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The SUN-x Malta Team

Geoffrey Lipman

Geoffrey Lipman leads SUN Malta. Former top exec in IATA, WTTC and UNWTO, Geoffrey is President of ICTP and the Green Growth Travelism Institute (GGTI), as well as a Visiting Professor at Hasselt University, Belgium & Victoria University Australia ( full Bio here ).

Leslie Vella

Leslie Vella is Chairman of SUN Malta and Deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority & Chief Officer Strategic Development also managing the setup for executing Malta’s Airline Route Development Strategy.

Felix Dodds

Felix Dodds is an acclaimed campaigner for sustainable development & author. Formerly UN Multi- stakeholder Forum Director, now Senior Fellow at the Global Research Institute at the University of N. Carolina & Associate Fellow, Tellus Institute.

Jinfeng Zhou

Dr Jinfeng Zhou is Secretary-General of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF). He has earned a global reputation as a seasoned supporter of sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, & poverty alleviation.

Olly Wheatcroft

Olly Wheatcroft is responsible for strategy, implementation and project management. This includes fundraising, stakeholder engagement and digital marketing. His background is Sustainable Tourism marketing & project management.

Olly Wheatcroft

Dr Hans Friederich is the Registrar of the Climate Friendly Travel Registry for 2050 Climate Neutral & Sustainability Ambitions. Prior to this Hans was D.G. of the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) and IUCN Regional Director for Europe.

Suzana Salim

Suzana Salim is responsible for media outreach and coordinating communications for The SUNx Group. Following the strategy which we deliver in our monthly bulletin eXist, Suzana works across digital media to promote SUNx campaigns and increase engagement.

Ana Barret

Ana Barret is SUNx Content Manager and is responsible for the content development (research and curation) of the SUNx education resources platform. She is a teacher and translator with a legal background & passionate about environmental issues.

Geoffrey Lipman, SUNx Co-founder

[email protected]

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The Mediterranean Observer

Malta | Tourism Strategy focuses on Sustainable Growth, Seeking New Sectors

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leslie vella malta tourism authority

A new strategy for Malta’s tourism sector up to 2030 was announced on Thursday, with the stated aim being to breathe new life into the sector by looking at new ways for sustainable growth.

Launched by Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo , the strategy is based on three pillars: helping the industry continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, rethinking previous growth models and revitalising the sector by cornering new niches. These details were announced at a press conference addressed by the Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection in the presence of the Chairperson of the Malta Tourism Authority Gavin Gulia and the Deputy Chairperson Leslie Vella and hospitality stakeholders.

Among its strategic targets, the strategy seeks to raise tourist volumes sustainably and see higher tourist expenditure, as well as improving the quality of accommodation while ensuring that the pressures generated by tourism do not leave a negative impact on the country.

To achieve this, the document sets out 12 strategic areas to focus on in order to achieve these goals.

Chiefly, the strategy looks at ways to maintain tourism’s share of the GDP and ensure it remains a stable economic pillar.

The strategy also suggests continuing to push Gozo as a distinct tourist destination, focusing on its strengths as a gastronomical and rural tourist experience.

The strategy also highlights that imbalances in the accommodation sector must be addressed through more selective development policy.

Stronger enforcement on unlicensed accommodation.

It adds that enforcement should come down stronger on unlicensed accommodation as well as underperforming establishments, recommending a shift towards more stringent licensing guidelines based on quality.

Tackling a gap in human resources is also highlighted, with the strategy seeking to improve the industry’s attractiveness as an employer through career opportunities and wage attractiveness.

The other strategic areas include marketing, developing emerging sectors, brand positioning, brand footprint, environment and climate change, creating a quality destination, conventions and events as well as governance and implementation.

At the end of its implementation by 2030, the strategy seeks to have achieved an upskilled workforce, modern infrastructure, updated legislation, strengthening digital potential, improving Malta’s airline connectivity network, developing new services and products in line with global trends and unceasing marketing efforts to position the country as a destination of choice for the widest possible range of motivations for travel.

“This is not merely a plan to return to the tourism industry pre-pandemic, but one in which we strive to work towards an industry which is stronger, more competitive and better equipped to handle the challenges of the next decade,” Bartolo said.

“But this will not succeed if implemented by the government alone. It is a strategy for the entire tourism industry and all sectors related to tourism. It will only be successful if it attracts the widespread stakeholder acceptance that is necessary for it to succeed.”

The Chairperson of the Malta Tourism Authority Gavin Gulia said that what was started last January led us to this very important day at a crucial moment, where now this strategy is being launched in its entirety. “This is a holistic strategy, encompassing various aspects of the Maltese tourism sector, a number of niches that are part of this sector, but above all it should lead this sector to where we want it, inspired by the three pillars of Recover. Rethink and Revitalize. “, concluded Gavin Gulia.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairperson of the Malta Tourism Authority Leslie Vella said that the pandemic has highlighted the importance that tourism carries with it in the Maltese economy.

Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) was one of the main stakeholders who actively participated in the composition of the Malta Tourism Strategy 2021 – 2030. 

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previous MHRA Senior Vice President George Micallef elected member of the Board of Directors of the Hotels Stars Union.

