HORECA Malta Magazine - Issue 5

June 2021 | Issue No.5

horecamalta.com.mt

Catering & Hospitality magazine

Revenge Travel When new buzzwords become part of our daily lingo

Exclusive interview with the Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection, Clayton Bartolo

Opportunities Arise in Pandemics Too The arguments against a doom and gloom scenario

Post-Pandemic Travel Trends How will we react when we can travel again?

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Publisher Ryan Galea

Editor Tonio Schembri editor@horecamalta.com.mt horecamalta.com.mt

Contributors Jo Caruana Joseph Galea Tom Buncle

Sales & Marketing

Editorial Welcome to the fifth edition of Horeca Magazine.

With global losses in excess of €3.5 trillion in 2020, one can safely state the hospitality, travel and tourism industries were among the hardest hit during the pandemic. Fast forward to mid 2021 we are slowly starting to see some sort of light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Thanks to an efficient vaccination process in the past months Malta should be in a strong position when trying to attract much needed incoming tourist figures to help re-ignite economic movement in these sectors.

In this issue, we feature an exclusive interview with the Hon Clayton Bartolo, Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection, who speaks about his experience of taking over a portfolio in such a challenging period, whilst also sharing his thoughts on the strategies and action plans being taken by the Ministry and the Malta Tourism Authority to get the industry back on track.

sales@horecamalta.com.mt

Administration Jennifer Azzopardi Clara Cachia Daniela Sammut

Production and Design Reno Cucciardi (switchpg.com)

Photography Jonathan Borg

Distribution & Logistics

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Regular contributor Joseph Galea’s article deals with “Revenge Travel”, a new buzzword which is being used when referring to the expected strong demand for travel, having seen holidays and trips – pleasure or business – cut short during the COVID outbreak.

We are pleased to welcome Tom Buncle as one of our contributors in this issue, Managing Director of Yellow Railroad, a Scottish-based destination consultancy. Tom takes a look at how post-pandemic travel trends will pan out, taking into consideration a number of factors, including safety concerns, variable vaccination rates, influence of technology, amongst others.

Don’t forget to visit our website horecamalta.com.mt, where you can interact directly with comments and feedback on all the features and articles from this publication, together with Horeca latest news and updates.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 8.

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24.

34.

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42.

Interview with Minister Clayton Bartolo

Opportunities arise in Pandemics too

ITS unvelis its Strategic Private Dining: There’s No Experience Quite Plan for the nexr five Like it years

Revenge Travel

Post-Pandemic Travel Trends

Features: 14. The Right Candidate Matters 18. Daring to be Different

54.

A Man for All Cuisines

30. Keeping the Client at the Centre of the Business 32. Pioneering a Farm to Fork Concept 50. Choosing the right POS for your Business

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Exclusive Interview

The Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Clayton Bartolo

It’s stating the obvious that your appointment comes at the worst time in Malta’s tourism industry; can you briefly outline what the situation looked like from your perspective when you were appointed Tourism Minister?

I look at this as an opportunity which has been entrusted to me during this delicate situation. I am privileged to be working with a very good team of professionals who are leaving no stone unturned to get tourism back on its feet. I thank Prime Minister Robert Abela for selecting me for this task and declare my full commitment to doing my utmost towards recovering tourism with a view to making it even stronger and more resilient in the coming years.

Soon after your appointment you said you supported your predecessor’s so-called “mechanisms”. The consensus is that these failed; you disagreed and are reported as saying “what we are doing is trying to find a balance between the livelihoods and the lives of Maltese.” What did you mean by this?

We need to acknowledge that this has been a very challenging crisis both in terms of scale and timeframe. Managing a crisis involves employing the right balance of socio-economic decisions which address the emergency without unnecessarily stopping the pace of life. This is not about success or failure, but based on using the best available information to take the best informed decisions.

Last year you announced that an action plan would be launched in 2021. And you are quoted as saying that “talks are underway with all concerned parties to lay out a strategy that attracts numbers but also lays emphasis on excellence”. Can you elaborate?

We have launched a ten year Tourism Strategy that will take us to 2030. This strategy >

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document, entitled “Recover, Rethink, Revitalise” aims to form the basis of a wide discussion with a scope of providing the Malta Tourism industry with a sound platform from which to recover the losses inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic whilst taking decisive steps to strengthen Tourism’s economic and social awareness and sensitivity and a quest to grow Tourism’s contribution beyond mere volumes by attracting a higher spending tourist.

We have also unveiled the Tourism Recovery Plan which includes a €20 million financial aid programme aimed at putting back on track our hospitality sector.

better product attracts a higher spending tourist who in turn leads to further investment in a better quality.

Has the opening of several new hotels last year highlighted the need for numbers moving forward?

The major objective of the Tourism Recovery Plan is to recover volumes within the shortest realistic time frame possible.

What do you mean by excellence - is it a better spending visitor or a better quality product?

Improving the ‘quality of the tourist’, ‘going upmarket’, ‘niche marketing’ and improving the product have been the catch phrases for decades - how is it going to be different this time around?

Excellence means reaching or exceeding the expectations of a visitor who pays good money and expects to receive good value. It involves the perfect match of a spending visitor who both expects and affords a better quality product. Excellence becomes self-sustaining when well managed: a positive circle where a

These are processes which have no end. As a destination we have been improving our tourism by addressing all of them and the important thing is that we continue to observe progress. In spite of registered progress we still consider such objectives as relevant in our tourism industry’s evolution and hence we >

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continue prioritizing them. It is not about being different it is about adding additional layers to the achievements made to date.

Put another way, do you think the current situation places us in a position where we can press the reset button and start from scratch?

Whilst inbound activity is at a standstill, the destination’s offer meaning supply is what it is. Resetting from scratch is only feasible if both sides of the coin are resettable which they

October - what does Malta do next if we block UK arrivals for the foreseeable future?

Our plans are to re-establish our airline connectivity with all our major source markets including the UK as quickly as possible. The pace of vaccination will have a huge bearing on our reopening prospects in the coming weeks.

The fact that the UK is advanced in its vaccine roll out is also very encouraging in this respect.

Besides the drop in leisure travellers, the DMC and English language schools sectors have taken a massive hit in 2020. Some DMCs report that the first conference and incentive trips are booked from the end of 2021, and language schools are in the doldrums - are you looking at ways and means to assist these sectors, and if so how?

Among other initiatives, we have launched a scheme by which students who come to Malta to study English in language schools are set to receive €10 per night spent in the country.

Students are eligible for this scheme if they spend at least 15 nights at a booked language school, and will be capped at €300 per student.

On a positive note, some months ago the MTA set a target of 700,000 visitors for 2020 - that target appears to have been achieved, has a target been set for 2021?

are not. That is why our strategy talks about Rethinking, Revitalising but not Resetting.

As an island destination we are at the mercy of the airlines and the situation prevailing in our markets. Several European countries and others beyond have banned flights from the UK because of Covid-19 strain variants. The UK remains our biggest market, with nearly double the number of arrivals than any other up to

Our target for 2021 is to ensure that we will be ready to start attracting tourists from the moment that the markets open up again. We are primed to start targeting those geographical markets, age-groups and travel motivations which are expected to be the earliest respondents to travel opportunities to ensure that we maximise our receptive potential.

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The Right Candidate Matters Launched in 2014, M Recruitment is a company which has been specialising in recruitment services for the last 4 years. Supplying candidates for sub-contracting mainly within the Hospitality and Catering Industries, the company also has a large portfolio of candidates in other industries and categories.

We met Martin Spiteri, the company’s Operations Manager, who outlined how the corporate philosophy is to find the right job for the right candidates at the best conditions on the market. It was with this philosophy in mind that Permit Hub, a sister company, was created earlier this year.

Permit Hub eases an employer’s workload by offering a one stop shop approach to permit processing. This includes handling applications for the necessary work permits, offering support in Visa processing, legal advice and setting up of medical appointments and obtaining the necessary insurances. As an extra step to save clients’ time and resources, Permit Hub also offer the option of submitting the applications on their behalf. The benefits of using a company like Permit Hub are clear. It enables businesses to focus on their core operations by saving time and resources and leave the laborious task of work permit applications to experts in the field. When it comes to recruitment, candidate placements are done on two levels. “In the first case, the chosen applicants are employed by us, and they are then subcontracted to the client,” explains Martin. “We also have clients looking for direct recruitment. In this case, Permit Hub would still handle the A-Z of permit applications, but the selected candidates

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M Recruitment are members of top international recruitment platforms around the world. This, together with a dedicated team of recruiters focusing on specific markets based on the clients´ needs, ensures that they attract the right talent. “As one can realise, this is an extremely time-consuming exercise for a business,” Martin tells us, “but thanks to our experience in the sector and links to recruitment centres around the world, we make sure that the whole process is handled in an efficient and timely manner.” M Recruitment carries out a pre-screening exercise on behalf of the client. This involves filtering CVs that are

received, and then conducting first level interviews with shortlisted candidates over an online video call.

If the applicant ticks the right boxes (good spoken English, smart appearance, right amount of experience for the job in question etc) his or her details are passed on to the client for subsequent interviews. Martin tells us that when recruiting third country nationals, M Recruitment assists clients by taking over the tedious job of ensuring that the candidate has a clean background, obtaining the necessary references, ensuring that the CV is indeed a “Bona Fide” CV, and that the candidate has good spoken English. When it comes to processing work permit applications, Permit Hub assist by ensuring that all references and documents are translated into English and resent on official letterheads and that all documents are scanned properly and are legible.

Martin Spiteri, Operations Manager

would be employed directly with our client.”

Several local businesses took up this option of recruiting third country nationals soon after Permit Hub started offering this service. The process of sourcing individuals from Non-EU countries is extremely time consuming. Among other tasks, Permit Hub handles the collection of all the necessary and relevant documentation from the candidates, whilst asking them to take any needed vaccinations.

Another sister company within the M Recruitment Group, Kwikleen, offers Cleaning Services.

Launched in 2019 and initially targeting households looking for a regular and reliable housekeeper, the service is now also being offered to commercial entities. Kwikleen’s list of corporate clients include offices and hotels. Kwikleen offers two services – normal cleaning and deep cleaning. Deep cleaning is often requested by landlords who want to prepare their property for new tenants. Properties can vary from a simple apartment to a multi-room guest house/block of apartments. All cleaners employed with Kwikleen have previous experience in the sector and are English speaking, ensuring better communication with property owners.

Permit Hub offer a free consultation meeting to companies who wish to get in touch and get to know more about the services provided. This can be done by calling 2712 0765 or sending an email to info@permit-hub.com Martin Spiteri, Operations Manager

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OPPORTUNITIES ARISE IN PANDEMICS TOO The first immediate thought nowadays when analysing the current business scenarios is COVID 19 and its negative impact. However, it is not all doom and gloom and as we may have seen opportunities arise in certain sectors. Many may argue that this is definitely not the case in the Tourism and Travel industry.

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The aviation industry is certainly one of the sectors that suffered most if one isolates passenger travel. Nevertheless, not all the industry has suffered the effect of the pandemic and indeed there are specific sectors that have actually improved their performance. Others are presently looking into investing further, amongst others in the cargo industry.

In the passenger airline industry varied movement in selling, mergers and acquisitions can be observed - this is very similar to what the industry experienced more or less a decade ago. This is a very common reaction particularly in the unprecedented crisis yet some companies will certainly come out stronger possibly in 2024, the year the industry predicts recovery.

