is a city bustling with life with coffee shops, parks, squares and modern buildings that were designed by several Dutch architects.
Lunch in Tirana at Oda, with traditional Albanian food, was delicious.
Another architectural highlight during the study trip was the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Berat, with its old white houses and brown roofs.
The view from the castle is magnificent on all sides.
Swinging through the ‘maze’ of the historic ‘city of a thousand windows’ was a special experience and offers beautiful squares.
The group also responded very enthusiastically to Durrës, a port city with a large city beach, historic buildings and terraces.
The day before departure there was a delicious meal.
First at Agriturismo Huqi, where Albanian gastronomy was enjoyed in abundance.
In the evening, this was done again in the buffet restaurant of Melia Durres.
Ali: ‘I think Albania has a very tasty cuisine, a bit similar to Turkish-Greek cuisine. Delicious vegetarian snacks, salads, cheeses and lots of chicken and lamb on the barbecue.’ 
Enjoy Albanian gastronomy at Agriturismo Huqi.Amsterdam-Zuid About three million people live in Albania, one million of them in Tirana, and everyone drives a car.
Not surprising, because during the communist regime almost no one was allowed to own a car.
In some places, traffic can be chaotic and busy.
‘There is no normal middle class in between’, ‘it seems as if the car is more important than the house’ and ‘in streets where you don’t expect it you see cars that in the Netherlands you only see in Amsterdam-Zuid’, according to some of the reactions in the bus about ‘the car in Albania’.
Jokingly, someone wonders if there are enough parking spaces.
There is no other option than a rental car, besides booking an organized excursion, for tourists.
There is no public transport, for which the plans are ambitious.
In a few years, an electric train will be running across the country. Communism The guide’s stories make the study tour group realize why some Albanians come across as a bit stiff.
Chantal points out the importance of also giving this explanation during sales conversations.
‘The communist era left such a huge mark and still affects people and the way they treat each other and tourists. They are not used to providing service here, but it is of paramount importance and they really want to run for you if you ask for it. But don’t expect an all-inclusive like in Turkey. Knowing the history, it makes sense that they are not used to providing the same service in certain ways. We really felt welcome during the study trips.’ 
Back in time Chantal also emphasizes several times that Albania is a country with potential.
In the weeks following the study trip, the country is also put in the spotlight by TUI colleagues in national media.
‘A lot is going to change here within the next five years, because construction is still going very fast. In some things, you sometimes go back in time in that respect,’ says Chantal.
‘When it comes to the prices (you can pay with both the Albanian Lek and the euro) of food and drinks, one moment it’s cheaper, and the next moment less cheap than you might expect. It also depends on where you end up. At the tourist spots, you pay (on average) €4 for a corona beer, €6 for an Aperol Spritz, €1.80 for a cappuccino and €6 for a pizza.’ Suitable Last but not least, Vera also says that she thinks Albania is a very diverse destination with something for everyone.
‘This is also reflected in the accommodations. We offer quieter accommodations, as well as accommodations that are located in a bustling area. I also really liked the villages and towns we saw’, says Vera.
‘I would definitely like to go back again. I want to see more of the interior and the south, of the different beaches. During the study trip, I noticed that the Albanians are incredibly hospitable. The guides, the drivers; Everyone helps you when you ask for something. In that respect, Albania is very suitable for a wonderful holiday.’ That was also the conclusion that could be heard several times from the group: beautiful beaches, culture, nature, beautiful cities, terraces and affordable good food and drinks, where you sometimes have to expect the unexpected. 
