Albania used tourism as propaganda tool under communist regime

Prior to the 1990s, tourism was not viewed as a major economic sector but rather as an instrument of propaganda, designed to showcase the achievements of a communist state to visitors.

During the years of the regime, the entry of foreign nationals—whether for tourism or other purposes—was highly uncommon, CE Report quotes ATA.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, visits to Albania were virtually impossible and subject to strict state control.

The authorities monitored visitors’ clothing and hairstyles, among other aspects, to prevent ‘foreign displays,’ reflecting the regime’s broader efforts to regulate appearances and behaviour within the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania.

The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) holds archival photographs of these organised tourist visits. Selected images from the summer of 1958 feature a group of German tourists, captured by ATA photographers throughout their itinerary—from arrival by ship, to leisure on the beaches of Durrës, and visits in Tirana.
At that time, foreign tourists stayed at the ‘Adriatik’ Hotel in Durrës.