WITH MALTA HAVING UNDERGONE A RECENT BRAND IMAGE CHANGE TO PROMOTE ITS MICE ACTIVITY , WE CHECK THE NEW CLIMATE FOR BUSINESS ON THE ISLANDS

alta ’ s inbound tourist numbers rose 138 % last year with numbers for 2022 approaching 84 % of 2019 pre-Covid levels , according to Malta Tourism Authority ( MTA ). The figure for December 2022 was 94 % of the December 2019 statistic . The UK remained the largest target market , with non-EU visitors growing faster than EU visitor numbers . Business visitor numbers had recovered 81.6 % in 2022 from the 2019 high point .

Formerly known as Conventions Malta , Visit Malta Incentives & Meetings is the new brand launched last May

Malta Fort St

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following extensive market research by the national CVB . Now firmly under the Visit Malta banner , the bureau says its focus is now on launching its new online space and properly introducing it to the international market .

The Visit Malta team says meetings and incentives group sizes are getting generally smaller but that is something that has only increased the attractiveness of Malta and its smaller island partner Gozo , particularly for incentive travel . In addition , outdoor spaces have become more important than ever before , and that is a fundamental part of the product on offer , thanks to a great climate all year round on the Maltese islands .

The Malta MICE Business Scheme helped international MICE planners and international MICE companies to consider the islands as a venue for their events in 2021 and 2022 . With more than 280 applications , it has proven to be very successful in generating new

“ Meetings and incentives group sizes are getting generally smaller but that is something that has only increased the attractiveness of Malta and Gozo ’”

business .

Air Malta offers direct flights to the country ’ s largest source market , the United Kingdom , and is a big part of the strategic commitment to connect the Maltese Islands with major European cities . Daily flights to London Heathrow make the destination easily accessible to the UK market . Malta International Airport also operates frequent flights to London Gatwick with British Airways , EasyJet and Wizz Air UK , as well as with low-cost options to Luton and Stansted . With an average flight time of three hours , the route is a great opportunity for UK meeting planners to fit the destination into their busy diaries .

Other direct UK routes include Birmingham , Manchester , Liverpool , and Edinburgh .

The fastest growing inbound market of all is Poland , and air links there are growing too .

Main attractions So , what are the main attractions of Malta for meeting planners ? Malta is an official member state of the European Union that speaks English , with the Euro being the main currency . Distances around the islands are quite short , with an average travelling time of not more than 50 minutes to cross the whole destination lengthwise . Yet , in