Investment Council Discusses Quality Standards in Tourism and the Draft Unified Investment Law

Tirana, 11 November 2026 – The Investment Council held its latest meeting, chaired by the Minister of Economy and Innovation, Ms Delina Ibrahimaj, focusing on quality standards in tourism and the Draft Unified Investment Law in Albania. The meeting brought together representatives of public institutions, business associations and the private sector.

In her opening remarks, Minister Ibrahimaj emphasised that tourism development requires a coordinated approach and concrete policies to enhance the sector’s competitiveness and ensure compliance with European standards. She highlighted the Government’s commitment to supporting businesses through new financial instruments aimed at encouraging investment and strengthening competitiveness, as well as through the simplification of administrative procedures and the strengthening of classification, inspection and monitoring mechanisms, with a view to improving service quality and promoting sustainable tourism development.

The Secretariat of the Investment Council then presented its analysis of the readiness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), focusing on their expectations and the challenges they face in adopting and implementing quality standards. The analysis examined the financial costs and technical capacity constraints involved in meeting standardisation requirements, levels of awareness, access to information and training, the role of relevant policymaking and regulatory stakeholders, and the availability of financial support for tourism businesses.

Business representatives stressed that the costs of certification and adapting facilities to new requirements call for financial instruments better tailored to the needs of smaller businesses, as well as a more effective system for classifying, inspecting and monitoring accommodation facilities. They also noted that improving tourism quality depends not only on businesses themselves, but also on fiscal stability and the quality of public infrastructure, including waste management, water supply, transport and signage. This highlighted the need for closer coordination between central and local institutions and the private sector.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Ms Marinela Prifti, outlined the measures envisaged under the new legal framework for tourism, emphasising the importance of strengthening classification standards and monitoring mechanisms for accommodation facilities. Among the proposed measures, she mentioned the preliminary assignment of accommodation categories at the building permit application stage, as well as the formalisation of short-term accommodation through registration on the e-Albania platform. She also noted that work is under way to establish six Destination Management Organisations, with the aim of strengthening coordination and improving the management of tourism offerings at the local level.

The second part of the meeting focused on the presentation of the Draft Unified Investment Law by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation, Mr Enkelejd Musabelliu. Business representatives and international partners welcomed the initiative to establish a more unified and predictable framework for investors, while highlighting the need for greater clarity on several aspects of its implementation. These included legal certainty and the predictability of the regulatory framework, the number and content of the secondary legislation required to support the law, and the need for these implementing acts to be consulted on alongside the draft law. Participants also called for clearer criteria, timelines and procedures for reviewing foreign investments, including procedural safeguards for investors and appeal mechanisms. Another issue raised was the need for a comprehensive regulatory impact assessment examining not only the expected benefits, but also the budgetary and institutional costs, the capacities required to implement the law, and its implications for the investment climate.

In response to the comments and suggestions raised, Minister Ibrahimaj confirmed the Government’s commitment to continuing the consultation process, noting that it would not be limited to a single roundtable discussion but would also include more focused meetings with experts and representatives of chambers of commerce.

The meeting reaffirmed the Investment Council’s role as a platform for structured dialogue between the public and private sectors, helping ensure that business perspectives inform the development and improvement of policies and the regulatory framework affecting competitiveness, business development and Albania’s investment climate.

Meeting materials will be available shortly at www.investment.com.al.