Considerable discussions are going on between small accommodation places as well as other outlets servicing the tourism industry for injection of capital in new projects or for consolidation of activities as well as mergers and acquisition activity.

This is even more so in Malta whereby certain investors are seeking opportunities to take over cash depleted businesses at a low price to reap the benefits when the economy stabilizes itself. Others are doing so through investment

in new ideas that also cater for issues in current circumstances whilst others are changing modus operandi in its entirety.

Indeed, it is time when this kind of activity needs to increase if one wishes to save businesses.

Fortunately even to do such analysis and / or plans one may tap into funds provided by the EU and also by the Government of Malta. These are very wide ranging and assist businesses in various ways.

The Association of Catering Establishments is helping catering establishments through its partnerships to tap into these opportunities in a very successful manner.

The two close downs of catering establishments led to various entrepreneurs seeking new opportunities and question their model of business trying to come out stronger from the pandemic. The opportunity to reassess is still a very realistic scenario.

ACE (Association of Catering Establishments) represents a wide spectrum of entrepreneurs ploughing their trade in either of the following commercial outlets: snack bars, cafes, kiosks, casual diners, catering operations located within clubs, fast food take-away, food delivery outlets and fine dining restaurants.

Reuben Buttigieg is the President of the Association of Catering Establishments, Managing Director of Erremme Business Advisors and President of the Malta Institute of Management.

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Feature

Daring to be Different

Hugo’s is a self-proclaimed “dareto-be-different” chain of hotels which captures the glamour and vibe of the Maltese islands. The flagship 4 star H Hotel comprises of 161 guest rooms and suites, combining modern and classic art with cutting edge technology and architectural innovations, creating a unique and sophisticated guest room experience.

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Daring and dramatic, Hugo’s Boutique Hotel makes a bold statement in St. Julian’s Bay. Housed over eight themed floors with their own distinct character, the 40 stylish guest rooms and suites feature all the latest in modern technology for a unique, high-tech experience.

We set an appointment with Firas Aboulezz, General Manager of both hotels since 2019, and agree to meet at the H Hotel, since the Boutique Hotel is currently closed due to COVID measures.

The minute we set foot in the hotel we immediately notice the unique décor with outlandish ornamental objects like the giant giraffe just outside the building to crawling ants on the reception ceiling.

Firas takes us on a tour of the property, starting with the first floor, which houses the breakfast area. This is normally served in buffet form, however due to current COVID restrictions, breakfast orders are being handled as room service. The area can also cater for lunch or dinner groups of over 200 people.

The unique style we saw at reception area is replicated at this level – the stylish wall plastering and furniture fittings, together with the range of hand-picked electrical fixtures ensure that the overall design experience does not go unnoticed. Firas explains that this is in line with the Hugo’s vision, which was that of upscaling the product and service provided.

“As a result we were the first hotels to bridge the gap between 4 and 5 star,” he states.

As we visit different floors we immediately notice a continuation of the dark coloured theme which is a standard feature throughout the whole hotel. All rooms have similar

Firas Aboulezz, HUGO’s Hotels General Manager

The two hotels are a reflection of the late Hugo Chetcuti’s entrepreneurial qualities, a visionary who always liked to push boundaries.

fittings and features such as mirrors on the ceiling overlooking the bed and key controlled curtains. However some rooms have unique features including luxury Italian designed hot tubs in or outside the rooms. All front facing rooms command breathtaking views of St George’s Bay and beyond.

All rooms feature latest technology features one would expect to find, namely bedside USB sockets and free WiFi connectivity. The attention to detail is also noticeable in the bathrooms. Infinity mirrors, gold trims, stylish tiling, walk-in rain showers and branded fixtures all contribute to the high end look and feel of the property. The pinnacle of the luxury items found in these hotel rooms is an indoor pool complete with water jets – which can be >

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found in two of the suites. Firas tells us this is an extremely rare facility to find, not just in Malta. Room size starts at 26 square metres and goes up to a generous 40 – 50 m². The larger rooms have an indoor hot tub and Firas relates how this concept was initially launched in the Boutique Hotel and was now being adopted in the H Hotel. It is interesting to note that, especially during the pandemic months, luxury suites with such an indoor hot tub accounted

is being now maintained by his son Luke. We move up to the 10th floor where one finds a range of penthouses. The concept here is slightly different from the other rooms as these residences also include a kitchenette, whilst the spacious bathroom houses a hot tub together with a jet bath. Complementing the penthouses are beautiful terraces with another hot tub. As part of the hotel’s strategy, Firas is planning to utilise these terraces to offer a

for around 80% of all bookings. Location is clearly key for the hotels – besides being so close to the bay and the entertainment hub in Malta, guests can easily find bars, restaurants and shopping complexes, all within walking distance. “I like to think that as Hugo’s Group we offer a one stop shop solution to guests who are looking for a lifestyle and entertainment destination, where one can eat, drink, party or relax in equal measures – basically a 360° experience,” says Firas.

private dining experience, once the COVID restrictions are lifted. Also situated on Level 10 is a recently completed corporate wing including a meet and greet foyer area, an executive level board room, meeting areas and halls which can be partitioned as per request, aimed at attracting business meetings and events such as conferences and seminars. From this floor we notice a bridge connecting the two hotels together – an interesting concept which means guests booked at any hotel can easily avail of the other hotel’s amenities, and vice-versa.

Moving further up to the highest level (11th floor), one finds the hugely popular Infinity Pool – one of the hotel’s strongest assets, where guests can relax and work on a beautiful tan whilst also enjoying spectacular panoramic >

Hugo’s vision was always to provide a cosmopolitan experience mixing diverse cultures, cuisines and styles to ultimately provide a unique guest experience. This same philosophy has gone down a generation and

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and Emotional and Bucket Showers are also available for guests to make use of.

Asked to mention the secret behind the H Hotels’ success story over the years, Firas mentions consistency. “We always kept up with current trends by innovating the user experience, and I like to think that consistency has been one of the main successful factors in our business,” he tells us. “Our intention is not just make the guests easily fall asleep, but to rather surprise them by showcasing things they do not usually have at home,” says Firas, referring to the motorised curtains, ceiling mirrors, and much more.

views of the bay and the surroundings.

Residents and guests can also wine and dine either at an open terrace bar next to the pool, or at the adjacent Avocado restaurant. The top floor also hosts the House of Dom Perignon, branded by the world’s most popular vintage champagne. The lucrative and ultra-chic venue comprises of a fully stocked international bar, exclusive sofa seating, high tables, dance floor and DJ booth, and is used to host corporate events, private functions, staff parties and even conferences.

H Hotel has also recently unveiled a brand new facility for anyone craving holistic moments of bliss and relaxation. Located on level -1, Carisma Spa and Wellness has tapped into travellers’ desires to recharge both physically and mentally, combining health with leisure in the most striking of settings. Adjacent to the hotel’s indoor heated swimming pool, Carisma Spa and Wellness offers a host of lavish treatments, as well as manicures and pedicures.

Other features such as their famed Hammam Turkish Bath, Salt Room, Steam Room, Sauna

We conclude our discussion by making a reference to COVID. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal local client base who kept supporting us during the difficult pandemic months,” Firas says. “I recognized very early on that when you incorporate a purpose beyond profit in your business, your customers will become your biggest marketers.

It’s never easy to be challenged on an idea that I want to implement so I listen to criticism carefully and take feedback to heart. I know that success is not determined by luck so my motto is persistent actions, dedicated mindset and proper preparation. As expected, the effect and duration of the current COVID situation remain critical issues when determining immediate strategy and longer term plans.”

Following on his father’s footsteps, the vision of current CEO Luke is to see the group adapt quickly to any circumstance and maintain the strong position as a complete one stop shop for guests.

One of the projects in the pipeline is a Loyalty Scheme app, where guests would be able to access all the hotels’ various services from their smartphone. Other hotels being currently built form part of the Group’s strategy to strengthen Hugo’s brand as a leading player in Malta’s hospitality sector.

Keeping the Client at the Centre of Our Business With over 24 years of experience in the furniture industry, Dino Fino needs no introduction as his reputation in the industry speaks for itself.

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We met Dino in his Home and Contract showroom in Valley Road, Msida. He explains that he branched out from the Fino family business in 2017, setting up a new company with two main divisions: the Home Division which handles consumer queries and the Contract Division which handles Horeca projects.

The Contract team, led by Dino himself, consists of three design & sales consultants who are all professionally trained to offer the client the very best design concepts. Apart from project blueprints, the division also supplies all the material that a hotel or a commercial entity would need to open, namely furniture, curtains and carpeting, among others.

“We also handle public areas of restaurants and bars, partitions for office blocks, together with flooring, tiling, decorative light fittings and more. Basically, we provide anything inside the walls – a one stop shop,” explains Dino.

One could say the division offers a complete Design and Build service to the commercial client, starting from concept inception to a final delivery of a full turnkey project.

Dino stresses that offering a vast array of products sourced from over fifty suppliers around the globe is what sets the company apart from the competition. Moreover, besides offering off the shelf room fittings, the Contract division can come up with fully customised furniture specifically designed for any particular project. Dino is also quick to stress that the installation of all furniture is done by in-house staff, rather than third-party sub-contractors.

The Contract division mixes traditional and modern contact channels to keep in touch with its client base and handle any queries, whilst a Business Development department within the division handles the sourcing and identifying of new business.

Among the list of existing clients Dino mentions Melita, VJ Salomone, Eden Leisure Group, Hugo’s Group, MBI Investments, Citadel Insurance, Ted Baker, Portside Lodge and Exiles Boutique Hotel. Other projects handled by the Contract division also includes schools.

The company is currently working on a separate floor which will be entirely dedicated to the Contract division. This project, expected to be completed in 2021, will make it easier for the Sales team to showcase selections of furniture and fittings for hotels, restaurants, offices and more.

Msida Valley Road, B`Kara Telephone: 2124 0100 | E-mail: info@dinofino.com www.dinofino.com

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Feature

Revenge Travel Whenever the media feels the need to emphasize the importance and magnitude of a certain event, new buzzwords are coined and many of these become part of our daily lingo.

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A new buzzword or term I came across lately is “Revenge Travel”. It may sound opaque at first, but it is also intriguing. The term Revenge Travel strives to explain the phenomenon of a strong outburst of demand for travel as soon as people feel it is once again safe to do so.

Many, if not all of us, have spent the last fifteen months deprived of travel. Up until March 2020, going abroad on holiday was a staple feature of our life and suddenly, just when we were really getting into a pattern of regular leisure and business travelling fuelled by cheap and plentiful flight availabilities, it was cut short by the onset of the COVID19 pandemic. Few of us ventured abroad in the last months in view of the risks involved, ever changing restrictions, or the cumbersome and costly challenges imposed.

As many planned and paid trips have had to be postponed, and possibly cancelled, so many of us now cannot wait to satisfy our travel itch. Interestingly, describing our first post COVID trip as “revenge” is a strong retribution against the pandemic for depriving us of our freedom. Travel may as well be conditioned now by the feeling that we can no longer take for granted that there will always be open borders and multitudes of hassle-free flight options.

