Venue focus
SiGMA saga signals new debate on where to site a new convention centre in Malta
A RECENT OPINION ARTICLE BY JAMES CUMMINGS IN THE TIMES OF MALTA SUGGESTED PEMBROKE AS THE IDEAL LOCATION FOR A HIGH-END CONVENTION CENTRE. HERE IS A SLIGHTLY ABRIDGED VERSION OF THAT ARTICLE:
A recent suggestion that
Pembroke, not Ta’ Qali, would make an ideal location for a new conference and convention centre in Malta has attracted support from industry experts, but criticism from the government and the Pembroke mayor.
Last month, EC Meetings managing director Mark Gatt proposed in a Times of Malta opinion article that with its sea-facing views and distance from congested areas, Pembroke would be the“ most suitable” location for a new convention centre.
Some other industry experts also believe the Pembroke site’ s commanding coastal views would give it the edge.
James Cummings
Gatt said the Institute for Education on Martin Luther King Road would be well-placed for such a venue, linking
Left: Credit: Times of Malta / Karl Andrew Micallef
Left: Could the Institute for Education on Martin Luther King Road be the site for a new convention centre? to and complementing the planned adjacent White Rocks national park. Industry experts agreeing with Gatt highlighted the area’ s proximity to St Julian’ s plethora of large hotel offerings while underlining the importance of building a new, purpose-built convention centre.
The need for a large convention centre in Malta was highlighted several years ago when the iGaming SiGMA conference outgrew its Ta’ Qali site and caused traffic mayhem when it relocated to Marsa’ s Mediterranean Maritime Hub in 2024.
Its large annual conference ultimately moved to Milan.
SiGMA COO Heathcliff Farrugia says Pembroke could make a good conference centre location due to its proximity to St Julian’ s.
“ The main hotels are located there, so the commute would be much shorter, meaning less traffic,” with short travelling distances between accommodation and the area ideal for inbound delegates travelling to Malta, he adds.
Farrugia says that regardless of venue,“ space is critical”, however, while noting that other factors such as reliable data connectivity across most parts of the country make Malta an attractive conference and expo destination.
“ When we travel abroad to bigger countries, having mobile data such as 5G reception is not always a given, but in Malta, due to its size, we take it for granted,” he says.
The time has come Corporate events specialist VenuesBX managing director Chris Fenech welcomed Gatt’ s proposal, saying“ the time has come” for Malta to have a“ flagship conference centre in the Mediterranean”.
Fenech said that while Malta’ s existing venues, such as the Hilton and InterContinental hotels and Valletta’ s Mediterranean Conference Centre
18 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 142