Macedonia had 6.9% more foreign tourists from January to March this year, compared with the same period last year. A number official statements present as „a positive signal for tourism". The reality, as always with statistics, is a bit more complicated.

In March alone, 73,921 tourists arrived in the country and 134,233 overnight stays were recorded. Foreign tourists dominate - 80.3% of total visitors and 73.5% of overnight stays. That's no surprise for anyone who depends on tourism - the domestic market is too small to keep the system running.

The quarterly numbers reveal something more interesting. Foreign tourists +6.9%. Domestic tourists +1.3%. Nearly fivefold growth for foreigners. But in the same period, total overnight stays fell by 0.3%. Which means foreign tourists are arriving but staying shorter - a win on „tourist count", a loss on „nights per tourist".

What does that mean in practice? That Macedonia is becoming a destination for a short weekend instead of a longer holiday. Bulgarian and Greek tourists come for two days. Germans and Turks (the two biggest groups of foreigners in March) - maybe three or four. Nobody comes for ten days anymore like in the „golden age" of Yugoslav tourism.

The question that should be openly on the table: why are foreign tourists staying shorter? Do we have the infrastructure for a longer stay? Enough attractions for a multi-day itinerary? Enough quality hotels outside Ohrid? Enough options for children and families on the move?

The answers vary by region. Ohrid still works as the primary destination. Skopje as the second. Bitola and Prespa as the third. But the statistics should tell us what we don't want to hear: we've become a „pit stop", not a „destination". Foreign tourists are on their way somewhere else, and Macedonia happens to be in the middle.

For investments in tourism, that matters. A hotel planned for a five-day stay needs a different business model than a hotel for a three-day stay. Different restaurants, different services. A different price per night. If the overall trend is towards „quick visits", then what's the next ten-year plan supposed to look like?

So far - 6.9% more are coming. That's good news. But how long they stay - that's the more interesting question.