I have always been of the belief that once travel becomes a reality again there will be pent up demand as people would want to make up for travel opportunities lost. Many will want to make up for the lost time and missed travel experiences, with a vengeance. While some will visit family and friends, many others will just be excited to simply have the opportunity again to pick and choose where they go and what to

do. People are expected to want to travel as soon as possible; they will want to board flights, possibly to close-by destinations, but to places where they can feel free again. But they will still possibly want to avoid crowds and they will be expected to prefer to avoid restricted spaces or activities that take place indoors.

The great outdoors will be a huge pull, both because of the belief that it is better for health reasons not to be in closed spaces, and because many people have been indoors in lockdown for months on end. Promoting wide and open outdoor spaces and activities, even simple things like dining and cafes, will create a positive reaction to travel offers. The fear of the virus will still be at the back of their mind for some time still, and social practices learnt in the last twelve months will still be respected.

The Maltese islands are well placed to partake in this expected revenge travel explosion.

However, we will need to continue to contain the spread of the virus locally and not let our guard down. We also need to expect that the markets we target would also be COVID free or at least have the pandemic under control.

If we are on no major markets’ red or amber lists, we can expect demand to be strong as the islands are close to the main European markets, have high standards of health services and offer ample outdoor opportunities and activities to prospective visitors.

Pricing will be important, but it will certainly not be the most important determinant. Of course, travellers will always want better value for their money, but many will not intend to go cheap on their first post COVID trip. Many may even reason that on their first trip post COVID, they >

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can as well spend the money they would have dedicated to last year’s trips, so budgets will not be as restrictive.

After being deprived from travel for so long, many will want their first post-COVID trip to be a memorable one. A recent survey in the US conducted by “360 Market Reach” revealed that 40% of consumers plan to spend more on their next trip than they have in the past, with an average increased spend of 45%. Younger travellers (18-34) plan even greater increased spending (50%) than those over 35, but even older travellers say they will spend an average of 43% more.

For many people, the “bucket list”

of destinations just got longer during the pandemic. Social media was replete with images of dream destinations, close by, and further away. So many people indulged their longing for travel by taking virtual tours to anywhere, including diverse “trips” as whale watching in Alaska, to a tour of Windsor Castle. Leisure travel and social media posts continue to go hand-in-hand as the medium strongly influences consumers’ desire to travel, as well as to where they travel, where to stay and what to do. Of the survey respondents who participated in the “360 Market Reach” survey, 80% claim social media is influencing their travel plans. We all knew that this was an effective medium to promote travel but its >

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relevance, as a platform for communication and marketing in the next months, is possibly going to outperform anything else. And that is not the end of the relationship; many will want to post images of their revenge trip on social media, simply to show that they are getting their life back.

Flexibility will continue to be a major concern and past practices that saw travellers pay premiums for flexible bookings, will no longer be favourably accepted as we head out of the pandemic.

For some time at least, travellers will expect favourable and flexible booking conditions as a staple part of the booking offer if a supplier wants their custom.

Bookings will probably continue to be late but not for reasons we had grown accustomed to in the past. People will simply book late only to ensure that they are well informed of the latest travel restrictions and to guarantee last minute peace of mind. Travel booking practices and patterns will change from what we normally

Joseph Galea is the founder of JG Tourism Solutions, a private marketing consultancy he set up to offer personal and expert advice to hotels, travel agents and other companies and entities in hospitality, tourism, and aviation. His current list of clients including airlines, destination management companies, conventions and events centres, cruise line handling companies and hotels.

He is also tourism industry specialist to Horeca magazine.With over 30 years’ experience in the industry, Joseph had been Director of International

expected pre-pandemic. The months spent under severe travel restrictions will certainly enhance the value of travel in people’s minds.

However, while people will be eager to travel again, it is important to consider that many will still be faced with more immediate priorities like health, safety, and financial wellbeing.

As the realities of the pandemic start to bite, as a consequence of so many people still furloughed or unemployed, and many experiencing financial challenges, for many the idea of foreign travel may be but a distant dream, with job and financial security a more real and urgent priority. Others who do manage to “revenge travel” as soon as the time is right, may also find that the travel intensity that they were used to before the pandemic needs to eventually be curtailed too.

But for now, at least for summer 2021, as long travellers are set on a “revenge trip” then suppliers need to be ready for the challenge.

Marketing for the Malta Tourism Authority up to 2014, during which time he spearheaded the shift in the way tourism to the islands was promoted and laid down the road to consecutive years of record numbers of arrivals, and guest night stays, that the Maltese islands experienced annually up to 2019. In 2014 he joined Air Malta to run the Commercial department but was eventually appointed as Acting CEO from 2016 to September 2018. Under his tenure the airline recorded its first positive financial performance after many years.

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Pioneering a Farm to Fork Concept Company origin Fresh to Go Foods Ltd was established in 2019 as a company dedicated to the processing of fresh produce. As a manufacturing plant, the whole operation includes washing, cutting and packaging fruit and vegetables which are then distributed to its retailer network. The owners of the organisation have been operating in the local food and retail industry for over 30 years. Besides owning and running a successful supermarket chain, the company supplies to various outlets and businesses including restaurants, marine as well as corporate offices.

Company operations The company prides itself in maintaining the highest standards throughout the entirety of the supply chain. Various checks are conducted to make sure that the levels are met and maintained. The management also ensures that its suppliers follow the same principles to ensure the supply chain is not compromised.

Fresh to Go Foods has excelled in various audits within the last year conducted by a selection of international food chains.

Company vision The management team is a strong believer in fairness, quality and hard work, and these principles are reflected in the company’s vision. Fresh to Go Foods Ltd gives utmost importance to three pillars throughout its supply chain: Environment, Society and Economical Sustainability.

These three pillars are crucial for the sustainability of the entire infrastructure. The company takes pride in sourcing the best raw materials available, while investing heavily in waste management systems to reduce the carbon footprint from its discarded resources and raw materials. The company continuously works hard to sustain a farm to fork concept, making the manufacturing process fully traceable, a new concept to the Maltese Islands.

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Company team Matthew Sammut - Managing Director Matthew, the youngest of 3 siblings, started his role in the family business at a very young age, and he has always been involved in the fruit and vegetable side of the operations. As the business there was thriving, Matthew explored a niche that Greens Supermarket had managed to find within this industry, namely shifting a part of the business to a B2B type of consumer.

This successful strategic pivot transformed into a start-up business that now operates from a factory in Burmarrad, known as Fresh to Go Foods Ltd. Mario Farrugia General Manager Mario joined the company as General Manager where he oversees all manufacturing operations and the organisation projects.

His main priorities are to drive product development and to maintain efficiency throughout the operations. Mario brings a wealth of knowledge from the culinary world, having graduated from ITS in Food Preparation and Production and working in some of the best 5 star hotels in Malta and Europe occupying various managerial roles. He has also managed the refurbishment and opening of various hotels in Malta. Mario has also participated in various international culinary competitions.

Current and future plans Fresh to Go Foods operates in a farm to fork concept, where

produce is sourced and bought directly from local farmers. This strategy is transformational in the food system since it directly affects the supply chain by introducing traceability. It covers production and processing, transport and distribution, sales and marketing to retail and consumption. This concept is being pioneered

by Fresh to Go Foods, as the company aims to raise the standard in the industry. Despite the many natural challenges a new business must face to penetrate the market, Fresh to Go Foods had to also endure an incredibly challenging time for the hotel and restaurant industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be the toughest time for this industry with very unsettled as well as changing times.

The company has used this time to improve its systems and technology and worked hard to establish new relationships as well as nurture the existing ones.

Certification It is currently certified by RBI and YUM Approved Suppliers and is working on getting the BRC Accreditation. Fresh to Go Foods is also Costa Coffee approved and it will continue to expand its portfolio of products to provide convenience for the catering industry in the Maltese Islands.

A special dedication to the entire team at Fresh to Go Foods: Anthony Grech IT and Marketing Manager Michael Zerafa Factory Manager Abdelghafour Chouana Production Manager Cedric Cutajar Production Manager Andrew Spiteri HACCP and Quality Controller

Stephen Xuereb Wholesale and Logistics Manager Danilo Muscat Wholesale Purchasing Controller Jonathan Vella Executive Chef Michael Bonnici Financial Controller Francesca Psaila Senior Accounts Executive

Katy María Bernui Arias Creative Team Elisa Farrugia Creative Team Julia Preni Creative Team Julian Giraldo Rojas Creative Team Ivan Zammit and Joseph Cassar HACCP by Zammit Ltd

Logistics, Wholesale, Kitchen, Factory Floor Personnel, FTG Drivers, Pickers, Food Preparation and Production Personnel

VIP Reviews Restaurant Dining and Hotel Stay Reviews with VIP Guests

horecamalta.com.mt

Positioned at the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta has over the years established itself not only as a gastronomic destination serving a wide range of culinary experiences influenced by a mix of diverse cultures and civilisations, but also as one of the most popular holiday destinations, offering a wide range of accommodation options, ranging from basic 2 star to luxury 5 star hotels, self- catering apartments, holiday villas and farmhouses.

To highlight further the success stories of the local restaurant and hotel scene, Horeca Malta magazine is proud to announce a new feature entitled HORECA VIP Dining and HORECA VIP Hotel Stays.

The magazine’s editorial team, together with VIP guests, will be visiting restaurants and booking hotel stays and rating their experience on several criteria.

All write-ups will be featured on the Horeca magazine, website, and various social media pages, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, whilst the VIP guests will also be uploading the reviews on their respective channels, ensuring an extended range of visibility and readership.

To get your establishment reviewed and Horeca Approved, call / WhatsApp on 9942 7874, or write to info@horecamalta.com.mt

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THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES UNVEILS ITS STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

The Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) recently launched its Strategic Plan covering 2021-2025.

Launched after 2 years of work and consultation with a wide number of stakeholders, the new ITS Strategic Plan aims at shaping excellence and innovation in tourism through teaching and learning, quality research, advice, and realisation of innovative business concepts. The Tourism and Hospitality Industry is going through various important changes, even more so because

of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is now the right opportunity to reposition the industry to provide a higher quality offering both in terms of infrastructure, experience and service.

This would in itself require considerable upskilling of workers especially since the number of graduates in this industry is very low in Malta. As the Institute of Tourism Studies has now ventured into the provision of educational programmes even at MQF Level 6 and 7, it can act as a key player in contributing towards the development of a better tourism product mix on the Island.

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New Revised Mission “Shaping Excellence and Innovation in Tourism, through teaching and learning, quality research, advice, and realisation of innovative business concepts” RESEARCH | EDUCATION | INNOVATION | ADVISORY The strategic plan’s vision is to lead the transformation of tomorrow’s international tourism industry by directing its resources towards the following key strategic business units.

Research and Development The Research and Development Unit is a new function which is expected to be set up within the Academy, providing a vital element of the proposed new mix of the Academy as the latter is expected to reposition itself from a follower into a leader in the Tourism Education Industry. The first step for the Research and Development unit was the launch of FUTOURISTIC, the ITS journal on Hospitality, Travel, Tourism and Culture.

Advisory The Advisory Services function ties in seamlessly with the academic affairs of the Academy since it involves the practical application of concepts developed and disseminated through the various educational programmes that are delivered throughout the scholastic year.

