Owner of Hotel Tirana International is forced to pull down hotel's shutters.

Hotel Tirana International, dubbed as the “15-storey building”, recently closed its doors after 41 years of operation, due to the crisis emanated from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sources from the management staff said that since last year's earthquake until nowadays, the hotel was kept open under heavy losses. High fixed costs for employee payments and maintenance of the building made it impossible to function normally. The hotel, which has been in operation since 1979, will cease work until the pandemic situation improves, leaving behind 100 unemployed people.

The same sources claimed that the staff will receive social assistance under applicable laws, in the hope of returning to work as the situation improves.

Hotel Tirana is one of the largest in the capital with the standard of four stars, with 170 rooms and one of the largest conference service providers.

Among other things, the building of Hotel Tirana is a symbol of the capital. It was put into operation during the dictatorship in 1979 after 10 years of work, with a socialist style architecture.

It was the tallest building in the country until a few years ago. It was used exclusively for foreign delegations and tourists, which made it an intriguing place for Albanians.

In 2004, the hotel was sold by the government to a group of local investors for 5.1 millions of euros. In 2001 it underwent a complete reconstruction and remodeling, turning it into a 4-star standard hotel.

In 2012, Ramë Geci, a construction entrepreneur, became 100% owner of "Hotel Tirana International", while the value of the hotel reached 37.5 million euros.

Hotel Tirana International has been on the list of cultural monuments for years until 2015, where by decision of the Ministry of Culture it no longer enjoys this status.

Geci Company is currently at the peak of a new investment aimed at expanding the Tirana Hotel with a new 30-storey, five-star hotel adjacent to the current Tirana International building.

The pandemic has severely damaged the accommodation sector worldwide.

Due to this crisis this year even the "Hilton" hotel in Tirana closed, which had been operating for more than a year of activity.

The hotel sector in Albania is at the peak of expansion, but the pandemic crisis is expected to put even more difficulties the efficiency of these investments.