A mother and daughter from Denmark chose to visit Albania after their plan to travel to Jordan was disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East between the US, Israel and Iran.
"We are staying in Durrës. It is our fourth day and we will stay for 12 days in total. We booked various tours at the last minute, as our initial plans were to go to Jordan," says May Brit Vinther from Denmark.
While tourism in the country started weakly this January, with foreign national arrivals falling for the first time since the pandemic, it seems that "salvation" is coming precisely from the conflicts in the Middle East, which has led to many cancellations of bookings and revisions of European plans towards closer and calmer countries.
Tomasz Mayka, along with his partner Klaudia, had planned to spend their March break in Iran, but the day before their departure, conflict erupted in the Middle East. The Polish couple found Albania to be the best alternative, also due to cheaper last-minute tickets.
“We are happy that we were able to find last-minute tickets to Albania. We had not visited it before and now we are not only exploring this country, but also other countries like Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia. So far, Albania is our favorite. We had planned to visit it, but not now. That's how fate wanted it.”
Joane Mellis from the United Kingdom had planned to visit Dubai, but the war caused all flights to be canceled.
“Last minute tickets from London to Albania were very cheap. I know it's not Dubai, but I think it's better here. We were surprised at how different Albania was from what was described to us. The people are friendly, the prices are very cheap and the travel insurance will cover all expenses here in Albania. In a way, we are getting a free trip out of this whole situation.”
In January, 552,000 foreign nationals entered the country, a decrease of 1.5% compared to the same period a year earlier. This is the first time that tourist arrivals have decreased in January since the pandemic began. For comparison, in January 2025, foreign arrivals increased by 14.5%, while in 2024 the expansion was almost 30%.
However, tour operators expect tourism to register an increase in the number of foreign visitors this year, even though January started poorly under the influence of unfavorable weather.
Expectations for 2026 predict a 5-10% increase in visitors, a figure that is in line with the trend in organized tourism contracts and provides a clear picture of what we can expect this year. This modest increase is viewed with optimism, but also with uncertainty, as there is a fear that tourists' expectations may not be met due to the most basic problems, even with service.
The crisis in the Middle East is having an immediate impact on the global tourism industry, causing a wave of cancellations and revisions to travel plans. According to international media reports and tour operators, many travelers are avoiding destinations near conflict zones, while airlines have reduced or diverted flights to avoid dangerous airspace. This has led to extended itineraries, increased costs and higher ticket prices.
Travel agencies report that bookings to the Middle East and some Asian destinations are declining, while tourists are turning to safer alternatives in Europe and other regions. Geopolitical uncertainty, combined with rising fuel prices, is making tourism more expensive and unpredictable, affecting not only the destinations directly affected, but the entire global travel market./Monitor
