Floreta Kërtusha, head of the tourism office at the Durrës Municipality, told ATSH that this summer tourist season, which is expected to conclude on October 31, has been highly successful, exceeding expectations and forecasts.

“The city of Durrës has long been the top destination for millions of tourists and visitors from the region, Europe, and beyond — a fact that fills us with pride but also with a stronger sense of responsibility to sustain year-round tourism.

Durrës’ appeal as a preferred destination throughout the year comes from its stunning 64-kilometer coastline and its rich cultural heritage. The entire shore offers a wide and diverse range of sandy and partially rocky beaches, along with hotels and agritourism facilities that cater to both local and international visitors.

In recent years, our focus as a municipality has been on revitalizing tourist villages and developing agritourism destinations that attract visitors interested in local gastronomy, wines, beverages, and other traditional products,” Kërtusha stated.

According to Kërtusha, citing data from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, over 1 million tourists visited the city of Durrës last year, while this year the number is expected to reach around 1.5 million by the end of December.

“If we look at the latest statistics from the Local Directorate for Border and Migration, there has been an increase in the number of arrivals at the Port of Durrës. In the first nine months of 2025 alone, a total of 403,554 entries were recorded — about 7% more compared to the same period last year, when 377,574 entries were registered,” she emphasized.

“Durrës has become a focal point for national strategic investments — a prime destination for foreign investors, especially in infrastructure, industry, tourism, and culture. The city now attracts several international brands, which has also led to a noticeable rise in high-end tourism this year.

Following the Albanian Government’s approval, work began this year on two new ring roads in the Currila area, designed to ease both vehicle and pedestrian traffic and significantly reduce congestion. Among the most important coastal developments is the completion of the 3-kilometer *‘Ura e Dajlanit – Konvaleshencë’ promenade — an investment that boosts tourism by improving road infrastructure in one of Durrës’s busiest areas.

Another major initiative is the Manchester City Elite Academy, which will benefit children from Durrës, across Albania, and beyond. The city also celebrated the establishment of another prestigious sports institution — the Rafael Nadal Academy, founded by one of the greatest tennis players of all time,” Kërtusha noted.

The head of the Tourism Office at the Durrës Municipality stated that this year has seen an increase in the number of accommodation facilities, with around 237 businesses currently operating in the hospitality sector.

Kërtusha noted that some of the most visited events during the first ten months of this year included the ART Explora Festival (April 2025), Giro d’Italia 2025 (May 2025), Vala Fest (July 2025), the “Taverna e Adriatikut” Fair, the concert of soprano Inva Mula (August 2025), and the International Folklore Festival (July–August 2025), among others.

“Durrës, a city nearly 3,000 years old, is famed not only for its coastal tourism — with its sunny days, wide sandy and partly rocky beaches washed by the Adriatic Sea — but also for its cultural tourism. According to data from the Durrës Museum Center, during the first nine months of 2025 alone, the Amphitheater and the Venetian Tower recorded 44,113 visitors**, marking a 36% increase compared to the same period in 2024, which saw 32,423 visitors,” Kërtusha said.

According to Kërtusha, the Durrës Municipality is working on several strategies to promote the city’s tourism offerings in international markets.

“As part of its efforts to diversify the tourism offer and develop year-round tourism — including nature, sports, culinary, cultural, and historical tourism — the municipality has planned various activities throughout 2025. The Tourism Directorate has showcased the city’s full tourism potential at events such as the Athens Job Fair (Greece), the European Capital of Democracy Network, and the B40 Balkan Cities Network, where Durrës Municipality is a member alongside other cities from the European Union and the Balkans. Additionally, a range of promotional campaigns and activities have been launched and are ongoing, focusing on cultural heritage, tourist destinations, restaurants, agritourism businesses, and natural hiking trails,” Kërtusha concluded.

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