Manchester United is one of the top football teams in the world and attracts fans from all over the globe. One example is most definitely Malta, where every corner you turn, you will meet a Manchester United fan. Many were pleased to hear about the recent partnership struck between Malta and Manchester United, making the country the official destination partner of the giant football club.
This deal was announced at Manchester United’s AON training centre during a press conference. One of the main points about this deal is the fact that the financial figures were not divulged due to commercial sensitivity.
This agreement with Manchester United allows for Visit Malta advertising to feature at Old Trafford, the club’s stadium, together with its different media portals.
Manchester United’s Director of Partnerships said that the club wants to encourage its fans to experience the culture and adventure that the Maltese islands can offer.
Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi also had some words to say about this partnership, who expressed his optimism, explaining that this is an honour for Malta to partner with one of the best football brands in the world. The deal also coincided with a special occasion, the sixty-year anniversary of the Malta Manchester United supporters club, the oldest one in the world!
A deal such as this underlines Malta’s commitment to becoming one of the leading tourism destinations in the Mediterranean. An exciting prospect to continue cementing Malta’s status as a pristine destination for tourists.
The marketing prowess of a club such as Manchester United will allow Malta to expand into new markets, diversifying our tourism. We are speaking about being associated with a football club with a turnover exceeding six hundred and fifty million Euro a year!
Just to put things into perspective, Manchester United is the most followed sports team on Chinese social network Weibo, with around nine million, three hundred thousand followers.
Konrad Mizzi implied that this partnership may lead to exposure both across Asia and the United States, attracting new visitors. He also indicated that this partnership will extend to promotion by first-team players, who will be invited to visit Malta and create more buzz.
The optimism was also shared by the Malta Tourism Authority chairman Gavin Gulia, who emphasised that Malta needs to explore tourism options which go beyond Europe.
What is also of significance is the fact that other strong entities may be interested in partnering with Malta, following collaboration with such a strong global brand. This leaves the door open for other football clubs to set training camps in Malta.
Are you excited with the prospects of this deal? Let us know in the comments section.
