Albania tourism boom is slowing down
After three years of booming tourism figures, 2025 shows a marked slowdown in visitors’ arrivals and revenues in Albania.
Although slowing down, numbers remain impressive for the small Balkan country of 2.7 million inhabitants. From January to August of this year, Albania welcomed 8.34 million foreign visitors according to the latest figures from the national statistics agency INSTAT.
This represents a growth of 2.49% compared to the same period of 2024 (8.14 million). It still represents a giant leap of more than 79% from 2019 to 2025 over the same period. Compared to 2021 (4.20 million arrivals), the number of foreign visitors almost doubled, a benchmark of the destination’s success.
Albania’s tourism industry, once one of Europe’s fastest-growing, is meanwhile showing clear signs of fatigue in 2025. It could lose its status of the rising star of Mediterranean tourism.
Of all arrivals to Albania, 94% come from Europe. However, a worrying trend is the declining number of visitors from Kosovo, traditionally Albania’s largest source market. The estimated decline in Kosovo visitors already reached 150,000 arrivals. Meanwhile, arrivals from Germany, France, Poland and the UK remain strong.
The general slowdown in growth has raised concerns about the country’s heavy reliance on tourism to fuel economic growth. Experts warn that the cooling trend could have broader consequences for Albania beyond the sole tourism sector. They ask for a clear evaluation of the weaknesses in recent tourism development.
Uncontrolled price hikes tarnishing Albania’s image
Among the commonly cited issues are inadequate infrastructure, substandard waste management, and rapid price inflation. Prices in southern tourist areas are reported to have risen by a whooping 12–20% over the summer season, which many see as discouraging for potential visitors.
Meanwhile, some believe that informal practices such as overcharging and variable standards of service also contribute to the problem.
Despite some calls for government intervention, experts say the problem lies less with public policy and more with market behavior and responsibility within the sector.
Industry insiders warn that if Albania fails to address these structural issues—especially as neighboring countries like Montenegro and Greece ramp up investment in tourism. Albania could then lose its competitive edge as a value destination on the Adriatic.
TravelMole Editorial Team
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