e Business OBSERVER
| December 14, 2017
3
NEWS
“A great PR opportunity for the city and for Malta” Continued from page 1 which is now arguably Malta’s hottest and most in-demand location. Who doesn’t remember the countless half-shuttered shops, the listless restaurant staff, and the streets that used to fall predictably silent just after sunset? None of that is anywhere to be seen on the brink of 2018. Fashion designers Charles and Ron, who opened their flagship store in Valletta early in 2016, with clothes and accessories that feature elements of Maltese culture, say it has been “amazing” to be in the capital city over the past two years. “In the last few years Valletta has gained many new establishments and has also come alive again at night. All this adds to the appeal and excitement building up for Valletta 2018,” they told this newspaper. “Valletta 2018 is a great PR opportunity for the city and for Malta. The city will be the centre of attention, and this will definitely be felt after 2018 as well. There will be new interest internationally, and with all the events happening in the city, we’re convinced business will increase.” They add that there’s certainly some room for improvement. “We hope that cleaning efforts will be stepped up. Parking inside the city needs to be controlled better, too. Our beautiful city deserves to be clean and organised.” The streets of Valletta are thronging with shoppers and the nightlife is wonderfully vibrant. Restaurants are packed to the gills, and reservations at any of its good eateries
“We have already seen a very big improvement in the capital city in the run-up to Valletta 2018, and we are sure that the effect will last beyond the year.” – Gerald Darmanin, Operations Manager, Caffe Cordina
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN VALLETTA. PHOTO: RAY ANASTASI
at this time of year are like gold dust “Preparations in the city are in full swing, and lots of tourists are asking us for information about upcoming events,” said Gerald Darmanin, Operations Manager at Caffe Cordina, one of Valletta’s oldest and most renowned cafés. “Since we’re located in the heart of Valletta, we are expecting a rise in business – particularly among tourists who are interested in historic places. We have taken several steps to prepare for 2018. Caffe Cordina has undergone a complete rebranding, along with a new menu and the launch of a new product line, and we’ve also refurbished our outdoor area in the piazza.” Mr Darmanin said he hopes that Valletta 2018 will not only allow the café to expose more tourists to traditional Maltese products, but garner appreciation from the Maltese community of Valletta’s heritage, traditions and history.
“We have already seen a very big improvement in the capital city in the run-up to Valletta 2018, and we are sure that the effect will last beyond the year.” Property prices in Valletta have skyrocketed, as many want to invest in the city where it’s all happening. With more travellers seeking to soak in every inch of Valletta during their stay in Malta, and tourism in the capital expected to increase by about 10 per cent next year, boutique hotels are sprouting up like mushrooms, and abandoned houses and palazzos are being given a new lease of life. “There is a good vibe in Valletta and all businesses are making a great effort to make Valletta look and feel even better,” said Robert Borg Millo, Hotel Manager at Palazzo Consiglia, a recently-opened boutique hotel in St Ursula Street. “Valletta 2018 was always at the centre of our thoughts when planning the hotel’s amenities and facilities. We have
managed to make the most of the space we had available in order to offer literally all the amenities you expect to find when staying in a five-star hotel.” Mr Borg Millo said that the Palazzo already has a good base of bookings for the first six months of 2018. “The trend of bookings is very much on a last-minute basis and we are confident that with the continuous coverage on Valletta 2018, we will manage to supersede this year’s occupancy and profitability. In view of the substantial number of new boutique hotels opening in the near future, we will continue striving to be one of the leading hotels in Valletta. We really hope that Valletta will remain an all year-round destination for tourists, but I am sure there will be an overspill of interest even after Valletta 2018 is over.” But what of the cultural component of the European Capital of Culture? The city is set to host 200 events and projects during its European Capital of Culture year, with a total of 140 projects and 400 events planned to take place nationwide - will this have a tangible effect on cultural activity in the long-term? “Valletta 2018 has provided a great platform for artistic endeavours, and stimulated a great deal of cultural activity,” said Kenneth Zammit Tabona, Artistic Director at the Manoel Theatre. The theatre is re-opening its doors this week after months of restorations and is gearing up for an extensive programme of events in 2018. “Valletta 2018 has increased international awareness of both Valletta and Malta itself. Before Valletta won the bid to be European Capital of Culture in 2018, it was so run-down, nobody wanted to go there. While life in the city has certainly changed, some for the better, some for the worse, there’s no doubt that now the city is finally being celebrated and appreciated for what it is. I hope this activity will not finish in 2018, leaving us with a great anti-climactic depression in 2019,” Mr Zammit Tabona added. Mr Zammit Tabona expressed his hope that the kind of activity Valletta 2018 will bring is the kind that leaves a legacy. “It’s one of the reasons why I created the Malta International Baroque Festival, back in 2013. That is the kind of activity that leaves a legacy, in order to allow projects like this to go on and survive in the future, and create new initiatives of their own. It has given us a great opportunity to create something new.”