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Survive and thrive: Leading industry stakeholders on what lies ahead for Malta’s tourism sector

Malta Tourism Authority's Leslie Vella, the Malta Hotel and Restaurants Association's George Micallef & the Malta Business Bureau's Simon De Cesare on the fate of Malta's tourism sector

Martina Said | 9th December 2020

It is widely agreed that the tourism industry is facing its largest ever hurdle as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – one that is laden with seemingly insurmountable challenges, as well as a glimmer of opportunity to rebuild a better and more sustainable industry for today’s world.

Currently, however, the scenario on the ground continues to be one that beggars belief – with a sector that attracted 2.8 million tourists throughout 2019, an increase of 5.9 per cent over 2018, the numbers this year look very different indeed.

Leslie Vella, Chief Officer Strategic Planning and Deputy CEO at the Malta Tourism Authority says the past few months were obviously and unequivocally very bad for tourism worldwide, since COVID-19 has had a huge impact on people’s freedom to travel as lockdowns, restrictions and impositions to quarantine and self-isolate collectively contributed to enormous declines.

“This invariably led to vast cancellations in airline services and was further exacerbated by economic uncertainties and employer performance, which further contributed to the drop in traveller numbers,” says Mr Vella. “By the end of August 2020, NSO data for inbound tourism to Malta showed a decline of -71.2 per cent, when compared to the first eight months of 2019.”

Leslie Vella

Leslie Vella, Chief Officer Strategic Planning and Deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority 

Mr Vella continues that the onset of the second wave and the time gap between the present scenario and the availability of a vaccine, scheduled for the first quarter of 2021, render the next few months challenging for travel worldwide. “Businesses are emerging from a very lean summer and potential tourists are facing various issues in their own home countries which will make travel a lower priority item in the next few months.”

To this end, the Deputy CEO asserts that Government has been instrumental in extending a range of medium-term assistance measures aimed at sustaining the country’s tourism industry. “This ranges from fiscal measures to wage supplements and even demand stimulus measures through the voucher schemes. The importance of the small but relevant domestic tourism market has also come to the fore during these tough times. So, it is a question of not only keeping afloat by cutting costs but also of adapting to new potential realities by introducing innovative approaches or tapping previously ignored segments.”

Speaking of the future of the industry going forward, Mr Vella says that the pandemic has been a lesson to all the world’s economies that, in spite of our civilisation’s sophistication and technological and economic prowess, there are still forces or events that may jeopardise the foundations on which the entire global economic framework is built. “Climate change is one such future scenario whose existential nature is beyond doubt and deadlines are ticking in its regard too.”

“We may have to adjust to a new travel paradigm which may depart from the volume-driven global tourism growth of the past one and a half decades, and evaluate investments in light of the new realities which are emerging. Having said that, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel, and we continue to believe in tourism and its revival albeit under potentially different circumstances,” Mr Vella asserts.

“Locally, we are addressing this through the formulation of a new Tourism Strategy which will take us to 2030. This strategy will combine the principles of recovery with rethinking and revitalising our tourism, to ensure that our tourism offering will remain valid, competitive and sustainable in the years to come.”

Vice-President of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, George Micallef, sheds light on the developments earlier in the year, saying that once the airport reopened on 1st July with limited flight schedules from selected markets labelled as safe, the start of August was seeing an encouraging pick-up of hotel bookings.

“However, this was short-lived when UK put Malta on the red list, among other countries, which subjected visitors returning from Malta to a 14-day quarantine. In a matter of days, we were flooded with cancellations, while new bookings trickled in, and we returned to where we had started within a span of a couple of weeks. We can safely say that this summer was a write off.”

Speaking of the shoulder period ahead, Mr Micallef asserts that the situation is bleak with extremely low occupancy levels, generally hovering around 10 per cent or, even, below.

“The imposition of lockdowns and restrictions announced over recent weeks in most of our main source markets continues to exacerbate the problem,” he explains.

“Most hotels struggle with the thought of whether to stay open or not. Either way, the challenges ahead of us are enormous, not only because we were all unprepared for it, but also because it is impossible to plan ahead.”

gEORGE mICALLEF

George Vella, Vice President of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association 

Reflecting on past shocks to the tourism industry, the VicePresident says that tourism has faced various crises over the years – the Gulf war, the global financial and economic downturn that affected tourism in 2009 and 2010, the political turmoil in the Mediterranean region, terrorism threats, and other calamities, “which all impacted tourism in a big way, but the extent of the COVID outbreak has brought the global economy to its knees.”

Despite the sector having proven its resilience over the years, Mr Micallef states that the pandemic will have lasting effects. And, although tourism will undoubtedly return, he believes that attitudes on travel will change, “and we must be prepared to adapt to travellers’ behavioural changes. Visitors will most certainly become more health-conscious and sanitisation practices will have to become the norm for service practitioners. Travel patterns are also bound to change and the effects these will have on the sector are largely unknown.”

Delving into the debate concerning hotel bed supply and Malta’s carrying capacity, and whether Malta should rethink plans for further hotel and accommodation developments, Mr Micallef states that the country’s size poses a unique set of challenges.

“Beyond the issues related to the pressures on Malta’s resources, arising from the increased numbers of visitors, and the risks resulting from an oversupply of beds, we must acknowledge that Malta has its limitations,” he asserts, adding that the accommodation supply is not made up of hotels only, but also private rented accommodation which has grown exponentially in recent times.

