Albania’s Protest Wave Threatens to Derail a Vital Tourism Season

Albania’s third straight week of anti-government protests is now threatening the country’s summer tourism season. The unrest, which has drawn thousands into the streets of Tirana and coastal areas, has been accompanied by a surge in cancellations from foreign visitors worried about the clashes and the political instability. The timing is especially damaging because the season had opened strongly, with hotels and hospitality businesses in the southern seaside city of Vlora reporting about a 13% increase in March, April and May compared with the same period last year.

Tourism operators say the early gains are evaporating fast. They report a steady stream of booking cancellations in recent days, with travelers asking for more information about the security situation. Southern tourism chief Vasil Bedinaj warned at an emergency sector meeting that any uncertainty or negative image could directly influence tourists’ decisions and damage not only tourism, but other parts of the Albanian economy linked to it.

Prime Minister Edi Rama has responded with unusually sharp criticism, including at the protests, which he said have also taken on a clear anti-Israel tone. Speaking on his podcast Flasim, he said cancellations were already hurting local businesses, household incomes and state tourism revenue. He said about 95% of hotel, restaurant and bar owners in Vlora had joined a counter-campaign asking the public to understand that the summer season should not be damaged. Rama called the situation an act of economic self-sabotage and warned, “This will be a season destroyed by us, by ourselves.”

On the streets, the protest movement is still growing. On day 15 of demonstrations in Tirana, marchers entered the eastern ring road and were joined by residents of Durrës opposing Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s development project on the Albanian island of Sazan. Protesters demanded Rama’s immediate resignation and the formation of a caretaker government. Tensions rose over rumors about ID checks for a petition and the presence of black-clad disruptors, but demonstrators also celebrated the departure of Socialist MP Mariana Koçk, who became independent, calling it proof that the government is under pressure. The coming weeks are seen as critical, with the country hoping to salvage the season after last year’s record of more than 12 million foreign visitors.