A New Way to Travel: Albania Empowers Women through Gender-Inclusive Tourism
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UN Women is pioneering a transformative approach to tourism, one that puts women at the center: as creators, leaders, and travelers.
With women making 82% of global travel decisions, the tourism industry is undergoing a significant shift. More than half of women worldwide have already traveled solo, choosing destinations that offer not just safety, but meaningful, culturally-rich experiences. Albania is seizing this opportunity.
For the first time in Albania, UN Women has co-designed tourism experiences specifically for solo women travelers in collaboration with women-led enterprises. Through targeted training and ongoing mentoring with tourism experts, three unique travel experiences were developed, designed by women, for women.
“In a country where tourism is rapidly growing, UN Women Albania is working with local partners to ensure women are not only included but are leading the way. These new tourism products are doing more than promoting Albania as a destination—they are building pathways to women’s economic empowerment and community development. By supporting women-led businesses and creating safe, inclusive travel experiences, UN Women is helping position Albania as a forward-thinking destination,” says Irena Shtraza, Coordinator of UN Women’s project supporting gender-inclusive tourism in Albania.
Three concrete experiences emerged at the training programme on women-centered tourism product development and the follow-up mentoring by tourism expert Blerina Ago. As she put it:
“What moved me most was seeing how these women-led tour operators intentionally connected solo women travelers with local women—artisans, farmers, artists, guides, and hosts—creating a circle of trust, inspiration, and shared experiences. Women-centered tourism is not just about visibility—it is about building relationships that make travel more human, more just, and more deeply rooted in community.”
These new tourism products, involving three different areas in Albania - Vlora, Shkodra, and Petrela - were tested with diverse participants, including foreign tourists, bloggers, journalists, and activists, all of whom supported raising visibility for this new model of tourism. These journeys took them from ancient ruins to mountain trails, from sea stories shared by local fishermen to quiet evenings by the coast.
The experiences were designed to give solo women travelers in Albania safer, more authentic travel options, aiming to:
- boost income and leadership opportunities for women entrepreneurs;
- celebrate and preserve the country’s cultural traditions by connecting travelers with local communities;
- promote Albania as a welcoming and inclusive destination.
Three Unique Experiences
Petrela - Castle and History
UN Women and Balkan Pearls Tour Agency, owned and led by women, developed a one-of-a-kind tour to Petrela, a village near the capital, Tirana, for mothers traveling with their children. The offer combined hiking to and around the ancient castle ruins, yoga classes under 300-year-old olive trees, and cooking at a local agritourism site.
“A carefully curated trip to make mothers bond with their kids and reconnect with nature. I have three kids, and the opportunities are very rare when I get to spend time with only one of them. Today was a special day. I would do this again,” said Ana Kovačević, who is from Montenegro but has been working and living in Albania for more than ten years.
Vlora – The Albanian Coast
From hiking in Llogara National Park to sunrise fishing with local communities and visits to the archeological park of Apollonia, this package was curated together with Hello Albania Tour Agency offering solo women travelers a safe, and fulfilling local experience.
“When I found out about this women-only trip, I didn’t know who I was going with, who I was going to share a room with, but I decided it would be a fun adventure to meet new people - maybe women like myself that have the same interests … and I think that must be true; we are all friends now,” says Mischere Kawas who participated in one of the trips.
Shkodra – Wellness, Heritage, and Women’s Leadership
In the northern city of Shkodra, Guided Holidays, a women-led agency founded by Indira Çoçja, offers a travel experience blending nature, culture, and well-being. The retreat includes birdwatching on Lake Shkodra, traditional boat fishing at sunset, yoga sessions, visits to local women artisans and artists, and a guided tour of the Historical Museum. The journey is safe, sustainable, and focused on empowering both travelers and host communities.
“One of the most important things I set out to do with my agency was to support local businesses that are trying to offer a good service . I went through a selection process, and despite the challenges - because Albania is not the easiest of places for women entrepreneurs - I can see that they do not give up. Challenges actually motivate them more, and they inspire me too,” says Indira Çoçja, founder and manager of Guided Holidays Albania.
Building on the momentum created by these early successes, the next phase will focus on promoting Albania as a safe and welcoming destination for solo women travelers. It will also advocate for gender-responsive tourism policies and investments, mobilize funding to expand women-led tourism initiatives to new regions, and invest in targeted training, mentoring, and peer learning to strengthen women's skills and networks across the sector.