Albania’s Summer Tourism Faces Risk as Anti-Government Protests Spread

Albania’s third straight week of anti-government protests is raising alarm across the country’s tourism sector, just as the summer season began with strong momentum. In the southern coastal city of Vlora, hospitality businesses had reported about 13% growth in March, April, and May compared with the same period last year, but operators now say that foreign visitors are canceling bookings because of the unrest and political uncertainty.

Tourism officials warn that the damage could extend far beyond hotels and tour companies. Vasil Bedinaj, who heads the southern tourism operators’ association, said in an emergency industry meeting that any uncertainty or negative perception could directly affect travelers’ decisions. Business leaders said Albania’s carefully built image as a rising Mediterranean destination is now at risk, with broader repercussions for connected sectors of the economy.

Prime Minister Edi Rama responded forcefully, saying the protests are already harming household incomes and state revenue from tourism. Speaking on his Flasim podcast, he said roughly 95% of hotel, restaurant and bar owners in Vlora had joined a counter-campaign asking for understanding so the summer season would not be damaged. He accused the protest organizers of deliberate economic sabotage, saying, “This will be a season destroyed by us, by ourselves,” and added that the effects are already being felt.

The demonstrations, which have also taken on an anti-Israel tone, continued on their 15th day in Tirana, where thousands marched and entered the eastern ring road. Protesters also gathered with residents from Durres opposing Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s development project on the Albanian island of Sazan, and demanded Rama’s resignation and a transition government. Tensions rose after rumors about ID checks to sign a petition, while masked individuals disrupted the rally. The protest movement scored a political win when Mariana Koçku, a Socialist Party lawmaker from Shkodra, left the parliamentary group and declared herself independent. Protesters hailed the move as proof that the government is under pressure and predicted more defections. Albania, which drew more than 12 million foreign tourists last year, now faces critical weeks ahead.