“In my view, the biggest challenge Malta faces in tourism is the management of bed supply for the years to come. There is no easy way out of this, and it will certainly be difficult to find consensus on the way forward. However, it is in everyone’s interest to have a clear vision for tourism of the future based on long-term sustainability, backed by a plan of action that lays out the foundation for long-term planning. But such a plan has to be owned by all stakeholders.”

A positive trend that emerged over the past months is a growth in the domestic tourism market, albeit mainly driven by the Government vouchers. While Mr Micallef says that the hotel sector can never survive on domestic tourism alone, “the domestic market needs to be nurtured and given due attention, as it is bound to develop further. It’s also important that it continues to feature in national statistics as it will help us better understand the dynamics of this segment and its impact on the hospitality sector.”

Hotelier and President of the Malta Business Bureau, Simon De Cesare, describes the last few months as an “absolute rollercoaster”.

First, “we had to close in March and April amidst fear and uncertainty of the future of our businesses, our massive investments and the livelihoods of all our colleagues who worked for us.

“Then, there was the excitement of the reopening of the airports and the glimmer of hope we saw in new bookings which were outpacing our expectations, and, finally, the reclosure of our tourism markets due to the spike in August. It has been a nightmare which could not have been foreseen or mitigated against.”

Reflecting on the present situation and the winter months ahead, Mr De Cesare says that, today, industry operators are hunkering down to try and get through the next six months of low season while operating with almost no hotel revenue.

“The occupancies we are looking at in November and December, and likely into January and February, are dire and sit in single digits. We keep hoping for a medical solution coupled with improved rapid testing in all areas, particularly at the airport, but the reality is that we just have to wait it out,” says the MBB President.

simon de cesare

Simon De Cesare, President of the Malta Business Bureau 

“Fortunately we are starting to get some positive enquiries for Q2 next year and, should the pandemic be coming to an end, as is widely hoped, then we should start seeing the return of some tourists come Easter and into summer.”

Mr De Cesare says it is unclear how quickly the industry will bounce back, however. His feeling is that people cannot wait to travel and, once they feel safe again, will relish the opportunity to do so. “I think that there will certainly be some casualties in the industry by then, but that might just be what it needs to survive as a whole given the oversupply of beds in the market at the moment and the competition for depleted tourist numbers.”

Asked whether there are any measures that tourism operators can take to limit the effects of unpredictable future shocks, Mr De Cesare says the tourism sector has been more adversely affected than other industries in Malta and worldwide, and not for the first time.

“The 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2008 financial crisis also had disproportionate effects on the industry, as it is reliant on the health of other countries,” he asserts.

“I don’t think there is anything specific, as an entire industry, that could have mitigated against the effects of COVID, however, I think there are actions that individual operators will consider going forward.

“Healthy working capital and cash reserves will be essential; flexible employment contracts should be considered, although, in my experience, employees were extremely supportive of the measures that had to be taken; the ability to partition your hotel to contain utility and other costs; and ultimately, I think all operators should consider the diversification of their businesses to allow for a spread of risk.”

Weighing in on the debate of hotel development and an oversupply of beds given the current visitor numbers, Mr De Cesare does not believe it is a case of limiting new hotels, but rather focusing on quality.

“I have seen recent 14-floor hotels which have 70 per cent of their rooms looking inwards onto a small shaft. This should not be allowed,” he asserts. “Hotels require proper management and applicants for new hotels should have to demonstrate experience in the market. These are not normal times and normal measures do not apply in such industries,” he continues.

“Our calculations show that should all new permits be developed into hotels, then the number of beds in Malta would double in the next five to six years. Will our number of tourists double too? Can our islands take it? Do our residents want it? And are our resources sufficient to take four to five million tourists annually? I think not,” he states.

“Quality needs to be enforced in our industry at planning stages and continued at operating stages. The reputation is all of Malta’s to lose, not just that of the rogue operators.” The MBB President believes there is a silver lining to the tourism depression over the next 12 to 18 months, however.

“This is the time to invest in the product. Tourist areas need work and upgrading on a more permanent basis rather than piecemeal every couple of years.” He adds that, at present, Malta is a mass-market destination with a successful track record for attracting tourism and corporate travel all year round but needs to attract more lucrative niche markets to remain diverse in its offering.

“It is a time to inwardly reflect on what is missing in our offering. Do we have enough beaches, cultural experiences, and leisure activities for tourists to enjoy? Are we considering the sustainability of our island and our resources? I hope we can look further than the current survival mode to consider these questions and come out stronger on the other side,” he concludes.

This feature was first carried in the Winter 2020/2021 edition of Business Agenda

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The Malta Business Network Webinar: Rethinking our Tourism Strategy

23rd september 2021 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm.

From half-empty airplanes to constantly changing COVID restrictions, the tourism industry has definitely not had it easy recently.

So considering how dependent on tourism, the Maltese islands are, how can we secure a brighter future for this industry in a strategic way?

On 23rd September, the Malta Business Network will be hosting a webinar at 5pm entitled ‘Rethinking our tourism strategy’. Aside from sharing lessons learned in this past year and a half, the discussion will revolve around identifying new realities which will shape Malta’s tourism strategy for the future.

