Vlora Airport is an EU-approved development to serve trade routes

TIRANË, Albania - Oct. 22, 2025 - PRLog -- When construction began on Albania's new Vlora International Airport following a concession agreement in 2021, it was hailed by the media for its enormous economic potential. The Eastern European country is about 11 times bigger than Luxembourg in size and​​ already has two functioning airports, namely Kukes International Airport and Tirana International Airport. But Vlora International Airport offers many unique advantages that can't be dismissed.

Located near the village of Akemi, the new airport is being constructed and financed by a consortium led by Swiss-based Mabco Constructions, which controls a 50% stake. Other companies in the joint venture include Turkey's YDA Group and Kosovo's 2A Group. Their mission is to build a modern, world-class airport that will serve as a gateway to Southern Albania, and by so doing, boost trade, tourism, and create jobs.

In the meantime, construction is still ongoing at the airport, although a certification flight was carried out in May 2025. From all indications, construction is nearing completion, even as the airport will soon open for full commercial operations.

The Geographic Sweet Spot: A Strategic Asset

Situated on the Adriatic coast, it offers a direct maritime entry point that is geographically closer to key inland markets than many alternative ports. Its proximity to North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Greece makes it a natural hub for regional distribution. A 2025 report by the Air Transport Action Group highlighted how airports inevitably enable development by facilitating the movement of millions of people from one place to another. Aside from the infrastructural development, which is the most obvious, development also comes in the form of the many jobs created both within and outside the airport.

Aviation data offers valuable insights into business travel patterns, emerging destinations, and optimal event timings, helping stakeholders attract MICE. Albania will surely attract top conferences and business events with a strong MICE tourism strategy. Major industry events in the Balkans for 2025 include the Balkan Economic Forum in Belgrade (Serbia), the Belgrade Mining Congress also in Belgrade (Serbia), the Balkans Power Summit in Kotor (Montenegro), the BalkanCom conference in Piraeus (Greece), and the IRF Europe & Central Asia Regional Congress in Sofia (Bulgaria). On october 10th, Durana Tech Park attracted hundreds of leaders, innovators, and experts to InnoVision Forum 2025. Tirana has a great potential to become a souther european ICT start-up hub due to a young, multilingual population. In 2024, the EU accounted for 57.4% of Albania's total trade. In the first half of 2025, trade with EU countries made up 55.9% of the total, according to RTSH.

Full article at Impact Newswire