TIRANA, Oct 21 /ATA/ Everywhere in Berat, the main streets of the city, the historic center, tourist attractions, as well as the outskirts and surrounding areas, are teeming with tourists this autumn.
According to the mayor of Berat, Ervin Demo, it is now a fact that the city of the “one thousand and one windows” has a tourist season all year round.
In an interview with ATA, Mayor Demo emphasized that Berat no longer has the typical season that peaked mainly during the summer months, as it is now visited throughout the year. “We have had an unprecedented season that started at the beginning of the year, in January, and continues even now,” he said.
“We do not distinguish between tourists with Albanian passports and those with foreign passports,” said Demo.
“It is also a good news that Berat is a weekend destination for Albanians. Everyone who visits Berat is welcomed and receives quality service. Speaking in numbers, there have been 800,000 visitors up to September. Of these, about 85% of the visitors are foreigners,” emphasized Demo.
“If previously tourists usually came from countries close to us, now they come from many EU countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Italy which is also at the top of the list, but we also have visitors from Asia, Australia, the USA, Canada, etc. These are measured figures. We have now installed digital cameras at the entrance of the Berat fortress. They have been installed for security reasons, but also serve to measure the influx of visitors,” said Demo.
Another indicator, emphasized Demo, is the number of tickets for the Onufri Museum.
“90,000 tickets, or 30% more visitors, have visited the Onufri Museum compared to last year. Of course, not every tourist chooses to enter the museum. This explains the difference between the total number of visitors and those to the museum,” said Demo.
“The tourism boom has led to an increase in accommodation structures. An important reality today in Berat is the rise of AirBnB units. There are 700 apartments listed for rent on reputable platforms, not just within the city or the center. These apartments listed for rent are located even in the outskirts and tourist villages, “ said Demo.
“October, for example, is ‘fully booked’ in hotels. Some hotels have been fully booked even in November. At the end of October and the beginning of November, specifically on October 31, November 1, and 2, Berat will host the National Wine Festival ‘Wine & Stories.’ This festival is another reason to visit the city of wineries during this period, featuring not only wineries from Albania but also the best from Kosovo and the Arbëresh areas in Italy. Let this event serve as an invitation to anyone who wants to visit Berat during this time,” emphasized Demo.
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