Faced with acute shortages of seasonal workers in the tourism and hospitality sectors, the Albanian Government, in partnership with a number of organizations and associations, is discussing a scheme where the Government will offer seasonal workers in these sectors 4 months of off season paid leave and insurance.

Why is this relevant

Shortages of skilled seasonal workers for bars, restaurants, hotels and resorts, are rapidly reaching crisis points for Albanian hospitality and tourism operators, at a time when the sectors are booming and playing a vital role in propelling Albania’s economy and GDP growth.

Despite fast growth and the rapid extension of the season over the past few years, tourism in Albania remains a seasonal industry. This makes it difficult for operators to retain skilled workers to whom they can only offer employment for the duration of the touristic season. The situation has reached crisis point and according to tourism associations the shortages risk putting the brakes on new developments and compromise the quality of service in the overall sector. In total, the industry faces a shortage of 30.000 skilled workers.

The Government and tourism industry have long been aware of the risk and have taken steps to mitigate it. These efforts have encompassed, among other things, strengthening professional education institutions and investing in establishing a sustainable year-round tourist season. However, this is the first time that the Government and industry operators are considering direct financial incentives; a sign that previous measures have been insufficient to address the problem.

According to the proposal that is being discussed, the Government offers to fund 4 months of paid leave and insurance on condition that the businesses offer employees 8-month contracts. All parties believe that the measure will help fill the existing off-season gap thus offering employees year-round, stable and insured jobs. It is hoped that by addressing one of the main grievances of seasonal workers, this measure will help stem the shortages and bring more stability to employment in the hospitality and tourism sectors.