617 thousand visitors to cultural sites in six months - Minister Gonxha: Visitors increase, but the pace drops in June
Albania continues to be a growing destination for cultural tourism. During the first half of 2026, cultural sites in the country were visited by 617,907 people, a figure that represents an increase of 89% compared to the same period in 2023.
According to data published by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Blendi Gonxhja, 276,080 visitors have chosen to visit archaeological parks, 192,567 museums and 149,260 castles and cultural monuments, confirming the growing interest in Albanian cultural heritage.
On the other hand, the five most visited sites during this period are the Butrint National Park with 114,084 visitors, the Gjirokastra Castle with 110,156 visitors, the Shkodra Archaeological Park with 84,472 visitors, the “Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg” National Museum in Kruja with 66,116 visitors and the Apollonia Archaeological Park with 65,832 visitors.
Through a post on social media, Minister Gonxha states that interest in Albanian cultural heritage continues to remain high. However, according to him, the latest data signal a slowdown in the growth rate during June, which is directly related to the period of protests in the country.
The data shows that during the period January-May 2026, the number of visitors increased by 9.9% compared to the same period in 2025, while for the month of June alone, the increase is 4.8% compared to June of last year. These figures reflect a slowdown in the positive trend. Minister Gonxha emphasizes that the growth rate has decreased by 52% compared to the trend of the first months of the year.
The minister further underlines that in the tourism industry, trust, stability and the perception of security are considered key elements that directly influence tourists' decision-making. According to him, preserving the country's tourism brand and supporting the tourism industry should be a shared responsibility, beyond current political interests or agendas.
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