The overall purpose is to add value to key industry players through improved efficiency, enhanced customer experience or through the application of innovative concepts that leverage return on investment through the combination of client specific data and knowledge to expert advice and experience of the advisory network of ITS. Curriculum Development, Accreditation and Licensing The ITS continues to improve its study programmes, as well as develop new study programmes for the needs and requirements of this changing industry. ITS will evaluate the current and future educational needs of the tourism industry with the aim of developing

innovative, relevant and high quality accredited programmes content independently or in joint partnership with international institutions in order to subsequently assign rights for its delivery to qualified education delivery providers.

Education Programme Delivery The purpose of this unit is to achieve excellence in education to build tomorrow’s tourism leaders and professionals through the delivery of higher and further education programmes accredited through the official accreditation structures.

Training School The training school will place an emphasis on immediacy and is expected to provide a flexible programme which may not necessarily lead to the award and/or conferment of a formal qualification. The Training School will also be targeting both local and international markets in line with its internationalisation strategy.

Incubator Create an environment and a support structure that acts as a catalyst for the development, creation and sustainability of innovative startups in the Tourism Industry in Malta.

Stay up to date with the Institute of Tourism Studies news and updates by following the ITS socials and website (www.its.edu.mt).

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Feature

Private Dining: There’s No Experience Quite Like It From lunch on your terrace to dinner aboard a luxury yacht, there’s nothing quite as exclusive as exceptional private dining – and that’s exactly what the talented team behind Chef Agents have set out to provide.

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Imagine your favourite place – perhaps it’s the garden of a beautiful heritage property, the rooftop terrace of a private home, or the deck of a stunning boat berthed in the Grand Harbour. Next, imagine not just being there, but enjoying a fabulous lunch or dinner designed around your favourite foods – made from the very best ingredients and presented beautifully.

This is exactly what private dining can deliver.

You simply provide the location and the vision for what you want to achieve, and a private dining chef will do the rest – keeping your ideas at the centre of everything they create.

Experienced chefs Roderick Cauchi and Manuel Cucciardi had that exact vision in mind when they created Chef Agents, a private dining company that takes absolute pride in crafting unique dining experiences for its clients. “We take care of absolutely everything,” says CEO Roderick.

“When a client entrusts us to cook for them, we handle the whole process – we come up with exciting menus based on their nutritional desires and requirements, and even match the event to the venue. We launched a few months ago now, and we’re absolutely thrilled with the feedback we have received from clients so far. It highlights that our dedication towards creating something different really does pay off.”

Roderick explains that he has been passionate about food from a young age, and became even more interested in it as he got older. He sadly lost his mother when he was just six years

old and, with his father working two jobs to provide for him and his siblings, Roderick found himself preparing food for the family at home.

“That’s where it all started,” he smiles.

“I used to enjoy the whole process so much – from reading through my mum’s old cookbooks to asking our neighbours to share their favourite recipes. I was always driven to serve something exquisite to my family. Watching them enjoy my food meant the world to me, and that’s something I have taken forward into my career ever since.”

That career began in his teens when Roderick started working in an Italian restaurant that helped underline his passion for food even more. He moved on to other restaurants in the years since, including locally-based family eateries to fine-dining locations, and he credits this journey with giving him a very varied skillsbase today.

However, things changed for Roderick when the pandemic hit and he had to make some difficult choices. Ultimately, he chose to shift his work to the film industry, which yielded higher revenue at the time. “I worked at the Film Commission for a while and that’s where I met Manuel, an old acquaintance from one of the restaurants I had worked in previously,” Roderick continues. “I have always been impressed by Manuel’s experience in the kitchen. His background includes a number of top hotels and fine-dining restaurants overseas, including the Trump Hotel in Scotland.” As the duo reconnected, they hit it off and it was clear they were both passionate about food and >

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Manuel Cucciardi | Roderick Cauchi

being in the kitchen. “It was evident that we had similar ideas about food and clear concepts in mind, so we decided to partner up,” Manuel says. “We opted to start a personal culinary experience company to service guests in their homes and in other luxury locations, and that’s how Chef Agents was born.”

Now the pair enjoy bringing their extensive experience and indisputable creativity to their guests’ events, while handling everything from hosting to dishwashing. “It’s a very different experience to working in a restaurant but we

absolutely love it. We’re passionate about ensuring our clients can enjoy the dinner they dreamed of, whether with friends, family or business associates.” In fact, both Manuel and Roderick say that Chef Agents is about so much more than just preparing food – it’s about creating a truly memorable experience.

“Honestly speaking, it is a gift for us to be able to prepare delicious food for people to enjoy. To us, food is as much about the overall experience as it is about the taste, and it is that belief that we bring to every client event that we are lucky enough to cater for,” the chefs say.

For further information about Chef Agents and to plan your next personal dining event, call Roderick on 9937 3740.

Jo Caruana is the founder and CEO of the Finesse Group. The Group’s various arms work together to finesse every aspect of the client journey - from content and communications, to customer care training and business etiquette. Jo is also a writer, editor, and presenter.

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HOLIDAYS, HUGS AND HOPE: POST-PANDEMIC TRAVEL TRENDS What a Year No hugs, no visitors, closed borders, and home detention. For many of us, the last year has felt more like a penal sentence than health precaution. Worldwide the hospitality industry has been one of the hardest hit during

the pandemic. The global travel and tourism sector suffered a loss of almost $4.5 trillion in 2020, with more than 62 million jobs lost, and international travel spending down 69.4% on 2019 levels, according to the World Travel

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& Tourism Council (WTTC). For much of the year in many countries it became illegal to indulge in the two things that are fundamental to the tourism and hospitality sector: travel and spending time with others. And sadly, unlike many other businesses, there were few cashgenerating alternatives: you can’t take delivery of a holiday via Amazon.

However, the vaccination is about to let many of us off the lead and unleash a deluge of pent-up demand for travel, eating out, and reconnecting with family and friends. Or is it?

Has the pandemic caused us to recalibrate our values and change our behaviour? How will we react once we can travel again? Will we revert to type or will tourism businesses need to cater for a different kind of traveller? Here are a few possible post-pandemic trends, plus key takeouts.

Variable Recovery Rate A resurgence of infections, residual safety concerns, and variable vaccination rates around the world probably mean the summer will happen mainly at home for many people.

The star of the tourism firmament in 2020, ‘staycations’, will again prove the most resilient sector in 2021.

This is great for cash flow in countries with large and relatively affluent populations and a developed tourism infrastructure. But, in smaller nations and developing countries with little domestic leisure traffic, the loss of international tourism will be keenly felt.

Short-haul international travel may pick up as vaccination confidence kicks in, but probably not significantly before late autumn. Even sun-starved Brits seem willing to wait for their vitamin D rush. A recent YouGov poll of travel intentions found just one in 10 UK adults is confident of having a ‘normal’ summer holiday abroad this year.

Apart from safety concerns, one of the disincentives to international travel at the moment is uncertainty about what will and won’t be open when people get there.

After all, people travel to do more than sleep in someone else’s bed.

Sadly, long-haul is unlikely to show significant vital signs until 2022. Airlines are looking to 2025 as the year passenger traffic might return to 2019 levels.

Takeout: Keep the faith.

Have Money, Will Travel Despite the devastating economic impact of COVID-19, there will still be people in work, retired, and with cash to spend from ‘accidental’ savings during lockdown. Having saved on commuting, childcare, eating out, travel, and other indulgences, travel will be the single biggest beneficiary of spending as restrictions are eased, according to research by the UK’s Trajectory Partnership. Characterised, somewhat distastefully, by some as ‘revenge travel’, we are likely to see a surge in travel, as soon as permissible, particularly to familiar and easily accessible places.

Takeout: Travel demand persists.

Room to Breathe Outdoors is the new ‘cool’. A combination of the search for space (for both safety and ‘spiritual’ reasons) and appreciation of nature, which have grown during the pandemic, is likely to fuel the penchant for less crowded, rural destinations.

But, as rural destinations boom, they will be under pressure to manage a level of growth many are ill-equipped to handle. Problems >

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of ‘overtourism’ more familiar to Venice and Barcelona may begin to afflict more beauty spots around Europe, damaging the very appeal that attracts people. Authorities may hope for the best, but they need to plan for the worst.

Takeout: Planning is essential to save places from themselves.

Slower Travel COVID precautions, which add to the hassle of travel, will encourage people to seek value for time and spend longer in their destination, rather than on Instagrammable short breaks.

Having discovered space in rural destinations, people will tune in, slow down, and seek fulfilment in authentic experiences, from regional cuisine to local traditions and culture, which make the place what it is.

This offers an opportunity for places to keep people longer, by offering immersive insights into their character beyond the brochure.

Takeout: Think ‘destination as living museum’ and ‘place of engagement’ – cultural immersion rather than passive sightseeing.

Safety Concerns

Safety has been elevated beyond a mere ‘hygiene factor’ in the holiday decision-making process to a ‘must-have’. It will remain a concern for months to come.

Travellers will want to know their intended destination, means of transport, accommodation, and places they might visit, all take visitor safety seriously. While hygiene and safety measures may not be a killer sales proposition, businesses will almost certainly be at a competitive disadvantage if they do not apply them assiduously and communicate this effectively to potential visitors.

This means hygiene and safety measures will need to be included up-front in marketing communications in a way they never have been before. Malta was ahead of the global curve on this with its informative and reassuring ‘Sunny and Safe’ brochure.

Takeout: Failing to mention safety precautions means they don’t exist.

Advance Booking Limited availability imposed by social distancing requirements has necessitated advance booking for places we used to take for granted and just turn up – from visitor attractions to cafes, restaurants, and events. This has reversed the previously inexorable trend towards late-booking and impulse-purchasing. We have got used to no reservation meaning no entry. We don’t want to miss out.

Takeout: Advance booking is on the way back.

Treat Yourself Partly as a result of pent-up demand and partly ‘accidental savings’, many people will be willing to spend more on their holidays. They may have to, as the pressure of demand, particularly for scarcer and increasingly popular self-catering accommodation, pushes prices up.

Tour operators in the UK are reporting a greater willingness amongst customers to pay for upgrades and add-ons to ensure they get the best slot, sea view, or guaranteed experience.

Expect a greater willingness to splurge on better quality accommodation, more gastronomic experiences, finer wines and unusual experiences. Whether this will continue as a sustained trend, or merely reflects a celebration of emergence from domestic incarceration, remains to be seen. >

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Takeout: The first wave of post-lockdown travellers will be more prone to indulgence.

Happy Families Global crises have an effect of bringing families together, as we saw in the USA post-9/11.

For many, who have not seen their parents, children, grandchildren and other family members for the best part of a year, the desire to get together will be powerful. This is likely to translate into multi-generational family holidays, just to see each other again. Missed Christmas gatherings will be re-enacted, albeit largely domestically. But the demand for multi-generational holidays is likely to grow internationally too over the next couple of years.

Takeout: Multi-generational holidays will grow.

Technology Rules Technology will shrink space and shorten time.

It will also help us feel safer. And it will do all this from the phone in our pocket. We increasingly expect to have the world at our fingertips.

No-one wants to touch anything. This will accelerate contactless and cashless transactions and personally accessible information, from hotel check-in and checkout, transport tickets, and retail purchases, to foodordering, automatic doors and all types of information. People will increasingly expect this all to be accessible on the move 24/7, via mobile platforms.

Big data enables quite granular insights into people’s preferences, locations, and behaviour.

People will expect all information to be bang up to date, personally relevant and local. This will be a two-way process. Visitors might search >

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for places to eat nearby that have availability in an hour. But a vegan restaurant might also push its availability to any vegans within a 1-hour radius. The opportunities for clever destination management and filling trough periods for businesses are legion.

