Tourism and Transition in the Western Balkans. Albania as a Laboratory for Tourism Development

The article on the transformation path of tourism in Albania is based on an extensive data analysis combined with many years of field observation. Relevant developments 4 and trends regarding demand and supply as well as influences of destination management are systematically analyzed. Finally, the current status is evaluated in an AMSWOT profile.
The aim of the article is to critically examine past and future development paths of Albania and its impact. The significance of tourism on the economy and the labor market in Albania is high. Summer tourism underwent a dynamic growth in the first decade after the Millennium but seems to enter a phase of saturation and possibly stagnation. The question of future consolidation, rejuvenation or decline will depend on strategic destination management. A qualitative update seems to be an overdue necessity for the Albanian tourism sector.