“Melia Durrës” located in “San Pietro” Resort, near Lalzi Bay, is the next prestigious investment in the tourism sector in Albania by “Concord Investment”.

In fact, it is about an important and very fruitful cooperation of “Concord Investment” with the prestigious Spanish brand, one of the most important in the world tourism industry, “Melia” Hotels International.

Artan Dulaku, CEO of the “Concord Investment” Group, during an exclusive interview for “Vizion Plus”, showed all his impressions on this important investment that was finalized with the construction of the most prestigious hotel in Albania, as well as one of the best in region, “Melia” Durrës.

In this interview, Mr. Dulaku also shed light on the future plans that the “Concord Investment” Group has as a focus of his work, now as a confirmed leader in the Albanian tourism sector, as well as on other opportunities for cooperation with “Melia” Hotels International but also other brands known around the world.

Q: You have done a number of projects, but this is your first interview for Vizion Plus. Why this approach?

Artan Dulaku: There is a reason for that. The reason is that we consider Vizion Plus a national asset and not a personal asset. We have judged that we cannot use it for the commercialization of ourselves. We have left it at a distance as a public thing, rather than a personal, private thing.

Question: How do you feel that you made the biggest investment in the country and in the region?

Artan Dulaku: Basically, who is an entrepreneur the moment he has finalized his dream project, he thinks about his next project. We are cursed by this view. We’re definitely proud of what we’ve accomplished, but we’re already thinking about our next project.

Question: Was this project, “San Pietro Resort”, the most challenging project?

Artan Dulaku: This is the biggest so far. Our principle is today is better than yesterday and worse than tomorrow. What’s coming tomorrow is bigger, we have two more major projects.

Question: Was this project, “San Pietro Resort”, the most challenging project?

Artan Dulaku: This is the biggest so far. Our principle is today is better than yesterday and worse than tomorrow. What’s coming tomorrow is bigger, we have two more major projects.

Question: Why was it difficult to convince the “Melia” group to be present in our market?

Artan Dulaku: We are talking about five years ago, when the situation was totally different. We did our best at that time to attract the interest of various companies operating in the field of tourism, but it was very difficult, because the connotation of Albania was very negative at that time. When I knocked on the doors of various tour operators, their second question after “why should we come to Albania” was “who else is in Albania”. And really there was no one. It was a challenge for everyone, why should I go first, why there are no others. These were dilemmas that inhibited the possibility of a business contract with them. “Melia” was a finding of ours, because we had the initiative and saw what would happen after 5 years, which others did not see. “Melia” came in, made the contract, this automatically raised interest and everyone knocked on our doors, to say that we also want to cooperate.

Question: How was the “Melia” group selected?

Artan Dulaku: In the European market of ‘hospitalities’, the best is Ancori, French, then second, third, tenth are the Spanish. There is a reason why the Spanish are the first to open the concept of ‘All Inclusive’ and create experience in this field. “Melia” in Spain is at the top. We chose the best.

Question: How was the “Melia” group selected?

Artan Dulaku: In the European market of ‘hospitalities’, the best is Ancori, French, then second, third, tenth are the Spanish. There is a reason why the Spanish are the first to open the concept of ‘All Inclusive’ and create experience in this field. “Melia” in Spain is at the top. We chose the best.

Q: Will this hotel be the biggest for a few more years?

Artan Dulaku: I believe that until the next 5 years “Melia” will carry the flag of the largest hotel in the country and region.

Question: After “Melia” entered the market, are there interests from other hotel brands that want to come to our country?

Artan Dulaku: Albania has been placed on the European tourism map. We want the number of tourists to reach 10 million tourists a year very soon, and all tour operators today focus on Albania. We have contacts with Ancor, Barcelona, ​​Catalonia, with whom we are in talks about the possibility of cooperation.

Q: Does the group’s ambitions stop with this investment?

Artan Dulaku: Our plans are that within 2030 we will deliver 3 thousand keys, in jargon they are called 3 thousand rooms, which means about 8 hotels. Our major future projects are one in Saranda and the second is “Arameras” in Ksamil, the third is in Vlora.

Question: Do you see tourism as the main branch of economic development for the future?

Artan Dulaku: It seems that Albanian politicians have a solution to remove the stress on tourism, as a basic branch of the country’s economy, and we, understanding this, have seen an opportunity to invest.