The brands are coming: why global hotel chains are betting on Albania

Albania’s hotel market is entering a new phase: global flags are no longer “nice-to-have additions” — they’re becoming a structural part of how the country positions itself to the world.  The timing matters. With foreign arrivals reaching 11,7 million in 2024 (per INSTAT as reported by SeeNews), international operators are reading the same signal: demand is scaling fast, and the product needs to catch up. 

In hospitality, brands don’t move first for hype. They move when the trajectory becomes investable: tourism volumes, air connectivity, developer capability, and a customer base that increasingly expects global standards. 

Tirana became the “proof-of-market”

One of the earliest “this is real” moments was Hilton Garden Inn Tirana, which marked Hilton’s first branded presence in Albania back in 2018. 

Then Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana helped set a benchmark for premium business hospitality in the capital, reinforcing the idea that Tirana can support true 5-star city demand, not just seasonal leisure. 

In 2022, Radisson Collection Morina Hotel, Tirana added another premium international name — a signal that the “upper tier” in Tirana is no longer a niche. 

In 2023, the most symbolic flag arrived: Tirana Marriott Hotel opened at the National Arena complex — basically a statement that Tirana is now on the map for global business + events travel. 

And in 2024, Accor expanded the city’s branded footprint with Mercure Tirana, showing that international chains are also building a “midscale backbone,” not only luxury peaks. 

What’s next confirms the trajectory: several other openings are already under construction or signed — Meliá ME Tirana, InterContinental Tirana, a new Hilton Tirana, and even Hyatt Tirana are all part of the upcoming wave of international entries.

The coast is where scale shows up

If Tirana is validation, the coast is where scale becomes obvious. Meliá Durrës opened in 2023 and immediately raised the bar for large-format resorts on the Adriatic. Meliá also expanded with Sol Tropikal Durrës, strengthening the idea that Albania can sustain multiple branded products with different price points and audiences. 

The clearest luxury move in the south is Green Coast Hotel – MGallery Collection, which Accor positioned as MGallery’s first luxury property in Albania on the Ionian coast. More importantly, Green Coast is being communicated as a platform for multiple planned 5-star hotels from global brands — explicitly including Hyatt Regency and Gran Meliá in its hospitality plan. 

Why this wave matters (beyond nicer hotels)

First, brands force operational maturity: service standards, training, compliance, procurement discipline, and consistency — which upgrades the entire local ecosystem over time. 

Second, they reshape investor logic. Global flags typically come with longer horizons and more structured partnerships, which pushes projects toward durability rather than quick seasonal wins. 

Third, they expose the next bottleneck: talent. Even strong demand can underperform if staffing, training, and service culture don’t scale — and this is already being discussed as Albania’s tourism grows.