Conference & Incentive Travel 248
Quality Support
Malta’s government actively supports business tourism, and the Malta Tourism Authority offers a variety of services designed to help event organisers, both through its MICE segment and through its dedicated microsite, www.meet-malta.com, which provides specific information on hotels, facilities, service providers and venues, as well as contact details for destination management companies (DMCs), audio visual companies, exhibition stand designers and event organisers. The country’s DMCs are committed to offering excellent services, and the MTA issues quality seals to those companies that excel in quality and professionalism. Malta is also excellent value for money, distinguishing the island from its European neighbours. Most smaller venues, such as palazzos and hotel ballrooms, can be rented for around €2,000 a day, while hotel rates in the off-peak season can be as low as €40 a night. A Packed Programme
While thousands may flock to Malta for its ideal location and excellent conference facilities, they return for so much more. With 300 days of sunshine, limitless leisure opportunities and top-class dining, Malta offers an abundance of attractions that can form a pre- or post-conference programme. A rich historical and cultural environment and the reassurance of a modern infrastructure all combine to cement Malta’s reputation as a choice hub for conferences and seminars: the ideal MICE destination. ■