Albania is a unique and preferred destination for tourists from the Netherlands. Demands to visit Albania have increased by 50%, with agencies being fully booked.

This is what the Dutch magazine “RTL News” reports in an article dedicated to Albania as a popular holiday destination for the Dutch.

RTL News full article on Albania

Will it be France, Spain, Italy, or Albania? According to various travel agencies and the Royal Dutch Touring Club, Albania is increasingly becoming a popular vacation destination. Since the filming of “Wie Is De Mol?” (“The Mole”) last year, the country has become so popular that some travel agencies are completely booked.

Since the filming of “Wie Is De Mol?”, Wladimir Meijer of Albania Reizen (Albania Travel) can barely keep up with the demand for trips to the country. He initially started organizing trips to Montenegro and later added Albania.

“People were so satisfied with that region that we decided to offer trips exclusively to Albania as well,” he says. “The initial trips were moderately popular, but since WIDM, it has exploded.”

He is now selling five times as many trips to that country.

“Compared to last year, we are even seeing a 50% increase. The country is definitely on the rise, and this year we are completely sold out.”

Isuf Braho, a local tour operator from Visit Albania, also sees more and more Dutch people coming to his country.

“We see a doubling of the number of Dutch people coming to Albania every year,” he says.

“I have asked many tourists how they discovered Albania as a vacation destination, and especially the young travelers mentioned that it was because of ‘Wie Is De Mol?’. I had no idea it would have such a big impact.”

He is happy to see the Dutch people coming.

“They are nice tourists. We have many mountains and a lot of sea, and that attracts a nice type of people.”

The Royal Dutch Touring Club notices a growing interest in Albania as a destination, too. They also experienced a huge spike on their website after the filming of “Wie Is De Mol?”, with people wanting to know more about Albania as a vacation destination.

According to TV expert Ron Vergouwen, the popularity of a country due to TV programs is influenced by the way it is portrayed on screen.

“Television is one big travel guide,” he says. “Everything is filmed so beautifully; no travel brochure can compare.”

He sees this not only with “Wie Is De Mol?” but also with the locations featured in “Chateau Meiland”, which have become more popular, as well as Woudrichem, which became well-known due to the filming of “Dokter Tinus” (Doctor Tinus).

However, it’s not just the TV program that played a role. Meijer also sees a spike due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People who used to go on adventurous vacations to places like Vietnam or Cambodia are now looking for destinations closer to home,” Meijer continues. “More and more people are seeking something different from the typical destinations and want an authentic experience. You can find that in Albania.”

According to him, there is still a somewhat negative image of Albania.

“It was the last country to open up after the fall of the Soviet Union; it was also called the European North Korea. It is also believed to be highly criminal, but people who return from their vacations often let us know that they were received with great hospitality.”

You can read the original article here.