The webinar will be moderated by raphael aloisio , financial advisory leader at deloitte malta, with a panel consisting of:.

  • Minister Clayton Bartolo , Tourism Minister
  • Tony Zahra , MHRA Chairman
  • Leslie Vella , Chief Strategist at Malta Tourism Authority
  • Simon Naudi , CEO of International Hotels Investments

About our Moderator

Raphael has been in public practice for over 40 years and has been with Deloitte since 1987. After seven years within Deloitte’s audit function, Raphael assumed responsibility for the firm’s financial and economic advisory arm and has been the main point of contact for the tourism and hospitality sector.

Over the past 20 years, he has been actively involved in IPOs, valuations, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and debt restructuring, insolvency/company administration, financial modelling, market intelligence, and economic advisory.

leslie vella malta tourism authority

Hon. Clayton Bartolo is Malta’s Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection. For the past months, he was the Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services and Digital Economy within the Ministry for Finance. During his 11 month tenure, he got the ball rolling on how Malta can further diversify its economic portfolio by attracting new niches coming from the digital sector. Together with his team, he kickstarted the Government’s vision of a Digital Malta.

Hon. Clayton Bartolo started involving himself in politics at the age of 15. He was also the youngest councillor to ever serve in the Mellieħa Local Council and between 2013 and 2017 he served as the Local Council’s Deputy Mayor.

Nowadays, Hon. Clayton Bartolo is also a member of the Public Accounts Committee and Public Appointments Committee within the House of Representatives.

Hon. Clayton Bartolo is a certified public accountant and auditor by profession.

leslie vella malta tourism authority

In 1967, I set up the Alpine Holdings Group, From then onwards followed other initiatives leading to the growth and expansion of the Alpine Group which includes, Alpine Sterlng Travel and Europcar (Malta) and investments in other Hospitality related activities. I am the chairman of Bastion Holdings Ltd which owns Fexserv Financial Services Ltd , Fexserv Fund administration, Bastion Wealth, and one4all Gift vouchers and has interests and investments in other financial services organisations. One of the long held investments is Comtec Service Ltd.

During the past 45 years, I held various Government appointments including directorships at The Malta Development Corporation (now Malta Enterprise), Malta International Airport plc and Air Malta plc and chairman of Malta Industrial Parks Ltd. I held office in a number of constituted bodies including as Senior Vice President of the Federation of Industries, Council Member of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, and more recently the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, where I held the position of President between 2011 and 2013 and again in 2015 To date. In September 2015 I was appointed as the representative of Malta’s Employer organizations to sit on the EU mandated European Economic and Social Council (EESC).

In 1994 I was appointed Hon. Consul of the Republic of Lithuania for Malta. In 2004 I was decorated with the Cross of officer of the Order of Lithuania Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania for services rendered to Lithuania. In December 2011 I was appointed Consul General of the Republic of Lithuania in Malta. I retired from this position in May 2019. On the 13 December 2019 – Malta’s Republic day – I was decorated by the President of Malta and was entered as a member of The National order of Merit.

leslie vella malta tourism authority

Leslie Vella was born in Floriana, Malta in 1964 and graduated from the University of Malta with a BA (Hons) in Business Management in 1988.

He can boast of a 38 year career in tourism with the Malta Tourism Authority where he has occupied various senior management positions in the organisation and is currently Deputy CEO and Chief Officer Strategic Development.  His major expertise is in the fields of Policy, Strategy, Tourism Research and Planning.

Leslie has also been very active on the international front with a 17-year stint as Chair of the European Travel Commission’s (ETC) Market Intelligence Group between 1997 and 2014 and also served as ETC’s Vice President between 2016 and 2017.  He is currently Malta’s Focal Point to the UNWTO.

In 1999 he co-authored a study on “The Economic Impact of Tourism in Malta”, and in 2015 was the main drafter of Malta’s National Tourism Policy document covering the period 2015-2020.  More recently he drafted Malta’s Tourism Strategy and Recovery Plan for the period 2021-2030.  Amongst his duties at the Malta Tourism Authority, he currently manages the setup responsible for executing Malta’s Airline Route Development Strategy.

leslie vella malta tourism authority

Simon Naudi is CEO of International Hotel Investments plc and its main subsidiary Corinthia Hotels, a global hotel collection. Mr. Naudi joined Corinthia in 1997 and was previously responsible for the Company’s asset management, acquisitions and developments, as well as operations since 2012, conducting business in countries across Europe, the Gulf, North Africa and more recently in the USA. This included the acquisition, development and launch of the flagship Corinthia Hotel & Residences in London, as well as in Brussels, where the Group has recently acquired and is currently re-developing a historic property formerly known as the Grand Hotel Astoria. Other ongoing hotel projects include luxury Corinthia hotels and residences in New York, Rome, Doha, Bucharest and Moscow.

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Over 3 million tourists visited the islands in Malta's ‘best year for tourism’

Tourism results for 2023 show over 3 million tourists visited malta in a record year for the industry.

matthew_farrugia

Last year was the best year for Malta’s tourism sector, with more than three million tourists visiting the islands in 2023.

In a press conference on Monday, details on the country’s best tourism year were broken down by the Malta Tourism Authority’s (MTA) Chief Officer for Strategic Development and Deputy CEO, Leslie Vella.

