Denada Jushi
It wasn't bad, but we expected more, we didn't play the prices even when the number of tourists increased, says Elton Lika, who has been dealing with tourism in the Bunec area for years, and as he goes down the coastline towards Himara, Jal, Dhermi and Palasa, the sun loungers are empty, they only fill up on weekends according to the managers of the resorts or beach bars.
At the peak of the 2025 summer tourist season, Albania experienced a paradox: on the one hand, the beaches were packed but far from the expectations that the government had warned that over 14 million tourists were expected to visit Albania, aiming to surpass the 11 million visitors counted at border points last season.
Rumors of price increases, Services that do not justify the cost, and old problems such as traffic, waste management, and the decline in traffic in some areas are some of the elements identified that did not go well in this tourist season.
Prices, from hope to disappointment
In many coastal destinations, especially in the south and in the major tourist cities, prices for accommodation and Services have increased significantly. Rooms away from the coastline that cost 60 euros last year are selling for 80–100 euros per night this year, while accommodation near the coastline in the south costs an average of 250–300 euros, sun loungers on some private beaches have reached 6,000–8,000 lek per set, comparable to destinations like Greece or Croatia, but often without the same standard of service. Meanwhile, in the north of Albania, prices do not seem to have increased significantly.
Prime Minister Edi Rama addressed this issue publicly, warning of the danger that this pricing policy poses to the sector:
"Some tourism operators are not thinking about the future, but about high prices for the present, putting the tourism sector at risk."
This statement is not simply a political criticism, but a reflection of an economic problem: Albanian tourism is increasingly relying on short-term profits, forgetting about regional competitiveness.
While taking cases like Shengjin Beach as an example, the Municipality of Lezha told Sinjalizo that it has managed to keep prices stable, through continuous communications with businesses operating in the field of tourism, in order to preserve the Kosovo market and not lose loyal clientele. The prices of sun loungers on beaches managed by the municipality range from 300 to 500 lekë, while on private beaches 1000-2000 lekë. This model, according to local authorities, has brought an increase in tourist flow and a positive image throughout all seasons.
Data from Lezha show a positive season: around 300 thousand more tourists in June 2025 compared to June last year and a steady flow in July with around 500 thousand visitors.
But this success is not uniform. In some other destinations, especially in the south, lower booking figures are reported compared to last year. According to Zak Topuzi, one of the leading voices in the tourism sector, the problem lies in the lack of a clear orientation for the model that the country wants to follow:
"Albania cannot simply become a place of mass tourism where everything is left to spontaneity, but neither can it have only elite tourism. There needs to be a balance with quality Services that justify the prices."
Part of the tourist influx these past two years has been generated by strong advertising on social networks like TikTok, where spectacular views of Albanian beaches and nature have attracted new visitors. But this group of tourists often comes with a low budget and stays for a few days, not bringing in the revenues expected for a sustainable development of the sector.
Traffic, a link that blocks the entire chain
One of the biggest complaints from tourists this year has been the heavy traffic on the main roads. The Tirana-Lezhë axis, the southern exit from Tirana, and the Orikum-Dhermi road have often turned into scenes of traffic jams that last for hours.
In Shëngjin, which is one of the busiest roads, the Municipality of Lezha says it has taken measures to ban heavy vehicles during the season, clear public spaces, control parking and monitor traffic by the State Police. These measures have helped somewhat, but weekend traffic remains a problem. Long queues lasted for hours.
Tourism expert Luan Dervishaj emphasizes that the lack of a genuine national strategy, which has been missing for years, has led to mismanagement of tourist flows.
"The tourism strategy should focus on market demands, competition and logistics. We have a strategy approved in 2019, but it is not integrated for all stakeholders. We cannot neglect road infrastructure if we want quality tourism," he says.
Debris, the tarnished image of the coast
Another problem that is carried over to every tourist season is that of waste. This year, the tourist season in Vlora also opened with a bang at the waste field located in the middle of the city, which has been promised for years by the Lanfilli of Sherishta, which is expected to solve the waste problem once it has started working, according to the Vlora Municipality.
She told Sinjalizo that the collection capacity at this landfill will increase in the coming months.
The Ministry of Tourism claims that the "Albania 2030" strategy focuses on sustainable development and harmony with the environment, but practice shows that implementation on the ground is still far away!
While we talk about European Albania 2030, the expectation that in 2030 Albania will host 30 million tourists, there is still no water in our country.
Water supply along almost the entire coastline is a major problem in this sector.
Albania also suffered from electricity shortages in the summer months on several occasions, but fortunately in short episodes.
In August, on the most frequented coastline such as that of Durrës, the sight of sewage spills into the sea was a sight that overshadowed the positive growth that the country has had in recent years in this sector.
Not to forget, the mid-season intervention in Theth for unauthorized construction.
At the peak of bookings by foreign tourists, the government decided to blow up buildings erected in this area with TNT, which led to a clash between police and residents, causing dozens of bookings to be canceled in a matter of hours.
Albanian tourism has great potential, but its success is fragile. Rising prices, heavy traffic, poor waste management, and the lack of a clear national strategy risk undermining long-term benefits.
The example of Lezha shows that when there is a will for coordination between institutions and the private sector, tourism can develop sustainably. But for other destinations, especially those with high influx, an approach that balances profit with quality is necessary, in order not to lose ground in an increasingly competitive regional market.
The prime minister's statement on the prices should serve as an early warning, not as a post-crisis reaction. Because if the tourism sector is not managed with vision, Albania risks turning from the "discovery of the year" into a "forgotten destination" faster than we can imagine.
Does Albania have the luxury of missing out on a golden opportunity in the sector that is the country's greatest treasure?
