FLASH
Shkruar nga Eduard Zaloshnja
But with Mourinho's Roma winning the Conference League final in Tirana, the appearance of the name Albania suffered a surprising statistical jump in the global digital sphere.
In 2022, 7.5 million foreign passport entries were registered in Albania, an increase of 17.7%, compared to the year before the Covid-19 pandemic. In the following years, this growth has been galloping, reaching a record 11.7 million foreign passport entries last year, or 82.6% more than in 2019.
But where did this rapid increase in entry into Albania with foreign passports come from?
The Albanian government has not funded any advertising campaigns on international television and internet networks. Nor has it funded advertisements in famous sports stadiums (such as the 'Visit Rwanda' advertisement, which appears in Premier League stadiums, etc.).
To understand the rise in popularity of Albania as a tourist destination, one must do a deep dive into the internet, searching for the occurrences of the name Albania appearing there. This type of research helped me become an IT specialist who helps me develop my surveys.
From a search of all websites and social networks around the world, we found that until May 25, 2022, the appearance of the name Albania was minimal in the global digital sphere. But with the victory of the Conference League final in Tirana by Mourinho's Roma, the appearance of the name Albania suffered a surprising statistical jump in the global digital sphere.
Two words about the "Mourinho effect"
It could never have occurred to the Albanian Football Association and the Albanian government (when they decided to build the “Air Albania” National Arena) that one day the most successful coach of the finals, “The Special One” Mourinho, would come to Tirana to play the 5th European final. And even more so, that he would win this final. This news appeared in the media headlines (not only sports) in over 150 countries around the world. Mourinho is a well-known global brand name that multiplied the promotional value of the news about the development of the UEFA Conference League final in Tirana. An extra (free) bonus for the work done by the Albanian Football Association and the Albanian government for the perfect conduct and organization of that final.
The ' Mourinho Avalanche' is slowing down...
Since the 'Murini Avalanche' began, the name Albania in the global digital sphere has maintained a satisfactory presence for a small country, which was below the international digital radar before the pandemic. But there are signs that this avalanche is slowing down...
On Durrës-Golem beach, the longest in the country (10 km) and with the largest accommodation capacity for tourists, dialects of the Albanian language have begun to significantly dominate. For years, foreign languages dominated…
Last year, tour operators reported that it was very difficult to book rooms at Durrës-Golem beach hotels. This year, however, it is much easier…
Even in the bars on the Durrës-Golem beach, owners report that they are unlikely to beat last year's turnover record...
What should be done next?
In a world where information (positive and negative) moves at the speed of electrons, digital avalanches can end as quickly as they begin. For the 'Murijo Avalanche' to continue for a long time, the Albanian government and tourism operators must collaborate on a long-term tourism development strategy that combines the promotion and improvement of Albania's tourism offer.
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