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Complaints from tour operators in Saranda, disappointed by the benefits in the tourist season!

2025-08-07 12:56:21Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Saranda

On Saranda's main boulevard, amidst the noise of cars and mixed languages coming from the crowded beaches, it is hard to believe that this city has entered one of the most difficult seasons in recent years.

At first glance, everything looks good, rooms occupied, restaurants packed and tourists arriving by ferries, buses or private cars.

But behind this noisy facade, tour operators and small businesses in the area speak of a different reality: more tourists, but less consumption.

" We cannot deny that the number of visitors has increased, but we have no real change in the economic mechanism. There is some kind of consumption, but it is so small that it is not noticeable. We talk to hoteliers, restaurants, transport services, everyone complains about the same thing ," said Arben Çipa, representative of the Association of Tourist Operators.

Statistical data supports this bleak perception.

According to reports from the private sector in the period May–June 2025, the number of foreign tourists was only 3.9% higher than in the same period in 2024, a modest increase compared to previous years, when growth figures were double-digit.

In August 2024, Saranda experienced a 15% increase in bookings compared to the previous year, but economic operators again reported weak consumption.

This year, not only have the numbers fallen, but the economic benefits are fading under the weight of informality, poor services, and a lack of real investment.

Another concern that tourism businesses are raising is the problems with card payments, which are severely damaging the tourist experience and the reputation of businesses.

"We got the POS willingly, to serve tourists. But here it happens that the device stops working in the middle of the night. You can't tell the tourist to wait an hour after midnight until the system is fixed."

Another business confirms that there are cases when customers leave without paying, or feel insulted that they cannot use the card.

"Even when they are satisfied with the food or service, they leave upset. There have been cases where they have left bad words online just because of this problem."

Banking system expert Ardit Cikuli explains that nighttime outages may be related to the technical maintenance of banking systems, or the way data is stored.

"It's not because of a lack of desire on the part of banks, but rather a matter of adapting to market reality. And this reality still has many gaps."

The next layer of the problem is the informality that Çipa calls "sitting cross-legged in every direction"

"Transportation, unauthorized guides, informal maritime services, even individuals who offer accommodation or food without any standards or licenses. The task forces only control those who are legal. While illegality is not affected. This is absurd."

At the peak of the tourist season, Saranda faces a mismatch between visitor growth and real consumption, while challenges such as informality, payment problems, and substandard services require immediate reflection by the private sector and authorities to guarantee the sustainability of tourism.


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