Takeout: Embrace technology or die.

Conclusion We may still be far from the sunlit uplands of full recovery. But, with the clouds of the pandemic beginning to clear, we can start to see the road that leads towards that horizon.

Travellers’ priorities are changing, and becoming much more varied. The much touted ‘new normal’ doesn’t exist. We’re all different.

‘Normal’ is just a setting on the washing machine. As well as coming to terms with this we also need to recognise:

Tom Buncle runs Yellow Railroad Ltd., a Scottish-based international destination consultancy specialising in helping countries, regions and cities worldwide improve their competitiveness as sustainable tourism destinations. A former Chief Executive of Visit

• We will have to learn to live with this virus.

• We will need to work hard to make the whole world safe because, until then, none of us are safe.

• We need to plan ahead: for a possible third wave this autumn; to manage destination congestion as we are let off the lead; and for inevitable future crises.

• We need to listen to what people want now.

Yesterday’s habits may not be tomorrow’s tastes.

Recovery may take time. But vaccines, political will, global cooperation, human ingenuity, and a worldwide love of travel, are the ingredients that should, together, inspire confidence and, eventually, help tourism bounce back. There is no reverse gear to this recovery. It may just take a year or so to reach top gear.

In the meantime, there is hope for the mediumlong-term. Here’s to hitting the road again, and happy hugging.

Scotland, and international manager for Visit Britain, he is also an Honorary Professor at Edinburgh’s Heriot Watt University. He writes and lectures at international conferences, universities and business schools, on destination branding, crisis recovery, and global travel trends.

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Feature

Six things you need to consider when choosing a POS machine for your hotel or restaurant

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Choosing the right point-of-sale (POS) machine for accepting card payments at your hotel or restaurant can be quite a difficult task. There are many different choices on the market, and deciding what’s best for your business can get a little overwhelming.

With so many options available, it is essential to carefully consider hardware and software features that will benefit your business now and future proof your point-of-sale experience.

The key to buying the perfect machine is knowing what you need from it, so we’ve put together these six POS essentials to consider:

1. Ease of use and richness of features There are a variety of portable point-of-sale (POS) systems on the market today. Some include a touchscreen, high portability, digital menus, base stations, contactless card options, and more.

The best POS system will come with all the tools you need to grow your business, such as customisable insights and app integrations.

Trust Payments’ POS terminals have smart ways to pay, including Apple Pay, Samsung and Google Pay, touch screen displays, in-built Thermal Printer and also facility to connect via WiFi or SIM card enabling you to take payments on the go or remotely at table.

Ease of setup and customisation is at the forefront of functionality for a POS device.

Alongside ease of setup, payment speed is essential - the quicker your customers make a payment, the better their experience in your venue. Hence having a POS terminal integrated with one of our partners’ ePOS systems is paramount for both speed and security. Trust Payments integrates with the main platforms that restaurants and hotels use in Malta like Oracle, Ericsoft and Busy Rooms to name a few.

2. Adaptability and affordability As you are determining how you will use the POS machine, look for payment solution providers that can support your growing business with flexible contracts, no setup fees and affordable rates.

Additionally, whether your business takes card payments in person, online or over the phone, using an Omni-Channel Solution will give you in-depth data with reporting, key performance indicators (KPIs), and the more common sales reports. Our Enterprise Merchant Portal will ensure real-time access to all your online, mobile and point of sale payment transactions without any added fees.

3. Security and cross-device compatibility Security is paramount to consider next.

Fraudulent transactions can cost your business thousands in lost revenue. Oversight is critical here - you need a solution to keep track of all money in one place and check transactions in real-time.

Your POS system and POS machine should also be compliant with the data security standards established by the PCI Security Standards Council. Look for something that encrypts payment data and can accept EMV cards.

An accessible and easy to use point-of-sale software helps ensure that your sales are organised efficiently and that your customers don’t have to navigate complicated menus to complete their transactions — something that can be quite the task these days.

Look for something that can keep your orders and receipts well organised, showing you all the necessary information for your businesses to be efficient. >

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Reconciliating sales carried out by cards at times is also a headache. For those who are always busy, receiving daily statements by email is a key factor to keep track of all your sales, funds settled into your account, without the need to either wait for statements to reach you by mail or log into systems wasting valuable time to download your statements.

4. Dedicated local support 24/7 support is ideal, which is why we at Trust Payments offer customer assistance at any time of the day for any technical issues with their POS machine over the phone. We also have a local dedicated and passionate team in Malta and advise companies to take advantage of our online training content for their POS machine - well-trained staff make all the difference.

5. Cloud-based vs on-site POS systems have two main options for storing data: cloud-based and onsite.

An onsite system is the traditional POS environment. It’s a combination of hardware and software present on onsite devices such as computers, registers and barcode scanners.

Onsite systems are managed via local servers and require ongoing IT management.

A cloud-based system is far more beneficial for modern businesses - bars, cafes and restaurants - due to its crucial mobile aspect: it stores your data in the cloud, which can be accessed anywhere via any device. Data secured on the cloud is encrypted, and the system service provider’s responsibility is to invest in security far beyond the means of an onsite system.

Contact us at www.trustpayments.com

6. Dynamic Currency Conversion and Amex for international travellers As Malta opens its doors again for tourism, it is important to offer travellers the choice to pay in their home currency or in their preferred payment type at the point of sale. Look out for a provider such as Trust Payments which allows you to accept Amex, and enables you to offer Dynamic Currency Conversion. Not only is this convenient and transparent for your customer, but you can earn a revenue share in the exchange made on such transactions which otherwise would have been earned by the card schemes and the issuer of that particular card.

What’s coming next?

The physical and digital boundaries of POS machines are continuously tested. We have noticed a significant increase in mobile and tablet POS payments during the pandemic and many people are more willing to pay digitally since the first lockdown.

Leveraging technology is crucial for the evolution of POS systems and POS machines.

We predict businesses will be integrating Artificial Intelligence more into their systems for specific purposes such as reminders to fulfil an order or replenish stock, notifying them about evolving customer behaviour, alerts for new customer trends or promotions suggestions.

Complementing AI with intelligent use of realtime customer data, the future of POS systems involves instant access to rich consumer data and robust analytics for hospitality businesses.

This way, they will easily make data-based business decisions such as quickly identifying peak hours or items and services that are selling better than others.

qualityassuredmalta.com Your trusted source for Malta and Gozo's quality restaurants, visitor attractions and destination management companies

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Feature

A Man for All Cuisines Despite the length of the journey travelled from working as a restaurant dishwasher to becoming one of Malta’s top cravingsatisfying restaurateurs, Daniel Grech has been in the business for no more than a decade. Throughout this time, he put his energy into exploring numerous cuisines and, in the process, launched some of Malta’s most popular eateries. That said, he’s only getting started!

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Surely everyone has tasted a dish from at least one of restaurateur Daniel Grech’s eateries around the island. If you haven’t cut a knife through an Instagrammable pile of red velvet pancakes from Shoreditch, then you’ve bitten into a truffle burger from Burgers.Ink, or twirled pad Thai noodles on chopsticks at one of his most recent ventures – Asian restaurant Wagyu.

The 29-year old’s list of achievements is impressive, especially when you consider how his kitchen career began. He shows no hesitation in telling his difficult story – one in which he ended up homeless with no choice

but to fend for himself. But he was determined to stand on his own two feet and make something of himself, he says.

This ‘something’ began with him securing a job as a dishwasher in a fine-dining restaurant in Sliema, aged 19. At the time, he was looking to make some money to pay his bills and just get by. But he surprisingly started to enjoy life inside the restaurant kitchen and all the adrenaline it brought with it; far more than he expected when he signed up for the job.

In awe, he would watch how an empty plate would become the base upon which a lavish meal would be built. He was also intrigued by how the same ingredient could be transformed into dramatically different culinary experiences.

“I found a love which I never thought I’d have…

It was very unexpected,” he recalls.

Plate by plate, his interest grew. Then, one day, he came up with the idea of using part of his wage to buy food and practice making the restaurant’s dishes. After each dishwashing shift, he would stay on in the kitchen and attempt to recreate the meals he had been analysing day after day, for months on end. Over time, and with the mentorship of a veteran chef, Elias, who had begun taking the youth’s effort seriously, Daniel learnt the right length of time

for pasta to boil, for instance, and he perfected that tricky technique to fillet a sea bass. His knife skills became swifter and his meals better, until he was finally offered the role of chef within the same kitchen.

International Aspirations It was during his next job that the seed of cuisine experimentation was planted, when he started work as a chef in a football club in Lija.

The Club’s menu boasted a range of cuisines, reflecting the expertise and cultures of the chefs who were creating them. There, Daniel worked alongside a chef from the Philippines, one from Thailand, and one from Malta. “I learnt a little bit of everything,” he explains. It didn’t take long for him to get promoted to head chef. >

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Going into Business During those years at the football club, Daniel gained enough confidence in his culinary skills to branch off and set off on his first business venture. Inspired by his love for eating at burger joints while travelling overseas, and encouraged by a lack of competition in the sector locally, Daniel launched Shoreditch in Paceville.

While creating food that ticked all the right boxes to warrant an Instagram foodporn hashtag, Daniel used his time at Shoreditch for unique culinary experiments built upon a burger patty and arranged between a burger bun. He

expanded Malta’s tastebuds by introducing burgers based on flavours we would not typically associate with a burger: Carbonara, Truffle, and BBQ, for example.

But Daniel could not sit still; he wanted to experiment with an array of ideas and cuisines.

In fact, it is this will to constantly learn that triggers all his different business endeavours. “I like the excitement of learning new things, and I’ve been this way ever since I can remember,” he says. Till today, after a long evening at work in one of his several restaurants, he sits at his computer and spends hours browsing

through YouTube videos, learning more about the cuisine he’s currently interested in. Eager for new adventures, Daniel eventually placed Shoreditch into new hands and began working with entertainment magnate Frankie Grima, who became his business partner. Together, they opened numerous eateries dotted around the island.

A Foodie Empire Today, the easiest way to spot both Daniel’s success and his cuisine exploration is to walk along the area in Valletta where Old Theatre Street meets Strait Street. On the latter stands Loop Bar, a bar and café serving pizza, platters and cocktails – Daniel’s first experience in the alcohol scene.

Around the corner you can find Wagyu, which specialises in Japanese cuisine. And next door sits his steakhouse lounge Blackbull, looking over St George’s Square.

Walk down the road towards the Manoel Theatre and you will find the burger joint Burgers.Ink, which Daniel refers to as his ‘baby’.

The burger shop’s popularity and success have resulted in four outlets opening up around the island, and an upcoming outlet in Mgarr, Gozo.

It was so popular during the pandemic that it sustained all the others, Daniel says.

Not that COVID was easy for Daniel. With restaurants closed for 14 long months off-and-

/ 57

on, takeaway became the company’s lifeblood.

As he reflects on the period, Daniel admits it wasn’t easy, but it did lead to some silver linings too.

“The pandemic both destroyed me and made me,” he says. “Before COVID, I was doing well business-wise, but I was quite disorganised.

When it hit, I learnt my lesson that business isn’t a game. It made me greatly appreciate my staff and not take them for granted, and it prepared me to mentally ready myself for the worst case scenario.”

