Faith-Based Tourism is one of the niche markets which is being developed further.
are choosing Malta as their desti-
nation of choice, which compli-
ments the vision that the Authority
has for a modern, vibrant destina-
tion with a unique blend of history
and culture. We are also continu-
ing to diversify our source markets
with growth being registered from
a wide range of countries in both
established and emerging markets,
including Germany, Spain, Po-
land and the USA
We have been working incessantly
to promote Malta as an ideal des-
tination for conferences and asso-
ciation meetings throughout the
year and especially in the leaner
winter months. In less than two
years since it was set up, Conven-
tions Malta has managed to win
another prestigious international
recognition at the M&IT Indus-
try Awards. This year Conventions
Malta improved its position and
62
Issue 03
picked up the first prize by winning
the Gold Award for Best Overseas
Conventions Bureau after placing
third among the top Convention
Bureaux outside the UK last year.
Over the past four years, the MTA
has focused on improving flight
connectivity to Malta throughout
winter. Less marketing funds were
dedicated to promote the summer
months and more funds were al-
located to generate incremental
business in the winter months.
The efforts to address the issue of
seasonality are showing concrete
results as the growth rate registered
for the winter period November
2016 to March 2017 (25.1%) ex-
ceeded that for the summer season
April to October 2017 (+14.1%).
2018 brings with it a new set of
challenges and some exciting pros-
pects. The biggest challenge is to
fill the substantial number of new
beds that will come on stream, and
to satisfy this increased capacity
both during the summer months
as well as in the off peak periods.
Other projects, to name a few, in-
clude the further development of
Faith-Based Tourism as a niche
market. The latter is an umbrella
term for, among others, religious
tourism, pilgrimage, secular pil-
grimage and cultural tourism with
interest in religion.
Furthermore, an Insolvency Fund
is being set up as a means for con-
sumer protection, as required
by EU Legislation. Local trav-
el agents, like their counterparts
across the European Union, are
legally obliged to provide such
protection in case they go bank-
rupt. Through the insolvency
Fund, package travel operators
will guarantee that those who have
HOSPITALITY MALTA