Tourism is "attracting" foreign investors, but image alone is not enough

2024-01-27 09:24:00, Ekonomi CNA

Tourism is "attracting" foreign investors, but image alone is not

Illustrative photo

Albania was visited in 2023 by over 10 million foreigners, turning it into the best historical year of the tourism sector.

The impact of this increase is clearly seen in the current account balance, where according to the Bank of Albania, the expenses of foreigners in Albania reached a record of 3.2 billion euros in the 9th month, with an increase of 47% compared to the same period a year ago and double that of 2019.

The impact of tourism went beyond the sector, extending this effect to supporting industries, which have also been booming, ranging from rental cars to the marine industry.

This momentum for Albania, whose name was mentioned more than ever in promotional articles, is a key point for what steps will be taken next.

This has to do not only with the measures to continue the growth of the sector through the improvement of service, infrastructure, transport, but also with its consolidation as a tourist destination or brand in foreign markets.

In this new context, the questions naturally arise: Can this new touristic dimension of Albania also change the approach of investors to our country? Has the new exposure brought increased interest in new investment projects?

"Monitor" received impressions from three international organizations that are the first meeting point between potential investors and Albania, starting with ICE Tirana for relations with Italy, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHA) and the Embassy of the Netherlands.

Italians, interested in mechanics, pharmaceuticals and tourism

Italy remains the main trading partner of Albania with 29.5% of trade exchanges according to the Foreign Trade statistics of October 2023. The geographical proximity has also made the Italian enterprises that have invested in Albania take the first place and the sectors are more comprehensive.

Francesca Mondello, Director of ICE Tirana, an agency with the mission of facilitating the internationalization of Italian companies in Albanian distribution channels, estimates that the interest in Albania continues to remain high and the good tourist performance has awakened curiosity about our country throughout Europe. But what are Italian investors most interested in when they come to ICE Tirana?

"Requests from Italian enterprises are mainly related to the analysis of the potential of specific sectors, promotion, business climate, research and verification of the reliability of local partner companies and local legislation.

Attention is paid to infrastructural development projects in the transport, energy, agriculture, digitization sectors", she asserts.

Regarding the sectors where investments have been stable year after year, Mrs. Mondello underlines that they range from mechanics, chemistry, pharmaceuticals and the medical sector, agri-food, textile and clothing, construction, engineering services, infrastructure and contract services to tourism and training.

German business, interest in IT; Netherlands for energy and agriculture

The global developments, but also the internal ones of Albania, have changed the projects or potential investments that are oriented to the country. Bledar Mankollari, Executive Director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHA), claims that developments in the labor market have made Albania less attractive in projects that require a large workforce.

On the other hand, technological developments have given rise to professions related to information technology, and German companies have begun to expand this sector in Albania as well.

"In terms of access to the labor market, we can say that Albania is no longer as attractive as it was in the last 30 years for textile and footwear companies.

In the last two years, we have mainly had requests from companies for software development, which want to settle in Albania and work for clients in Germany," he affirms.

Regarding other sectors that present potential, Mr. Mankollari emphasizes that infrastructure, energy and tourism remain strong points for investment in Albania.

As for businesses from the Netherlands, the embassy confirms that interest continues to remain in some sectors.

"The figures on the trade between Albania and the Netherlands have had a continuous increase during the last years. Official annual data for 2023 will be available soon, but interest remains high in sectors such as agriculture,

dairy, energy and infrastructure", - underlines the Embassy of the Netherlands.

Only the good image of tourism is not enough, what investors are looking for

Promoting and creating a positive image for Albania as a tourist destination can be positive, but it is not enough to convince an investor to bring and implement various investment projects in our country.

At least this is the idea that is created by the impressions that the contact offices between foreign businesses and Albania currently have. A number of other more important elements, which are summarized in what is called the business climate, need to be improved in order to convince a business to invest.

"I have been running the ICE Office in Tirana for two years now. I think that it is essential for the progress of Albania's journey towards the European Union and, as a result, the fulfillment of the conditions defined by the three Copenhagen criteria.

