USAID helps links to Albanian businesses

TIRANA, Oct 7 – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) co-organized and co-sponsored the Conference and Exhibition on Tourism and Real Estate in Albania held this week in Tirana.
The event showcased to foreign investors the opportunities for investment in Albania’s tourism and real estate industries. It also introduced USAID’s newest project, Rritje Albania, a 5-year, $10 million program that will increase the competitiveness of Albanian non-agriculture enterprises.
Participating officials included USAID’s Mission Director, Roberta Mahoney, Deputy Prime Minister Ilir Meta, Public Works and Transportation Minister Sokol Olldashi and Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports Suzana Turku.
The two-day event held a discussion with industry leaders on the development of public-private partnerships in tourism, and held dozens of business-to-business meetings among Albanian and foreign tour operators.
The event also kicked-off a week-long familiarization tour with foreign tour operators to Albania’s southern coast and the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Butrint, Gjirokastra, and Berat.
As well as introducing Albania’s rich cultural and historic sites, foreign investors met with Albanian businesses to discuss opportunities for future business relations.
In the coming months, USAID will organize more business-to-business events to enhance business relationships and generate new deals between Albanian enterprises and foreign buyers.
The project will deliver business development services to client enterprises, working closely with local and international experts and establishing partnerships with public institutions and private business services providers.