Vella explained that while the best performing year for tourism was 2019, which attracted some 2.77 million tourists, 2023 saw over 3 million tourists reaching the islands, reflecting an 8.3% increase when compared to 2019.

When compared to Europe as a whole, Malta’s tourism growth trumps the European recovery, which stood at 94% of its 2019 levels. In fact, Vella explained that the only country to surpass Malta’s growth in 2023 was Albania, which is a relative newcomer to the tourism industry.

When it comes to the top tourism markets, Italy has surpassed the UK for the first time. Italian tourists amounted to 18.4% of all tourists that came to Malta, while British tourists comprised 18.1%. Vella noted that this might be due to the fact that the UK’s market has not yet recovered.

Meanwhile, France, Germany, Poland and Spain are the remaining top markets, making up 9.6%, 7.3%, 5.6%, 3.8% respectively.

With regards to seasonality, the second and third quarter of the year are still the most popular seasons for tourism. Vella said the summer months are no longer the sole period when the majority of Malta’s tourism takes place.

The largest share of tourists are aged between 25 and 44 years old, with these travellers make up 39% of all 2023 tourists. Second to them are those aged between 45 and 64 years old at 30%.

Vella highlighted that, in 2023, tourists spent a total of €2.7 billion in Malta. This translates to €898 spent per capita.

In his address, tourism minister Clayton Bartolo boasted that Malta managed to recover and surpass pre-pandemic levels in less than three years.

Tourism minister Clayton Bartolo addressing a tourism conference on Monday (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

Bartolo described the diversification of Malta’s tourist markets as one of the most important achievements announced on Monday. He underlined that while the UK was once responsible for more than 80% of Malta’s tourism, the largest market now stands at less than 20% of all tourists.

The tourism minister commended the efforts aimed at widening tourists’ motivations to visit Malta.

Looking forward, Bartolo said that Malta will shift its focus on attracting high-quality tourists by enhancing the country's offers.

The minister also said that government will further strengthen its tourism resources, among others by introducing a skills card for restaurant and hotel owners.

Public cleansing is another aspect which Bartolo believes must be strengthened after years of “taking it for granted.”

Bartolo noted that the future of Malta’s tourism lies in long-haul tourists, as he described air connectivity as the country's lifeline in delivering this.

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MTA holds National Tourism Conference: Embracing Pathways to Sustainability

The Malta Tourism Authority held its first National Tourism Conference since 2006, aligning with the Malta Tourism Strategy 2021-2030. The conference aims to become an annual fixture themed “Embracing Pathways to Sustainability”. It focused on aligning with the Government’s objectives and policy direction, as well as the Malta Tourism Strategy’s commitment to rethinking the future development of tourism in Malta.

The conference had three distinct components.

The Hon. Prime Minister Robert Abela, the Hon. Minister for Tourism Clayton Bartolo, the MTA CEO Carlo Micallef, and the MTA Deputy CEO Leslie Vella were the keynote speakers in the first component.

Mr Carlo Micallef highlighted 2023 results and 2024 prospects, while Mr Vella discussed the Malta Tourism Observatory’s work executing the strategy, mainly focusing on sustainability indicators.

The second component, which featured four panel discussions covered vital topics such as ‘Connectivity & Airlines’, ‘Climate Change and Sustainability’, ‘Tourism Product Redefined’, and ‘Futureproofing Tourism’. The panel, which included industry experts, was moderated by prominent figures.

The final part of the conference, which featured the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the MTA and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), was followed by an interactive session on ‘Future tourism scenarios and their Impacts on Malta’s Tourism Strategy’. Professor Ian Yeoman was the moderator, while MTA Chairman Gavin Gulia delivered the concluding speech. 

The entire conference, which was live-streamed and recorded for broader accessibility, also served as an opportunity to distribute the first edition of the annual publication  Malta Tourism Insights , featuring contributions from various authors covering the conference’s key topics.

MTA Chairman Gavin Gulia stated that this conference marked a pivotal moment for Malta’s tourism industry, bringing together key stakeholders to address sustainability and futureproofing strategies.

leslie vella malta tourism authority

CEO Carlo Micallef said the conference was a significant step towards achieving Malta’s robust and sustainable tourism sector. He pointed out that the recovery objective of the tourism industry was reached and surpassed earlier than expected. He said that Malta’s tourism industry gears itself to rethink and revitalise with sustainability central in MTA’s plans for the future.

Deputy CEO Leslie Vella said the conference was the first large-scale public event organised by the Malta Tourism Observatory to ensure a more comprehensive level of stakeholder engagement based on the availability of a more comprehensive source of tourism and sustainability indicators being formulated by the Observatory.

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The Malta Chamber outlines Tourism industry priorities with Malta Tourism Authority

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A delegation from The Malta Chamber led by CEO Dr Marthese Portelli and The Malta Chamber Tourism Operators Business Section Chair Alan Arrigo, met with Carlo Micallef and Leslie Vella, CEO and Deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority to discuss national priorities with the tourism sector.

