Tourist season 2026/ Visitor influx, but challenges remain

2026-06-26 14:29:00, Aktualitet CNA

Albanian beaches are filled with visitors, while the tourist season has begun with a high influx of domestic and foreign vacationers.

Italy, Denmark and Arab countries are among the markets that have chosen Albania as a vacation destination this summer.

However, expert Denis Dema, in an interview with CNA TV, indicates that, despite growing interest, the tourism sector continues to face challenges that require long-term solutions.

"The tourist season always starts with its own challenges, with its own problems, but Albania, in recent years, has received international attention and, naturally, there has been a booking boom this year as well. The part they are interested in is Ksamil, the Maldives of Europe, it has become known for that currently and many tourists come from Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Slovakia," said the expert.

Although the coast remains the most popular destination, mountain tourism is still failing to attract the same interest. According to expert Denis Dema, one of the main reasons is the lack of continuous promotion of these destinations, while insufficient infrastructure continues to be an obstacle to the development of this tourism segment.

"Mountain tourism, unfortunately, has not received the proper promotion, but the infrastructure in the country should also be mentioned. During the summer season you have to leave at 4 or 5 in the morning. For example, to go to Shkodra you have to leave very early, because otherwise you will be stuck in traffic. To avoid these problems, we need to build alternative roads or highways, so that the north of the country is also accessible," the expert stated.

Albania offers considerable potential not only for coastal tourism, but also for mountain and nature tourism. However, expert Denis Dema estimates that, to turn this potential into a competitive product throughout the year, investments in infrastructure, promotion and improvement of services are needed.

While the number of tourists continues to increase from season to season, the challenge remains to create a sustainable tourism offer that adds value to each destination and transforms Albania into an attractive destination throughout the year./ CNA