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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Rachel Hall

UK tourists head to Albania for ‘sense of exotic’ without long-haul flight

The Ottoman bridge Ura e Goricës in the historic town of Berat, a Unesco world heritage site in Albania.
The Ottoman bridge Ura e Gorices in the historic town of Berat, a Unesco world heritage site in Albania. Photograph: Stephan Mink/Alamy

Albania has been on the radar for intrepid backpackers for some time, but this year tour operators are predicting the south-eastern Balkan country will become a mainstream holiday destination for UK travellers after a surge in bookings this January.

Interest in the country has been gradually building over the past decade as it has slowly opened up after a 44-year dictatorship that ended in 1985. Tour operators have seen a notable increase in bookings for 2022 as Albania extends its appeal to people seeking beautiful beaches and landscapes as well as interesting culture and history at a lower price than neighbouring destinations.

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