Foreign tourists to Albania in the first six months of 2026 increased to 5 million, from 4.8 million in the same period of the previous year, the statistical office, INSTAT, said on Friday.

Most tourists, 71.9% of the total, came from Southern Europe, followed by tourists from Western Europe with a 9.3% share, INSTAT said in a data release.

In June alone, Albania welcomed 1.35 million foreign tourists, up from 1.33 million in the same month in 2025.

The June slowdown was previously commented on by the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sports Blendi Gonxhja, underlining that some markets have recorded a decline.

According to data posted on social networks, the minister said that arrivals from Kosova fell by 51,190 people compared to June last year. A decline was also recorded from North Macedonia, with 15,223 fewer visitors, Germany with 13,165 fewer, Turkey with 11,062 fewer, and Montenegro with 6,212 fewer.

In total, these five markets brought 96,852 fewer visitors than in June 2025, a contraction of about 13%. Despite this decline highlighted by the minister, the growth of other markets has somewhat compensated for the shortfalls, maintaining a positive balance, albeit modest.

The government has linked this decline to the perception of the country, blaming it on the protests that began on May 30 and are still ongoing. Gonxhja said that the perception of security, normality, and stability is crucial for tourism, while claiming that the protests, public tension, and the negative image broadcast abroad have influenced the decision-making of tourists and international partners.

He also referred to signals from tour operators, hoteliers, and travel agencies about the slowdown in bookings, cancellations, and hesitation from some foreign markets.

But despite these claims, if the protests were the main reason for the uncertainty, the perception of the markets and the reaction would be more massive than only Germany, which has so far raised concerns about the part organized with guarantee contracts.

Meanwhile, on social media and tourism forums, the protests have not been treated as a reason for concern or risk.

In 2025, the number of foreign tourists who visited Albania rose 6.6% to 12.47 million, INSTAT has said. The population of Albania was estimated at 2.4 million in 2023, according to the latest INSTAT data.