9 out of 10 businesses in Albania are in the services sector/ Trade convincingly leads the turnover. Tourism and energy follow.
The Albanian economy continues to rely heavily on the services sector. According to the final results of the Structural Enterprise Survey, published by the Institute of Statistics, 86.8% of active enterprises in the country operate in the services sector, which means that almost 9 out of 10 businesses operate in this sector.
At the end of 2024, there were approximately 119 thousand enterprises active in Albania, 2.2% more than a year earlier. Of these, nearly 104 thousand businesses belong to the services sector, confirming its dominance in the country's economic structure.
Services generate over two-thirds of sales
The sector's weight is not only reflected in numbers. Services accounted for 68.3% of total net sales in the economy, or about 3.53 billion lek in total. They also employ 65.6% of the country's workforce, making them the main engine of the labor market.
Within this group, trade occupies the leading position. It represents 35.1% of all enterprises in the country and realizes 46.1% of total net sales, almost half of the turnover of the Albanian economy. In employment, trade also has a significant share with 24.7% of the total.
An important role is also played by: Accommodation and food service (tourism and restaurants) with 14.8% of businesses, as well as Transport, information and communication with 9.6% of enterprises.
What's happening with production?
Meanwhile, manufacturers of goods account for only 13.2% of enterprises (15,771 businesses), but generate 31.7% of net sales and 34.4% of employment. This shows that, although fewer in number, manufacturing businesses have a significant weight in the economy.
Manufacturing, construction, and energy are among the main sectors within this group, with significant contributions to turnover and employment.
An increasingly service-oriented economy
The data clearly shows that Albania's economic model is consolidating around the service sector, with a strong focus on trade, tourism and related activities. Meanwhile, although net sales in total increased, the number of employees in the economy fell by 1.6%, reflecting structural developments and changes in the way businesses are organized.
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