Tourism faces staff shortages, foreigners are bringing competition to the market

The lack of qualified staff continues to be one of the main problems of the tourism sector in Albania. To improve service standards, staff training expert Fatjon Selimaj, together with his team, has launched a series of free trainings in different cities of the country, mainly in Pogradec and in the coastal areas.

The trainings focus on the manner of service, hospitality, communication with the client and other elements directly linked to the standards of bars, restaurants and accommodation facilities.

Alongside professionalisation, another debate in the tourism sector concerns wages and the employment of foreign staff. According to expert Selimaj, foreign employees are not necessarily paid more because of their origin; pay is determined by experience and qualification. He stresses that accommodation and food costs constitute additional expenses for businesses.

“It is not that a foreigner is paid more just because he is a foreigner. The one who is paid more is the one with greater experience and a better CV, regardless of whether he is Albanian or foreign. At least for Tirana, where I know the market quite well, wages are more or less the same. What burdens the company more are the extra costs, such as accommodation and food,” said Fatjon Selimaj, a staff training expert.

For Selimaj, the solution does not lie only in raising wages. In his view, the industry must invest in employees throughout the year, so that businesses do not face a staff shortage every season and the need to start trainings from scratch.

The expert assesses that the arrival of foreign employees is creating competition in the domestic labour market, but this does not mean the replacement of Albanian employees. According to him, competition can spur greater professionalism and create more opportunities for those aiming to build a career in this industry.

“I think the influx of foreign staff is creating internal competition. But gradually the idea is consolidating that a person who wants to be in the industry and wants to make a career, after a few years with a good career, is paid very well. It is not a question of foreigners replacing Albanians. It is a competition being created in the market, which should push us to become more professional,” Selimaj added.

From Pogradec to the coastal areas, the trainings aim for service in tourism not to be seen simply as a seasonal job, but as a profession where experience, communication and professionalism can bring more employment opportunities and better wages.