The pandemic has also refocused Daniel’s attention. Besides continuing to burst with ideas for his next big business venture, he has come to realise the importance of a factor that was, to a great extent, eliminated throughout the pandemic – quality of service. To do this, he is literally practicing what he preaches and has started working as a waiter in his own establishments. There, he learns from – and teaches – his staff, socialises with his customers, and keeps an eye on the quality of the dishes as they emerge from the kitchen one by one.

“Restaurant service is often underwhelming in Malta. There should be a balance of great food and great service, but I actually think great service trumps great food. Customers want to be communicated with and to feel comfortable when they’re at a restaurant,” he says. And it’s not only dishes from his own kitchens that receive Daniel’s watchful eye. His critique has

expanded to thousands of homes around Malta and Gozo, where viewers tune in to watch Gourmet Challenge – a cooking competition broadcast on national television. There, Daniel stars as a judge, and critiques participants’ meals. Although occasionally blunt, he believes in the importance of honest feedback to achieve necessary improvements.

So, what next?

With so much happening for the restaurateur in less than a decade, you can’t help but wonder about his future plans and long-term goals. However, for Daniel, the answer seems obvious: “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing – experimenting, working hard, keeping my staff happy. Sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing. The most important thing is that I keep trying,” he adds.

When it comes to his short-term goals, however, there is always a new idea, a new cuisine and a new establishment in mind. This time, it’s YouTube videos of pizzaiolos he’s watching, in the run up to his new pizzeria in St Julian’s. After that, who knows? Eatery ideas, like cuisines, are almost endless.

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FOREVER SUPPORTING LOCAL RESTAURANTS Lisa Grech, Managing Director of The Definitive(ly) Good Guide, explains how twenty years of success were shaken to the core and survived.

Riding high on the wave of our twentieth anniversary Restaurant Awards Gala Dinner a year ago, the team at The Definitive(ly) Good Guide Co. were basking in a sense of achievement. Apart from the special 20th anniversary edition of the annual restaurant guide publication; the most recent diversification into alternative food tours of Valletta and Mdina proved to be so popular that they had led to private tours being organised as team building experiences for local industries, as well as business travellers.

As with other factions of the hospitality industry locally, we were totally unprepared when the unthinkable happened and effectively ground our business to an abrupt halt. Cue carving out home office space as we scrambled to

work from home. Juggling homeschooling and bemoaning the fact that any outside help effectively disappeared overnight was a steep learning curve. It soon became apparent that the best course of action would be to work when the kids were asleep- up with the crows and burning the midnight oil. The first order of business was how to diversify in order to survive such an ambiguous situation sustainably.

A cost cutting exercise was implemented as staff agreed to work reduced hours in order to ease the strain of cash flow on the company coffers. Availing ourselves of the relevant annex of covid wage supplement through ongoing negotiations, due to the complex nature of our business model, was a lifeline. With the support of the current sponsors we made the decision to delay our annual restaurant survey to 2021 while the Malta Tourism Authority returned to collaborate with The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants. This collaboration will see the next guide publication as well as the www. restaurantsmalta.com portal acknowledging Quality Assured restaurants alongside the survey based award winners. The tsunami of challenging events unfolded relentlessly.

/ 59

Initially, I myself was required to quarantinewhile we set up weekly Zoom meetings to guarantee a steady workflow. Shortly afterwards, a key member of staff became our very own covid survivor! The reopening of schools heralded a welcome return to our office space, albeit sporadically and socially distanced- which felt surreal, but also a cause for celebration that we had survived what we hoped was the worst of it!

Taking the hiatus as an opportunity to brush up on our social media presence, The Definitive(ly) Good Guide’s foremost priority was to reach out to local restaurants and reassure them that we continued to be committed to supporting the catering industry through this tough time.Measures were taken to bring our Offbeat Malta Food Trails in line with health authority’s regulations, while we reached out to any catering establishments which may be interested in collaborating on future food tours. Resigning ourselves that 2020 would be a challenge, the feeling of all being in this together helped to boost the organisation’s morale. From our close contact with restauranteurs it soon became apparent that they were focusing their energy on keeping afloat until the situation improved. It was with a heavy heart that we bade farewell to some of the industry greats- most notably Patrick’s in Gozo and Panorama in Valletta; but were delighted when plans for new openings went ahead- such as Hammett’s Mestizo in St. Julian’s and Marvin Gauci’s latest venture Don Royale. This indomitable spirit of the hospitality industry spurred us on. Locals rallied to ‘eat out to help out’ with government vouchers providing a great excuse to safely socialise islanders style- where food and drink are

synonymous with much longed for self care.

Welcoming a break from cooking, Malta & Gozo’s population were only too happy to support the catering industry with weekly take-outs to mark the end of a tough week- a task facilitated by the various apps simplifying the process. Food delivery motorists quickly became part of the landscape and our restaurantsmalta website, capturing the zeitgeist and in line with their usual modus operandi, ran a survey on which were the nation’s favourite take-out options.

Judging from the feeling of island fever permeating our office, there is little doubt in our minds that wanderlust will be satiated during 2021- since we are all chomping at the bit for a getaway! Establishing Malta as a gastronomic centre in the middle of the Mediterranean remains The Definitive(ly) Good Guide’s primary goal. Our restaurantsmalta portal’s contents bear evidence of The Definitive(ly) Good Guide’s continued engagement and commitment to our advocacy role for Malta’s catering and hospitality heritage. Here’s to another twenty years and more!

We invite restaurants to keep in touch with us keeping us informed of new openings, special menus and themed nights and any other news while we keep supporting you through our website www.restaurantsmalta.com and social media on facebook and Instagram. You can contact us on info@restaurantsmalta.com. If any restaurants are interested in being a part of our Offbeat Malta Food Trails do contact us. We encourage diners to further support restaurants by rating their favourite venues in our annual survey this September on www. restaurantsmalta.com

We are happy to offer the HORECA community a complimentary copy of The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta & Gozo 20th anniversary edition, stunning in its brilliant new livery which can be collected weekday mornings from our offices at 34 Bishop’s Palace Street, Vittoriosa or the offices of HORECA Magazine, Mailbox Publishing, 229, Eucharistic Congress Road, Mosta, Tel. 9997 0282.

more than just a magazine...

Bra nd i

ultancy ons C ng

r Ma

ke

tin cy g Co nsultan

In a short time Horeca has filled the void in the hospitality industry, and today it is the principal publication in Malta covering the sector.

From the outset of the pandemic, Horeca continued to maintain contact with the local industry through an electronic version of its magazine; it also launched a series of webinars to share expert insights and opinions on issues affecting the sector.

Horeca also organises industry-focused events and exhibitions, and is actively working with a major European organiser of international events to launch a regional exhibition in Malta in the coming months. But more about this later.

Ma rke t

Research

Today, Horeca groups several experts and professionals in the industry, all with proven track records, to offer services to the hospitality industry in the following sectors: • Marketing consultancy to hotels, restaurants and other suppliers; to develop and execute an international and local marketing strategy • Branding consultancy, to launch new brands or review and update your current branding • Market research • Integrated social media strategy and support • HR recruitment and training • Book keeping and payroll services • Organisation of events

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Strategy edia M l

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Contact us on info@horecamalta.com.mt to learn more about our services and to see how we can help you optimise your operations.

62 /

Horeca directory HOTEL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES JMP & C G1 Triq tal-Handaq Tal-Handaq, Qormi Malta QRM 4000 T: 21 413 154 jmpmalta.com FRENDO ENTERPRISES CO LTD 65 Triq Joe Sciberras, Hamrun Malta HMR 1552 T: 21 237 728 frendoent.com MENSIJA TRADING CO LTD Triq il-Wasliet, Swieqi Malta SWQ 3112 M: 79 431 509 mensijatradingmalta.com KOLS LTD c/o Mount Carmel Hospital Triq l-Imdina, Attard Malta ATD 9033 T: 21 438 762 kolsltd.com C & H BARTOLI 9 Triq l-Istadju, Gzira Malta GZR 1300 T: 23 458 888 chbartoli.com THE CATERING CENTRE 8 Triq il-Mosta, San Pawl Il-Bahar Malta SPB 3111 T: 21 577 305 cateringcentre.com CONTINENTAL PURCHASING CO LTD 53, Mediterranean Bldg, Grd Level Triq l-Abate Rigord, Ta’ Xbiex Malta XBX 1122 T: 21 377 238 cpc.com.mt

OK HOME Triq D’Argens, Gzira Malta GZR 1366 T: 21 343 865 okhome.com.mt R P L ENTERPRISES 81 Triq San Pawl, Naxxar Malta NXR 4016 M: 99 499 066 INFRARED HEATING MALTA Triq il-Kappella tal-Mirakli, Attard Malta M: 77 991 381 POTTERWARE LTD 160 Crafts Village Ta’ Qali, Attard Malta ATD 4000 T: 21 414 773 SOLUTION - L LTD Triq il-Kappella tal-Mirakli, Attard Malta M: 77 991 381

RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES BAKETECH SUPPLIES & SERVICES LTD Triq il-Belt Valletta, Qormi Malta QRM 3619 T: 21 446 908 baketechmachinery.com C & H BARTOLI 9 Triq l-Istadju, Gzira Malta GZR 1300 T: 23 458 888 chbartoli.com FRENDO ENTERPRISES CO LTD 65 Triq Joe Sciberras, Hamrun Malta HMR 1552 T: 21 237 728

HOTEL LINE LTD Triq it-Tliet Knejjes, Balzan Malta BZN 1300 T: 23 458 888 hotellinemalta.com

GRECH CATERING SUPPLIES LTD Mira Bldg, Level 2 Triq Kan K Pirotta, B’Kara Malta BKR 1114 T: 21 443 307 gcs.com.mt

PROKITCHEN 92, Balzan Valley, Balzan Malta BZN 1406 T: 21 447 676 prokitchen.eu

LONGBOW LTD Triq l-Ahwa Zammit, Qormi Malta QRM 3425 T: 21 488 268 longbowmalta.com

MATTRESS COLLECTION Triq l-Imdina, Zebbug Malta T: 21 461 961 mattresscollection.com.mt

MENSIJA TRADING CO LTD Triq il-Wasliet, Swieqi Malta SWQ 3112 M: 79 431 509 mensijatradingmalta.com

LONGBOW LTD Triq l-Ahwa Zammit, Qormi Malta QRM 3425 T: 21 488 268 longbowmalta.com

MENU MAKER 17 Portico Mansions, Block E P5 Triq San Pawl, Naxxar Malta NXR 4018 M: 99 428 951

PROKITCHEN 92, Balzan Valley, Balzan Malta BZN 1406 T: 21 447 676 prokitchen.eu RENOVA CO LTD Factory M 10 Triq ilFurnara Qasam Industrijali, Mriehel , B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 T: 21 448 174 renovamalta.com THE ART COLLECTION 246 Vjal l-Indipendenza, Mosta Malta MST 9022 T: 21 438 530 THE LEATHER HOUSE

BY PINS & NEEDLES 25 Crafts Village Ta’ Dbiegi, Gharb-Gozo Gozo GRB 1143 M: 99 823 638