The topics highlighted included:

• Licensing Regime • Funding & Events coordination • Seasonality practices • Digitalisation • Industry engagement with Accademia • Enforcement on unregulated operators

The Malta Chamber CEO also highlighted the following points:

• Reposition MTA’s role as an enabler for the industry and as a regulator which enforces licensing standards and promotes best practices, as opposed to its current perceived status as a competitor with the private sector. • The extension of community policing to tourism zones in core areas. Incentivise the use of technology to improve sanitary standards and safety by reducing human intervention in cleaning and similar processes. • Implementation of Digital Strategic Roadmap for Tourism in the Maltese Islands 2030. • Proper waste disposal by and for the industry.

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Passenger volumes at Malta International Airport are forecast to reach a historic milestone in 2024, as the company expects to handle 8 million passengers by the end of the year.

The announcement was made during Malta International Airport’s yearly traffic press conference held earlier today, where CEO Alan Borg presented the company’s results for 2023.

Full-year traffic increased by 6.7% over 2019, amounting to a record 7.8 million passengers for 2023. This represents a growth of almost 500,000 passenger movements, which is comparable to the throughput of an average winter month for the airport.

Malta International Airport

In parallel, the airport also outperformed pre-pandemic levels in terms of seat load factor, as each month of the year registered varying degrees of growth over 2019, peaking in August at an all-time high of 91.4%.

“2023 was an unprecedented year for Malta International Airport, with record figures being posted month on month for the first time since 2019. While travel demand has remained resilient throughout the year, we are entering 2024 with cautious optimism, as we expect to see passenger traffic growth level off over the coming months, while continuing to face macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds,” said Alan Borg.

He then went on to thank the airport team and all stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to the company’s outstanding performance.

Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Leslie Vella, also commended the company’s performance, stating that the long-standing partnership between Malta Airport and the MTA has been a cornerstone in the achievement of record results for the Maltese tourism industry as a whole. With a momentous 8 million passenger milestone on the horizon, Mr. Vella pledged the authority’s commitment to continue working with the airport to register further sustainable, year-round growth.

2024 also promises to be a pivotal year in terms of infrastructural developments for Malta International Airport. They are currently concluding the first phases of the westward expansion of the terminal and the construction of Apron X, while commencing works on the VIP Terminal and SkyParks Business Centre 2 developments.

The company has also set the following financial targets for 2024:

Total revenue is expected to reach €126 mln

EBITDA is expected to reach €79 mln

Net Profit is projected to be €42 mln

Planned CAPEX is expected to be €45 mln

As Malta’s sole air terminal, Malta International Airport connects the Maltese archipelago to over 100 destinations. In 2023, the airport welcomed 7.8 million passengers, marking a growth of 6.7% in passenger traffic over 2019.

The airport team is guided by a vision of service excellence, which has led MIA to clinch the title ‘Best Airport in Europe’ for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. To uphold this reputation and to be able to cater for an ever-increasing number of passengers, the company has consistently invested in the airport campus since the airport’s privatisation in 2002.

The company announced a five-year investment programme totalling €250 million in 2023, aimed at enhancing the airport's infrastructure and ensuring that Malta International Airport can seamlessly handle increasing volumes of passengers, whilst reaching its environmental targets and continuing to develop the airport campus.

Apart from these investments into the airport’s infrastructure, Malta International Airport also invests into the Maltese Islands’ cultural heritage and environment through the Malta Airport Foundation which will be celebrating its 10th year anniversary this year.

11th January 2024

Emma Galea

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Passenger traffic through Malta International Airport set to reach 8 million milestone in 2024

leslie vella malta tourism authority

Last Updated on Friday, 12 January, 2024 at 1:03 pm by Andre Camilleri

Passenger volumes at Malta International Airport (MIA) are forecast to reach a historic milestone in 2024, as the company expects to handle 8 million passengers by the end of the year.

The announcement was made during Malta International Airport’s yearly traffic press conference held on Thursday, where CEO Alan Borg presented the company’s results for 2023.

Full-year traffic increased by 6.7% over 2019, amounting to a record 7.8 million passengers for 2023, MIA said. “This represents a growth of almost 500,000 passenger movements, which is comparable to the throughput of an average winter month for the airport. In parallel, the airport also outperformed pre-pandemic levels in terms of seat load factor, as each month of the year registered varying degrees of growth over 2019, peaking in August at an all-time high of 91.4%,” MIA said.

“2023 was an unprecedented year for Malta International Airport, with record figures being posted month on month for the first time since 2019. While travel demand has remained resilient throughout the year, we are entering 2024 with cautious optimism, as we expect to see passenger traffic growth level off over the coming months, while continuing to face macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds,” said Alan Borg, who went on to thank the airport team and all stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to the company’s outstanding performance.

Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) Deputy Chief Executive Officer Leslie Vella also commended the company’s performance, stating that the long-standing partnership between Malta Airport and the MTA has been a cornerstone in the achievement of record results for the Maltese tourism industry as a whole. With a momentous 8 million passenger milestone on the horizon, Vella pledged the authority’s commitment to continue working with the airport to register further sustainable, year-round growth.

During the press conference, Mr. Borg also offered an update on Malta International Airport’s ongoing plans to further expand the airport’s capacity. “2024 promises to be a pivotal year in terms of infrastructural developments as the company concludes the first phases of the westward expansion of the terminal and the construction of Apron X, while commencing works on the VIP Terminal and SkyParks Business Centre 2 developments,” MIA said.

