Prime Minister Edi Rama is in Rome today, where he participated in the event dedicated to the “Giro d’Italia,” one of the most famous sporting events in the world, where Albania was selected from many candidates to host the “La Grande Partenza 2025” – the “Great Start 2025,” which will be broadcast live on over 200 television channels worldwide.
Prime Minister Rama was invited along with the organizers of the “Giro d’Italia” to the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone, one of the most renowned centers for art and culture in Europe. While greeting the audience, Prime Minister Rama praised Italian sports as one of the most beloved by Albanian sports fans over the years, emphasizing that this event further strengthens the ties between the two countries.
The famous popular race, with a 114-year-old tradition, will bring the world’s best cyclists to Tirana, Durrës, and Vlorë in May, and will be watched by hundreds of millions of viewers.
The Prime Minister stated that the race stages will be spectacular, as they will highlight the country’s stunning natural beauty.
“Albania is a blessed country, in the sense that, within a small territory, it has everything – we have many mountains, two seas, and numerous rivers. From this perspective, these three stages are spectacular because they showcase a very beautiful part of the country. Moreover, it is extraordinary because it presents Albania almost like a movie,” the Prime Minister said. He also highlighted the significant increase in Italian tourist interest in Albania in recent years, with 2024 expected to close with 1.4 million Italian visitors.
“I am proud to say that when we started this new journey of renewing the country, the number of Italians visiting Albania was modest. However, in recent years, we’ve seen a significant increase. For example, in 2023, we welcomed around 800,000 Italian tourists, and in 2024, we are set to close the year with 1.4 million Italian visitors, a twofold increase in a short period of time,” the Prime Minister added.