TIRANA, June 14 – The southern county of Vlora, heavily relying on seasonal tourism, faces the country’s highest unemployment rates, according to a survey conducted by INSTAT, the state statistical office.
The region of Vlora, which includes coastal Saranda and landlocked Delvina, had an unemployment rate of 26.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016, registering the highest unemployment rate among the country’s 12 counties.
Almost half of Vlora county residents are employed in the services sector, with tourism services in the Vlora and Saranda regions holding the lion’s share. Industry and agriculture employ about 28 percent each, but the figures are higher for the small landlocked Delvina region which also has huge oil and gas reserves.
The county of Vlora has a resident population of around 176,000, according to the 2011 census.
Vlora and Saranda are two of Albania’s favorite tourist destinations during summer, but unfortunately tourism in these two Adriatic and Ionian treasures offering a combination of rocky and sandy beaches is mostly seasonal and efforts to offer year-round tourism are slowly progressing.
Unemployment rates in other counties ranged from 8 percent in the northern Dibra county, 13.3 percent in Fier, 13.4 percent in Shkoder, 16.1 percent in Durres and 23 percent in the county of Tirana where about 750,000 people reside.
Albania’s unemployment rate slightly dropped to 16.9 percent in the first quarter of 2016 but youth unemployment continued remaining high at an estimated 30.4 percent, down from a historic high of 34 percent in the first quarter of 2015.
