Malta, much more to sea

HAMILTON, Ontario, Canada – The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) hosted its first travel industry event in Canada since it reopened an office in the US in March 2014.

MTA partnered with Canadian-based tour operator, Exclusively Malta, to host more than 60 travel agents at a special evening “Malta, Much More to Sea” featuring Maltese Food and Culture. The event was held on June 21, 2016 at the Malta Band Club in Mississauga, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. Hosting the event were Michelle Buttigieg, MTA Representative USA based in New York City, and Jason Allan, Managing Director and Damon Allan, Chief Travel Designer of Exclusively Malta. Joining the evening were Ms. Hanan El Khatib, Consulate General of Malta and Paul Refalo, Air Malta Representative in Canada.

Michelle Buttigieg, MTA US representative, said: “We were pleased to see such a large turnout of travel agents who were so enthusiastic and eager to learn more about Destination Malta. We have seen the tourism from the Canadian market growing rapidly in recent years, and MTA was pleased to support this initiative of Exclusively Malta. We congratulate their efforts to educate travel agents about the diversity of the Malta product and how to sell the destination.”

Exclusively Malta has been promoting Malta for several years developing programs targeting the special interest markets. According to Jason Allan, Managing Director, Exclusively Malta: “Over the past few years North Americans have become increasingly aware of Malta due to several factors, one is the pro-active Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) presence in the US and the fact that it has generated positive press including Malta being #3 on the prestigious New York Times Travel Section 52 places to go in 2016. Another factor of course is that with Malta’s 7000 years of history and culture, there is something of interest for all visitors. Another factor is the significant expansion of Malta’s luxury product which has attracted a growing interest and demand from the Luxury Travel sector.”

The sunny islands of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, are home to a most remarkable concentration of intact built heritage, including the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in any nation-state anywhere. Valletta built by the proud Knights of St. John is one of the UNESCO sights and the European Capital of Culture for 2018. Malta’s patrimony in stone ranges from the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, to one of the British Empire’s most formidable defensive systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious and military architecture from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. With superbly sunny weather, attractive beaches, a thriving nightlife and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do.

Purveyors of Boutique travel experiences; Exclusively Malta was born out of the desire to deliver the ultimate Mediterranean experience for intrigued travelers to the archipelago of Malta. Covering all aspects of Malta with relationships throughout the Islands – their focus is in presenting tailor made experiences that hone in on the uncommon and unexpected; focusing on the development of unique programs and services for the North American market, that are rich in culture and off-the-beaten-path engagements. For more information on Exclusive Malta, visit exclusivelymalta.com.