Albania, Balkan Region to Benefit from Better Road Links and Relations

The Balkan region is set to see increasing regional tourism. Albania's tourism industry will be boosted massively by growth in visitor numbers from Kosovo once the massive super-highway linking the Albanian coast to the mountains in Kosovo's northeast is complete. Kosovo is completely land-locked, while Albania has some fantastic beaches.

Montenegro is preparing for increased tourism from Kosovo, and is planning to open a consulate in the country in preparation. Kosovo is land-locked, while Montenegro is world-famous for its beautiful beaches.

Montenegro will also receive increasing numbers of tourists from Serbia as relations between the two countries are normalised.

Serbia first fell out with Montenegro when the latter split their loose union and de-facto ended the Yugoslav republic, but was further irked when Montenegro recognised Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence away from Serbia, which the latter is contesting by all available means. This makes the fact that relations are normalising a little surprising, but a reality nonetheless.

Of course tourism is not the only industry that will benefit from better internal links within the Balkan region.

Exporting will also become more cost-effective and as such will grow in the next five years. Then there is the possibility of businesses expanding into neighbouring countries. Not to mention the employment generated by the road-works themselves: over 3000 people, 3 quarters of them Albanians are currently employed on the Albania-Kosovo project, to grow to 4,500 as the project reaches peak operation.

Both Albania and Montenegro are tipped as hot destinations for overseas property investors. This increasing regional tourism will increase occupancy and rental yields on Montenegrin and Albanian property. But the increasing industrial links will sure up economic growth in the future and give them yet more investment strength.

Albania's economy is forecast to grow by 1% this year while Montenegro's economy is expected to contract by 2.5%. Both forecasts from the International Monetary Fund