Rama once again justifies the €4 million spent on Kanye West: Global marketing for Albania, why do you pretend not to understand?

A few hours before Kanye West’s concert, Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage on social media from the stadium where the event will take place in Tirana.

According to the Prime Minister, the concert will put Albania on another global map, that of the international music community.

“THE CONCERT STADIUM IS READY, an event that will put Albania on another global map, that of the worldwide music community, whose members, thanks to tonight’s musical event, will do what they do everywhere Kanye West goes: they will come to visit Albania,” Rama wrote.

Rama also responded to criticism regarding the €4 million allocated from the state budget’s reserve fund for the organization of this event.

According to Rama, this is not an expense but an investment that will be returned to the country through visitors who have arrived in Tirana over the past 48 hours.

“Some people continue to talk about €4 million in spending for one night, but ONLY THOSE WHO DON’T WANT TO UNDERSTAND fail to see that those €4 million are an INVESTMENT, which will be recovered through the thousands of visitors who, in the last 48 hours, have filled hotels, apartments, restaurants, bars, shops, and taxis.

More than €4 million will be the revenue that will return even to the state budget itself, through increased consumption. It is truly a shame that we are still having this discussion on such an important cultural day for Albania.”

A concert of this scale and by an artist of this caliber is not simply an artistic event. It is GLOBAL MARKETING FOR ALBANIA, an advertisement that would cost much more if purchased through traditional campaigns. And this is not an Albanian invention. It is the way the most developed countries in Europe operate. Anyone who thinks culture is a luxury should reconsider this mistaken opinion.

“We have no bread, we don’t need culture”? Wrong. Culture is not only spiritual nourishment, but also economy, tourism, and development. Bread! After Kanye West’s concert a few weeks ago, Istanbul generated more than €100 million in added value.

Therefore, presenting such an investment as money thrown away means failing to understand how monetary value is created through cultural and sporting events. Meanwhile, the opposite, the cancellation of the concert, would have been a humiliation for Albania and caused significant damage to the country’s already improved image. Albania does not benefit by hiding from the world. Albania benefits by bringing the world into its own home,” says the head of government.

“KORÇA BOOM”