Klima e biznesit duhet ende të përmirësohet dhe besueshmëria dhe qëndrueshmëria e sistemit kërkon një kombinim faktorësh të ndryshëm, si forcimi i mëtejshëm i shtetit ligjor, reforma administrative dhe gjyqësore, lufta kundër korrupsionit, informacioni i saktë, stimujt dhe mbi të gjitha mbështetjen aktive të institucioneve”, – nënvizon z. Mondello nga ICE Tirana.

Përmirësimi i klimës lidhet ngushtë me masa ligjore që synojnë heqjen e barrierave apo burokracive, në mënyrë që të bërit biznes të jetë më i lehtë.

“Në terma afatshkurtër, mendoj se thjesht zbatimi i afateve ligjore nga administrata publike, si në dhënien e lejeve të ndryshme por edhe në rimbursimet e TVSH-së do të ndikonin shumë pozitivisht në përmirësimin e klimës së biznesit.

Në terma afatmesëm dhe afatgjatë mendoj se nisma e qeverisë për derregullimin është në drejtimin e duhur, e cila do t’u jepte më shumë oksigjen bizneseve në punën e tyre të përditshme.

Kjo e shoqëruar me një qasje më pozitive në ligjin për konsultimin publik, por jo vetëm në nivel ligji, ashtu siç parashikohet, por edhe në aktet nënligjore, do të përmirësonin klimën e të bërit biznes”, – shprehet z. Mankollari nga DIHA.

Për Ambasadën e Holandës, raporti i fundit i Komisionit Europian për vendin tonë mund të japë orientim më të mirë për përmirësime që mund të bëhen.

“Shqipëria ofron mundësi, si për pozicionin e saj gjeografik, ashtu edhe për kontekstin aktual gjeopolitik. Në lidhje me mundësitë për të përmirësuar klimën e biznesit në Shqipëri, ne sugjerojmë që të hedhim një vështrim në vlerësimin e bërë nga Komisioni Europian në raportin e tij të fundit për Shqipërinë, si pjesë e paketës së zgjerimit”, – thuhet në përgjigjen e ambasadës.

Shqipëria riformulon ofertën për investimet, kalon para turizmin dhe bujqësinë

Oferta e Shqipërisë për investitorët e huaj, e konceptuar çdo vit nga Agjencia Shqiptare e Zhvillimit të Investimeve ka renditur një sërë sektorësh me potencial. I pari në renditje është energjia.

Por duket se zhvillimet pozitive të këtij viti me turizmin kanë riformuluar ofertën turistike, sektorët kanë mbetur thuajse të njëjtë, por renditja e tyre ka ndryshuar.

Një broshurë e fundit e AIDA në lidhje me investimet e huaja dhe sektorëve me potencial rendit turizmin. Në vend të dytë renditet bujqësia dhe më pas vjen energjia. Me radhë në listë vijojnë manifaktura dhe teknologjia e informacionit dhe komunikimit, si dhe shërbimet outsourcing.

Broshura sjell në vëmendje klimën e favorshme të vendit, lidhjet ajrore përmes Aeroportit të Tiranës dhe Kukësit, burimet natyrore të nëntokës, si dhe vijën bregdetare prej 316 kilometrash.

Oferta nënvizon klimën pozitive të investimeve, pozicionin e favorshëm gjeografik, si dhe kapitalin human ku theksohet se 46% e popullsisë është nën 35 vjeç, gjuhët e huaja që fliten si anglishtja, italishtja, greqishtja, frëngjishtja dhe gjermanishtja që mësohen në shkolla, si dhe të rinjtë në universitete.

In relation to foreign investments, Albania seems to continue to get used to its two long-established policies such as: Albania 1 euro and the status of strategic investments.

In the offer, it is underlined that the 1 euro scheme remains in force, incentives for strategic investments, as well as special sectoral incentives.

Another element that stands out is the competitive cost of labor. The brochure highlights that Albania has competitive levels of income tax, overtime contributions and social security.

Likewise, there is professional education in some specific sectors, as well as salary levels that are among the most competitive in the region and a productive workforce./ Monitor