The company has also set the following financial targets for 2024:

  • Total revenue is expected to reach €126m
  • EBITDA is expected to reach €79m
  • Net Profit is projected to be €42m
  • Planned CAPEX is expected to be €45m

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‘We look forward to continue working on enhancing Malta’s connectivity’ – MTA Deputy CEO

MTA welcomes the announcement of a new direct route from Shannon Airport, Ireland.

leslie vella malta tourism authority

by Helena Grech

29 March 2022

leslie vella malta tourism authority

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Leslie Vella, Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) CEO and Chief Strategic Development Officer has welcomed the news that Ryanair is launching a direct route between Malta and Shannon Airport, County Clare, Ireland.

“Being an Island, our tourism sector relies heavily on air connectivity. For this reason, the MTA welcomes this announcement which will definitely be enhancing our strongest market, by providing the second connection from Ireland. I am sure that this new service will continue to pave the way for a smooth recovery of one of Malta’s most important sectors. We look forward to continue working on further enhancing Malta’s connectivity in the weeks and months to come,” Mr Vella said.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the MTA said it proudly welcomes the announcement of the new Ryanair route, which was launched on Sunday 27th March. The route is the first ever scheduled Ryanair service to Malta from Shannon Airport and it will operate twice weekly, each Thursday and Sunday, until the 27th October 2022.

The service from Shannon Airport means that passengers will now have two airports in Ireland to depart from – Dublin or Shannon Airport – when planning their visit to Malta.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the inaugural flight, Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said “We are delighted to launch Shannon Airport’s first ever scheduled Ryanair service to Malta and know this will be an exciting new destination for holidaymakers from the west of the country.

“With its warm climate, breath-taking landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage sites, Malta will undoubtedly be a very popular destination this summer for sun seekers and those who want to experience its culture.”

Tolene van der Merwe, Director of the Malta Tourism Authority, UK and Ireland, said “We are really excited to have a new route to Malta from Shannon Airport. This route will make it easier than ever before for people in the mid-west of Ireland to visit Malta.

“Being just a 3.5 hour flight from Ireland with Ryanair, Malta has always been a very popular destination for Irish holidaymakers with 53,000 visitors from Ireland in 2019. With the Maltese warm and friendly culture, combined with the thrill of an action-packed or relaxing holiday, there’s every reason to visit the beautiful islands in 2022.”

Ryanair last week launched a number of new routes. Find out more here .

Helena Grech

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IMAGES

  1. Survive and thrive: Leading industry stakeholders on what lies ahead

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  2. Presentation by Mr. Leslie Vella, Deputy CEO / Chief Officer Strategic

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  3. ‘40 years in tourism have taught me how versatile Malta and the Maltese

    leslie vella malta tourism authority

  4. Mgarr ix-Xini inlet, Gozo, Malta

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  5. Cliffs of Gozo, Malta

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  6. Malta_Tourism Authority

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COMMENTS

  1. '40 years in tourism have taught me how versatile Malta and the Maltese

    Leslie Vella, Deputy CEO and Chief Officer Strategic Development for the Malta Tourism Authority, has had a lengthy career within the MTA, joining up 40 years ago as part of the student workers scheme. Looking back on his early days, he recalls how, as part of the scheme, "you had to do six months of study and six months of work per year.

  2. Interview: Mr Leslie Vella

    Mr Leslie Vella, Deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, interviewed during the Malta National Tourism Conference held on 6th December 2023.More informati...

  3. Unpacking the Pixel: Malta's New Tourism Strategy

    At this critical time for hospitality, Malta Tourism Authority Chief Officer for Strategic Development and Deputy CEO Leslie Vella explains how the new tourism strategy for 2021-2030 will help the sector recover, rethink and revitalise. It is a challenging and exciting time for tourism right now.

  4. SUNx

    Leslie Vella is Chairman of SUN Malta and Deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority & Chief Officer Strategic Development also managing the setup for executing Malta's Airline Route Development Strategy. Malta . Co-Founder. Felix Dodds is an acclaimed campaigner for sustainable development & author. Formerly UN Multi- stakeholder Forum ...

  5. Malta Tourism Observatory on LinkedIn: Interview: Mr Leslie Vella

    Mr Leslie Vella, Deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, interviewed during the Malta National Tourism Conference held on 6th December 2023. https://lnkd.in/duSMRJPh ...

  6. Malta

    Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairperson of the Malta Tourism Authority Leslie Vella said that the pandemic has highlighted the importance that tourism carries with it in the Maltese economy. Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) was one of the main stakeholders who actively participated in the composition of the Malta Tourism Strategy 2021 ...

  7. Survive and thrive: Leading industry stakeholders on what lies ahead

    Leslie Vella, Chief Officer Strategic Planning and Deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority . Mr Vella continues that the onset of the second wave and the time gap between the present scenario and the availability of a vaccine, scheduled for the first quarter of 2021, render the next few months challenging for travel worldwide.

  8. Presentation by Mr. Leslie Vella, Deputy CEO / Chief Officer ...

    Read Presentation by Mr. Leslie Vella, Deputy CEO / Chief Officer Strategic Development for the MTA. by Malta Tourism Authority on Issuu and browse...

  9. Tourism veteran becomes Malta's WTO coordinator

    Leslie Vella, deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, has been appointed as Malta's liaison officer to the World Tourism Organisation. The appointment was made by Tourism Minister Edward ...