CRC GROUP Tilio’s Bldg Triq San Pawl, Naxxar Malta NXR Malta M: 77 419 400 DE VALIER CO LTD Commercial & Industrial Solutions Triq San Gwakkin Qasam Industrijali, Mriehel, B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 M: 77 419 400 DI ROCCO TRADING LTD Di Rocco Business Complex Triq il-Princep Albertu Albert Town, Marsa Malta MRS 1045 T: 21 227 344 diroccotrading.com ECB HOTEL & CATERING EQUIPMENT LTD 40 Triq ixXatt, Pieta’ Malta PTA 9041 T: 21 243 440 EDGAR CIANCIO CATERING EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS Triq K Darmanin, Pieta’ Malta PTA 1471 T: 21 230 508

CATERING EQUIPMENT 360 RETAIL SUPPLIES LTD Triq l-Imdina, Zebbug Malta ZBG 9015 M: 79 313 233 360retailsupplies.com ACLASS CATERING 17 Triq ir-Rifugjati talGwerra, Mosta Malta MST 4000 M: 99 875 503 AVIFILM EXPORT CORPORATION LTD 60 Triq Nofs In-Nhar, Valletta Malta VLT 1103 T: 21 244 525 BAKETECH SUPPLIES & SERVICES LTD Triq il-Belt Valletta, Qormi Malta QRM 3619 T: 21 446 908 baketechmachinery.com C & H BARTOLI 9 Triq l-Istadju, Gzira Malta GZR 1300 T: 23 458 888 chbartoli.com CONTINENTAL PURCHASING CO LTD 53, Mediterranean Bldg, Grd Level Triq l-Abate Rigord, Ta’ Xbiex Malta XBX 1122 T: 21 377 238 cpc.com.mt

FAVA TRADING Triq Mro Giuseppe Camilleri TalHandaq, Qormi Malta QRM 4000 T: 21 376 929 LONGBOW LTD Triq l-Ahwa Zammit, Qormi Malta QRM 3425 T: 21 488 268 longbowmalta.com FM ENVIRONMENTAL (MALTA) LTD A 15 B Water Technology Hse Qasam Industrijali, Marsa Malta MRS 3000 T: 21 226 172 fmenvironmental.com FRIZOLL 12a Telghet Rahal Gdid, Paola Malta PLA 1703 T: 21 806 866 frizoll.com GRECH CATERING SUPPLIES LTD Mira Bldg, Level 2 Triq Kan K Pirotta, B’Kara Malta BKR 1114 T: 21 443 307 gcs.com.mt HOTELS & HOMES LTD. Merola Showroom Triq ilWied, B’Kara Malta BKR 9027 T: 21 318 130 JOEM AUTO PARTS LTD 67 Triq Birkirkara, San Giljan Malta STJ 1301 T: 21 337 074 joemautoparts.com K C TRADING LTD K 1a Qasam Industrijali, Kordin, Paola Malta PLA 3000 T: 21 696 987 kcmalta.com

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LONGBOW LTD Triq l-Ahwa Zammit, Qormi Malta QRM 3425 T: 21 488 268 longbowmalta.com M B F & CO 5b Adonis Triq Dun Karm Psaila, Zebbug Malta ZBG 3527 M: 99 842 236 MONTDIAC COMPANY LTD Hostel Jones Triq Sir Adrian Dingli, Sliema Malta M: 99 706 003 MULTIVEND SERVICES LTD Triq in-Naggar, Mosta Malta MST 1761 T: 21 470 153 multivendservices.com

THE CATERING CENTRE 8 Triq il-Mosta, San Pawl Il-Bahar Malta SPB 3111 T: 21 577 305 cateringcentre.com

WORLDWIDE CO LTD Worldwide Bldgs Triq il-Belt Valletta, Qormi Malta QRM 3617 T: 21 447 904 worldwide.com.mt

PHILIP PACE & SONS LTD Triq l-Imdina, Attard Malta ATD 9039 M: 99 424 646 shelvingmalta.com

POTTERWARE LTD 160 Crafts Village Ta’ Qali, Attard Malta ATD 4000 T: 21 414 773 PREMIERE CUISINE LOCATION CATERING Triq il-Foss , Paola Malta PLA T: 99 821 754 premierecuisinemalta.com PROKITCHEN 92, Balzan Valley, Balzan Malta BZN 1406 T: 21 447 676 prokitchen.eu REFPRO REFRIGERATION 300 BT Buildings Triq San Tumas, Tarxien Malta TXN 1602 T: 23 956 000 refprorefrigeration.com RS STEEL Ent 4, Door 12 Triq Valletta, Luqa Malta LQA 6000 T: 99 462 824 SPITERI CATERING EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES Triq l-Arcisqof Pietru Pace, Victoria-Gozo Gozo VCT 2552 T: 21 560 779 SUGAR CRAFT 99 Triq Mons Arturo Bonnici Swatar, Msida Malta MSD 2250 M: 99 804 431

MENUS COLOUR FOCUS DESIGN AND PRINT STUDIO Crown Court Basement Level 2 Triq it-Tamar Qawra, San Pawl Il-Bahar Malta T: 21 443 553 colourfocus.com.mt GOZOCREATIONS Triq l-Ewropa, Victoria Gozo VCT 2737 M: 99445708 gozosigns.com INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS 229 Triq il-Kungress Ewkaristiku, Mosta Malta MST 9038 T: 21 423 572 innovative.com.mt LOGOGRAFIX EXPRESS 198 Triq Birkirkara Kappara, San Gwann Malta SGN 4196 T: 27 498 829 fb.com/logografixexpress MENU MAKER 17 Portico Mansions, Block E P5 Triq San Pawl, Naxxar Malta NXR 4018 M:99 428 951 fb.com/122190197832804 PIXEL SERVICES LTD Digital Press Triq Victor Denaro, Msida Malta MSD 1604 T: 21 347 432 pixelmalta.com PRINT RIGHT LTD Triq l-Industrija, Qormi Malta QRM 3000 T: 21 250 994

ARCSTUDIO LTD FAFNER House Level 3, Suite 7 Triq Nazzjonali Blata L-Bajda, Hamrun Malta HMR 9011 T:21 228 257 ATMOSPHERE 272 Triq tas-Sliema Kappara, San Gwann Malta SGN 4412 M: 99 452 934

TKS THE KITCHEN STORE 82 Triq in-Naxxar, San Gwann Malta SGN 9032 T: 22 587 420 tks-onlinestore.com

PACE PITTSFORM PRODUCTS 96 Triq Sant’ Ubaldeska, Paola Malta PLA 1408 T: 21 662 959

PORTELLI WEIGHING SYSTEMS 88, 89 Triq San Pawl, Rabat Malta RBT 1240 T: 21 459 735 ivportelli.com

THE LEATHER HOUSE BY PINS & NEEDLES PRINT RIGHT LTD 25 Crafts Village Ta’ Dbiegi, Gharb Gozo GRB 1143 M: 99 823 638

INTERIOR DESIGN

BENCINI & ASSOCIATES Design Centre, Level 1 Triq itTorri Swatar, B’Kara Malta BKR 4012 T: 21 255 001

A SCICLUNA INTERIOR DESIGN 115 Triq l-Oratorju, Bormla Malta BML 1509 M: 99 887 856

BLOW 82 Triq in-Naxxar, San Gwann SGN 9032 T: 22 587 417 studiomodagroup.com

ADRIAN MICALLEF DESIGN (AM DESIGN) Triq Giuseppe Briffa ,San Gwann Malta M: 99 463 557

BUILDING & DESIGN CONSULTANTS Dolores Bldg Triq Nazzjonali Blata L-Bajda, Hamrun HMR 9011 T: 21 246 145 bdc.com.mt

ALEXANDER CUTAJAR BE&A(HONS), PG DIP (BLDG CONS TECH) 2A AJ Maison Triq Mile End, Hamrun Malta HMR 1718 M: 99 824 232

CAMILLERI BURLO ARCHITECTS & DESIGNERS 20 Triq il-Wizna, Swieqi Malta SWQ 2300 M: 79 827 534

ANDRE PIZZUTO BE&A(HONS) MA PLANNING (LONDON) A&CE 5 Design Principle Triq Sir Joseph Carbone, San Giljan Malta STJ 1320 M: 79 603 096 ANDREW AZZOPARDI DESIGN CONSULTANT Vjal il-Wiehed U Ghoxrin Ta’ Settembru, Naxxar Malta NXR 1017 T: 21 420 472 ANTHONY BEZZINA BE&A(HONS) 18 Triq Cikku Portanier, Sta Venera Malta SVR 1732 M: 99 430 012 ANTOINETTE INTERIOR DESIGN A & D Studio Triq il-Pitkali, Attard Malta ATD 2216 T: 21 421 867 antoinetteinteriordesign.com

CARLOS MAGRO INTERIOR DESIGN 22 Sqaq San Vincenz, Zabbar Malta ZBR 1492 M: 99 459 796 DANIEL BORG BE&A (HONS), A&CE, MSC PROJ MNGT(MELIT) Triq il-Barrieri, Mosta Malta M: 79 280 889 DANIEL SCERRI PERITI (DSP) 14 Vjal De La Salle, Gzira Malta GZR 1531 M: 99 822 635 DAPHNE FENECH BE&A (HONS), MSC, CONS.TECH (MELIT), 75 CREAID Triq San Gorg , Naxxar Malta NXR 2549 M: 79 092 883 DAVID CARUANA INTERIOR DESIGN WORKS Sculptura Triq Alfred Gerada, Iklin Malta IKL 1681 M: 99 854 234

AP VALLETTA 4 Triq l-Inginieri, Valletta Malta VLT 1320 T: 21 243 981 ap.com.mt

DEREK MIFSUD 23 Catang Triq id-Dahla Ta’ San Tumas, M’Skala Malta MSK 4026 M: 79 002 245

APTC - ARSENIO PROJECTS Warehouse A.P.T.C Ltd Triq il-Ghajn Mriehel, B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 T: 21 660 850 gypsumworksmalta.com

DESIGN PRINCIPLE 5 Triq Sir Joseph Carbone, San Giljan Malta STJ 1320 T: 27 041 800

ARCO DESIGN STUDIO 149 Triq il-Kanonku Bonnici, Sta Venera Malta M: 79 069 110

DFAB.STUDIO Capital Business Centre, Ent A, Level 2, Triq taz-Zwejt, San Gwann Malta SGN 3000 T: 20 103 322

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directory

ELAINE SANCHEZ MICALLEF 43 Sqaq No 2 Triq Preziosi, Lija Malta LJA 1195 M: 79 064 088 ELIZABETH SAGUNA The Haven Triq F Assenza, Swieqi Malta SWQ 2321 M: 79 557 755 FORSITE F S DESIGN LTD Ivy Mansions Triq il-Qasam, Swieqi SWQ 3027 T: 21 383 211 forsitefsdesign.com GODWIN ZAMMIT & ASSOCIATES 90 Misrah San Alwigi, B’Kara BKR 1472 T: 21 440 068 GRETA DESIGN 3 Triq Massimiliano Debono, Lija LJA 1932 T: 21 422 281 greta-design.com IDESIGN - INTERIORS PH 4 Sapphire Court Triq il-Barriera, Balzan Malta BZN 1201 M: 99 009 198 IMPACT DESIGN 56 Triq il-Vittmi tal-Gwerra Swatar, B’Kara Malta M: 79 049 031 IVAN ATTARD 9 Chamonelle Vjal il-Wiehed U Ghoxrin Ta’ Settembru, Naxxar NXR 1017 M: 99 497 598 KZDESIGN STUDIO 7 Row E3 Triq Olaf Gollcher Ta’ Paris, B’Kara Malta M: 79 421 402 LAWRENCE MONTEBELLO & ASSOCIATES 40 Beaumont Place, Flt 1 Triq il-Kbira, Balzan Malta BZN 1259 T: 21 491 144 MANIERA GROUP 80 Triq it-Torri, Mosta Malta MST 3502 T: 21 411 790 MARCO GALEA ZAMMIT 115 Triq il-Hemel, Swieqi Malta M: 99 471 730 MARITA XUEREB INTERIOR DESIGN Triq Mons F X Zahra, Balzan Malta BZN 1153 M: 79 210 192 MARK MIFSUD BONNICI Aliki Triq il-Fortizza tal-Mosta San Pawl Tat-Targa, Naxxar Malta NXR 2303 M: 99 423 212