  10. PDF Sustainable Tourism Challenges and Strategies in Malta- Leslie Vella

    The Malta Tourism Strategy 2021-2030 is an all embracing document which: Draws from the Past. Thoroughly analyses the Present. Visualises an ideal Future. It seeks to balance the various and wide-ranging characteristics of an Industry which has economical, commercial, developmental, social, environmental, traditional, cultural, experiential ...

  11. The Malta Business Network Webinar: Rethinking our Tourism Strategy

    Leslie Vella was born in Floriana, Malta in 1964 and graduated from the University of Malta with a BA (Hons) in Business Management in 1988. He can boast of a 38 year career in tourism with the Malta Tourism Authority where he has occupied various senior management positions in the organisation and is currently Deputy CEO and Chief Officer ...

  12. Over 3 million tourists visited the islands in Malta's 'best year for

    In a press conference on Monday, details on the country's best tourism year were broken down by the Malta Tourism Authority's (MTA) Chief Officer for Strategic Development and Deputy CEO, Leslie Vella. Vella explained that while the best performing year for tourism was 2019, which attracted some 2.77 million tourists, 2023 saw over 3 ...

  13. MTA holds National Tourism Conference: Embracing Pathways to

    The Malta Tourism Authority held its first National Tourism Conference since 2006, aligning with the Malta Tourism Strategy 2021-2030. ... Deputy CEO Leslie Vella said the conference was the first large-scale public event organised by the Malta Tourism Observatory to ensure a more comprehensive level of stakeholder engagement based on the ...

  14. The Impacts of Tourism on the Maltese Island Culture

    In Seminars. 15:05, 28 May 2018. 'The Impacts of Tourism on the Maltese Island Culture' is the title of a seminar organised by the Institute for Travel, Tourism and Culture and the Islands and Small States Institute of the University of Malta. The seminar will be held on Wednesday 6 June between 18:00 - 20:00 in the Video Conference Suite (IT ...

  15. national-tourism-conference-2023

    The Malta Tourism Authority held its first National Tourism Conference since 2006, aligning with the Malta Tourism Strategy 2021-2030. ... Deputy CEO Leslie Vella said that the conference was the first large-scale public event organised by the Malta Tourism Observatory with the objective of ensuring a wider level of stakeholder engagement based ...

  16. The Malta Chamber outlines Tourism industry priorities with Malta

    A delegation from The Malta Chamber led by CEO Dr Marthese Portelli and The Malta Chamber Tourism Operators Business Section Chair Alan Arrigo, met with Carlo Micallef and Leslie Vella, CEO and Deputy CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority to discuss national priorities with the tourism sector. The topics highlighted included: • Licensing Regime

  17. Tourism carrying-capacity in Malta

    Mr Leslie Vella, Deputy Chief Executive Malta Tourism Authority Mr Adrian Attard, Malta Hotel and Restaurants Association Stakeholders in the tourism industry, associated professionals, students and other interested individuals are invited to attend this evening seminar, and to drinks that will follow the seminar.

  18. OAR@UM: The economic impact of tourism in Malta

    Malta Tourism Authority: Citation: Mangion, M. L., & Vella, L. (2000). The economic impact of tourism in Malta. Valletta: Malta Tourism Authority. Abstract: The study on the impact of tourism on Malta's economy is a landmark initiative on many counts. Tourism is an activity in which practically everybody in Malta participates.

  19. Moving on up! Malta International Airport set to reach eight million

    Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Leslie Vella, also commended the company's performance, stating that the long-standing partnership between Malta Airport and the MTA has been a cornerstone in the achievement of record results for the Maltese tourism industry as a whole. With a momentous 8 million passenger ...

  20. CONFERENCE-2023

    C EO, Malta Tourism Authority . 11:00 TOURISM STRATEGY UPDATE AND INDICATORS Mr Leslie Vella Deputy CEO, Malta Tourism Authority . 11:30 Coffee Break 11:45 Panel Discussion 1: CONNECTIVITY & AIRLINES: THE KEY TO CURRENT AND FUTURE MARKETS Moderator: Perit Karmenu Vella Panellists: Mr Alan Borg Mr David Curmi

  21. How I Came To Collect Coins -Leslie Vella

    by Leslie Vella. Chief Officer Strategic Planning and Deputy CEO at the Malta Tourism Authority. A veteran and stalwart with a wealth of knowledge and experience in tourism, as well as a Numismatist. 183 views 3 comments. 4 likes. Post not marked as liked 4. Recent Posts See All.

  22. Passenger traffic through Malta International Airport set to reach 8

    Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) Deputy Chief Executive Officer Leslie Vella also commended the company's performance, stating that the long-standing partnership between Malta Airport and the MTA has been a cornerstone in the achievement of record results for the Maltese tourism industry as a whole. With a momentous 8 million passenger milestone ...

  23. 'We look forward to continue working on enhancing Malta's connectivity

    Reaching out to Malta's top CEOs & Business Leaders. MTA welcomes the announcement of a new direct route from Shannon Airport, Ireland. Newsfeed; Meet the CEO; Leadership; 50 Business Leaders; MaltaCEOs. MaltaCEOs 2024; MaltaCEOs 2023; Follow Us . Facebook; Linkedin; Home ...