MARTINA MICALLEF Med Vista Bldgs, Flt 6B Triq San Mark, San Giljan Malta M: 79 300 186 MATTHEW BRIFFA L-Ufficcju Triq Hal Kbir , Siggiewi Malta SGW 3090 M: 79 257 907 MEDISTONE Vjal Sir Paul Boffa, Paola Malta PLA 9024 T: 22 482 000 medistone.com.mt MICALLEF, VERONICA, BE&A(HONS), MSC(EDINBURGH), A&CE 25 Triq il-Merhba, Fgura Malta FGR 1830 M: 79 691 341 MICHAEL ANASTASI BE&A(HONS), MSC(LOND), DIC FORSITE F S DESIGN LTD Triq il-Qasam, Swieqi Malta SWQ 3027 M: 79 000 930 MMP STUDIOS/MANGION, MANGION AND PARTNERS 37 Dolphin Court, Blk C, Apt M Triq l-Ambaxxati, Ta’ Xbiex Malta XBX 1073 T: 21 336 704 NORITA FORMOSA 85 La Hoya Triq tal-Hamrija, M’Skala Malta MSK 3573 M: 99 449 241 PAUL CAMILLERI & ASSOCIATES 127 Triq l-Arcisqof, Valletta Malta VLT 1444 T: 21 224 889 PAUL STELLINI DESIGNS 106 Triq l-Imgarr, Ghajnsielem Gozo GSM 9017 M: 99 471 741 PIPPA TOLEDO DESIGN STUDIO Garden Terrace Court Triq il-Baltiku The Village, San Giljan Malta STJ 1881 M: 21 341 367 pippatoledo.com RANDOLPH CARL BORG A&CE, BE&A(HONS), MSC(PAVIA) 98 Mirabell Triq id-Dawr, Mosta Malta MST 4316 M: 79 730 211 SANDY BONNICI INTERIORS B6 Upper Crust Suites Triq il-Keffa L-Ibrag, Swieqi Malta SWQ 2256 M: 79 594 722 sandybonnici.com SYMPHONY DESIGN HOUSE Cotswolds Close No 4 Triq Dom Mawru Inguanez, B’Kara Malta BKR 4813 M: 99 446 028 symphony.com.mt

TANTI INTERIORS Triq il-Wied ta’ l-Imsida, Msida MSD 9022 T: 20 601 107 tanti-interiors.com

BUGEJA MARBLES Triq San Gwakkin Mriehel, B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 T: 21 448 012 bugeja-marbles.com

THEHOUSESHOP INTERIORS Marina Business Centre Triq l-Abate Rigord, Ta’ Xbiex XBX 1127 T: 21 334 226 thehouseshop.com.mt

CAMILLERI MARBLE WORKS LTD Triq Hal Tarxien, Gudja Malta GDJ 1905 M: 99 468 711 camillerimarbleworks.com

VITRUVIAN HOME Sea star Triq il-Qawra, San Pawl Il-Bahar Malta SPB 1905 M: 99 636 915

CAMRAY MARBLE WORKS LTD KW 4 Qasam Industrijali, Kordin, Paola Malta PLA 3000 M: 79 993 149 camraycoltd.com COLEIRO GENERAL SUPPLIES LTD Triq il-Wied, B’Kara Malta BKR 9023 T: 21 492 082 coleiro.com

FLOORING 240 LTD - PROJEKTE GLOBAL LTD 13 T/G fi triq Valletta, Luqa Malta LQA 6000 T: 23 676 100 projektesports.com A DIFESA SEAMLESS 28 Triq in-Nassab, Qormi Malta QRM 3543 M: 79 452 975 www.facebook.com/ adifesaseamlesssurfaces AGIUS MARBLE WORKS LTD Triq il-Belt Valletta, Mqabba Malta MQB 9019 T: 21 640 202 agius.com.mt ANDREW VASSALLO GENERAL TRADING LTD Triq Hal Tarxien, Gudja Malta GDJ 1905 T: 21 692 917 / 79591338 andrewvassallo.com ANTI SLIP SOLUTIONS 39 Triq Efesu, San Pawl IlBahar Malta M: 99 990 247 antislip.com.mt BATHROOM DESIGN LTD 358 Triq in-Naxxar, B’Kara Malta BKR 9040 T: 21 441 328 bathroomdesign.com.mt

CUSTO BATHROOMS Triq Joe Sciberras, Hamrun Malta HMR 1550 M: 79 425 175 custobathrooms.com DE VALIER CO LTD COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS Triq San Gwakkin Qasam Industrijali, Mriehel, B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 T: 21 491 111 devalier.com.mt DESANA MARBLES Triq il-Buskett, Dingli Malta DGL 2709 T: 21 451 350 desanamarbles.com DEX Triq l-Imdina, Qormi Malta QRM 9011 T: 22 773 000 dex.com.mt EVOLVE BY RS GROUP Triq l-Imdina, Zebbug Malta ZBG 9018 T: 21 805 486 evolve.com.mt FLOCK IMAGE CO LTD 593 Triq San Pawl, San Pawl Il-Bahar Malta SPB 3418 T: 21 572 759 flockimage.com FLOORS OF STONE 115 Triq il-Wied Ta’ L-Imsida, B’Kara Malta BKR 9021 T: 21 496 742 floorsofstone.com.mt

BC BATHROOMS Triq Dun Karm B’Kara By Pass, B’Kara Malta BKR 2940 T: 27 495 590 bc-bathrooms.com

G R F 117 Triq l-Assemblea Nazzjonali, San Gwann Malta SGN 3034 T: 79 424 422 grfmalta.com

B&M SUPPLIES LTD Triq Dun Karm B’Kara By Pass, B’Kara Malta BKR 9035 T: 21 440 710 bmsupplies.com

HALMANN VELLA LTD The Factory Triq il-Mosta, Lija Malta LJA 9016 T: 21 433 636 halmannvella.com

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HMK INTERNATIONAL The Factory Triq il-Mosta , Lija Malta LJA 9016 M: 79 499 456 hmkint.com

MODERN BATHROOMS LTD 396 Triq Fleur De Lys , B’Kara Malta BKR 9063 T: 21 441 689 modernbathroomsltd.com

SEAMLESS SOLID SURFACES 4 Triq Guze’ Duca, Qormi Malta QRM 9088 T: 21 440 404 seamless.com.mt

IDEAL BATHROOMS LTD Triq il-Kostituzzjoni, Mosta Malta MST 1137 T: 21 423 039 idealbathrooms.com.mt

M R C D LTD Triq Karmenu Camilleri, Qormi Malta QRM 4631 T: 21 468 770 mrcd.com.mt

STONEAGE Triq San Silvestru, Mosta Malta MST 3702 M: 99 526 254 stoneage.com.mt

JGC LTD BLB051 Qasam Industrijali, Bulebel, Zejtun Malta ZTN 3000 T: 21 824 101 jgcplayon.com

PARQUET WAREHOUSE LTD 230 Vjal il-Wiehed U Ghoxrin Ta’ Settembru, Naxxar Malta NXR 1012 M: 79 496 475 www.facebook.com/ parquetwarehouse/

TESSERA Triq il-Kanun, Sta Venera Malta SVR 9031 T: 27 490 100 tessera.com.mt

MARK SCHEMBRI & SONS LTD 44 Triq Santa Venera, Msida Malta MSD 1907 21 250 112 info@msa.com.mt MELI BUGEJA LTD Triq il-Mithna, Qormi Malta QRM 3102 T: 21 444 348 melibugeja.com.mt MELVIN BORG CONCRETE WORKS LTD 5 Triq l-Ibjar, Paola Malta PLA 1540 M: 79 456 444 mbcwmalta.com MCS BUILDING SOLUTIONS 6 T/G fi triq l-Imdina, Zebbug Malta ZBG 9051 M: 79 473 038 mcsmalta.com MELVIN BORG CONCRETE WORKS LTD 5 Triq l-Ibjar, Paola Malta PLA 1540 M: 79 456 444 mbcwmalta.com

PM HOBBY DIY HOME SOLUTIONS Mriehel Bypass, B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 T: 22 988 000 pmhobby.com.mt PROJECT TECHNIK Triq il-Kanun, Qormi Malta QRM 9032 T: 21 470 988 project-technik.com RGP MARBLE WORKS Triq Gharram, Zebbug Malta ZBG 2851 M: 99 496 421 rgpmarblemalta.com R LAUTIER NATURAL STONE WORKSHOP 146 Triq it-Torri, Msida Malta MSD 1821 T: 21 340 394 rlautier.com RM FLOORING MALTA 83 Triq Hal Warda, Attard Malta M: 79 470 755

THE TILE Triq Bella Vista, San Gwann Malta SGN 2690 T: 21 371 891 the-tile.com THREE EIGHT NINE (389) LTD 2, 26 Triq Dun Xand Cortis, B’Kara Malta BKR 1531 T: 21 445 152 389.com.mt VELLMANN LTD Pantar Estate Triq Pantar, Lija Malta LJA 2023 T: 21 424 990 / 21424991 vellmann.com VELLA FALZON HOME Triq il-Wied ta’ l-Imsida , Msida Malta MSD 9022 T: 21 445 165 vellafalzon.com XMUN PROJECTS LTD Bersim Triq Il-Qalb Ta’ Gesu’, Fontana-Gozo Gozo FNT 1030 M: 79 064 535 xmunprojects.com

M-QUIP CO LTD 137 Triq Il-Madonna tal-Gebla, Gzira Malta T: 21 320 410 ABELA EMANUEL (TAL-POWERFLAUT) 3 Ritman Triq l-Ghasir, Zebbug Malta ZBG 1500 M: 99 475 655 A DIFESA SEAMLESS 28 Triq in-Nassab, Qormi Malta QRM 3543 M: 79 452 975 www.facebook.com/ adifesaseamlesssurfaces CHAR CONSTRUCTION Plot 10, Mon Cherie Triq Mons Pietru Pawl Saydon, Iklin Malta IKL 1331 M: 99 424 169 MELVIN BORG CONCRETE WORKS LTD 5 Triq l-Ibjar, Paola Malta PLA 1540 M: 79 456 444 mbcwmalta.com FRANKIE GRECH Frankie House Triq il-Kileb, Mqabba Malta MQB 1170 M: 79 425 302 FIRM LORENZO CUTAJAR 60 Triq Sant’ Anna, Floriana Malta FRN 9011 T: 21 244 189 SCHEMBRI BARBROS LTD Triq tal-Barrani, Ghaxaq Malta T: 21 808 876

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