Major Events Incentive Scheme

Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

General Provisions Scope The post-pandemic traveller is showing a new mindset, one which pursues transformative and meaningful travel experiences. Now more than ever, travellers want their next vacation to be their Greatest of All Trips (GOAT). Hence, the motivation to travel goes beyond the traditional sun, sea, and historical attractions. Tourists aim to create beautiful memories and splurge on experiences and excitement in the destinations they visit, with meaningful activities and participation, seeking feelings of contentment and gratification.

Within this context, events have an important part to play.

The Mass Events that this scheme aims to incentivise are those that, through their concept, brand, organisational standard and artist line-up, give the Maltese Islands a competitive edge over other destinations in the region and have the highest potential to encourage tourism to Malta from tourism source markets in Europe and beyond, for the event itself.

Scheme Overview The Major Events Incentive Scheme (MEIS) is administered through a competitive application process carried out by the Malta Tourism Authority. Applications are evaluated by the Authority’s Events and Sponsorships Adjudication Board and assessed against a set of Selection Criteria as outlined in this document.

Full adherence and compliance with the Selection Criteria are mandatory for eligibility.

However, this does not constitute a guarantee for funding.

Duration The Major Events Incentive Scheme is open for events taking place between May and December 2022.

NOTE: July and August are considered blackout periods. Therefore, applications for events taking place during these months will be automatically disqualified.

Call Period The call for applications under this scheme will be open from 23rd May 2022 and until allocated budgets are fully exhausted.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

The Authority’s Events and Sponsorships Adjudication Board will meet every week to review all submitted applications.

Applicants are encouraged to send proposals covering the period stipulated in the Duration section of this document.

Budget The total budget allocated for this scheme is two (2) million euros. No additional amounts will be added upon the exhaustion of such allocation.

Scheme Funding Funding under this scheme is based on the number of Accredited Tourists visiting Malta who attend the event. Maltese nationals and foreigners residing in Malta will not be eligible in the calculation for funding.

Support is on a per capita basis and awarded as follows: 0 – 500 tourists 501 – 1999 tourists 2000 – 4999 tourists 5000 – 10000 tourists

No Assistance @ €35.00/tourist @ €40.00/tourist @ €45.00/tourist

Assistance is being capped at 10000 Tourists per event.

The above support is calculated per event, which can be held on either one (1) day or several consecutive days.

Should an application consist of several events scattered over time, each event will be considered separately, and amounts will not accumulate on subsequent occasions.

Accreditation The Malta Tourism Authority will not disburse any per capita funds for those Tourists who attended the event and were not duly accredited before the event.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Accreditation Center Applicants must set up an accreditation centre at their own expense, which shall be operative from at least five (5) working days prior and up to the day of the activity itself.

The accreditation centre is to be located either within the perimeter/vicinity of the event area or in any other place as mutually agreed with the Malta Tourism Authority.

The Accreditation Centre is to be manned by the applicant, whilst the Malta Tourism Authority will have its officers on-site to oversee the process of the scheme.

Accreditation Methodology Tourists attending the event will be asked to produce the following documents for accreditation purposes: • • •

Flight Ticket Passport Event Ticket

Once the Event Ticket is successfully accredited, the bearer will receive an official bracelet to be worn before admission to the event’s security checkpoints.

MTA reserves the right to collect further data, or samples thereof, which may include but are not limited to: • • • • • •

Country of origin Level of hotel or accommodation used Average spend throughout stay The means of how they became aware of the event Satisfaction levels Any other info that might be needed for future decisions/assistance

Designated Authority The Malta Tourism Authority administrates the Major Events Incentive Scheme.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Contact Information Major Events Incentive Scheme, Malta Tourism Authority, Suite 301 – 306, Building SCM 01, SmartCity Malta, Ricasoli SCM 1001, Kalkara.

Email: sponsorships.mta@visitmalta.com

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Definitions • •

• • • • •

•

‘Authority’ is the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA).

‘Call’ or ‘Call for Proposals’ refers to the communication issued by the MTA, announcing the publication of the competitive application process and inviting interested operators to submit their applications by a set deadline.

‘Malta’ includes Malta, Gozo and Comino.

‘Maltese Islands’ include Malta, Gozo and Comino.

‘Ministry’ is the Ministry for Tourism of Malta.

‘Low-season’ refers to the months of January, February and November.

‘Mid-season’ (also referred to as ‘shoulder months’) refers to the period from 16th September to 30th October, the month of December, as well as the period from 1st March to 15th June.

‘Peak season’ refers to the period from 16th June to 15th September.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Criteria Eligibility Criteria All applications need to satisfy the eligibility conditions under this section before proceeding to the proposal evaluation stage.

Who can Apply?

Natural or legal persons operating within the private sector and registered voluntary organisations may apply.

An applicant may submit one or more applications for different events under the same call. However, there cannot be more than one application by the same or other applicant for the same event.

Eligible Activities An event is considered eligible under MEIS if the total cost of the event is at least €200,000 and if it does NOT fall under any of the following categories: • • • • • •

Meetings Annual General Meetings Promotional / Business exhibitions Exhibitions Expos (showcasing products/services in a business-to-business environment) Trade Shows

Ineligible Applications Applications with the following will be deemed ineligible: • • • •

Applications that are not submitted using the proper Application Form and Annexes.

Unsigned applications.

Applications received outside the dates and times stipulated in the Call.

Incomplete Applications (whether in the application or annexes).

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Selection Criteria The following criteria will be used during the MEIS Proposal Evaluation Stage: I.

Timing of Event, vis-à-vis MTA’s strategy objective to increase tourist inflows during the off-peak period (Low and Mid Season).

II. The generation of additional tourism arrivals exclusively for the event to the Maltese Islands (Expected Inflows).

III. Uniqueness of the Event and Visitor Experience in line with MTA strategy.

IV. The international media exposure generated by the Event.

V. Matching with Brand Malta Values and Value Added to Brand Malta.

VI. Source Markets targeted vis-à-vis airline availability/capacity.

VII. The International Standard of the Artist / Brand proposed.

VIII. Replicability of the Event.

IX. Social and Environmental Considerations.

X. Equality of Opportunity and Accessibility.

XI. Presentation Quality and Delivery (Level of detail in management, financial viability and transparency, as well as the marketing aspect).

Scoring Sheet The support will be awarded subject to the availability of funds and the number of applications received that have achieved a pass mark. Awards will be based on how the event scores against the criteria.

Maximum Points Available 200 Pass Mark 100

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Criteria Criteria

Points

Timing of Event, vis-à-vis MTA’s strategy objective to increase tourist inflows during the off-peak period (Low and Mid-Season) Points Low-Season Mid-Season High-Season

30 points 20 points 5 points

Expected Tourist Inflows - 5 points for every 1000 (incoming tourists)

Up to 30 points

The uniqueness of the Event and Visitor Experience in line with MTA’s strategy.

Up to 20 points

Economic Value Added associated with the event.

Up to 20 points

The event’s international media exposure, including coverage showcasing Malta’s landscapes and attractions.

Up to 20 points

Matching with Brand Malta Values and Value Added to Brand Malta.

Up to 20 points

The International Standard of the Artist / Brand proposed.

Up to 20 points

Replicability of the Event.

Year 1 – 10 points Year 2 – 5 points Year 3 – 3 Points Year 4 onwards - 0 Points

Up to 10 points

Social and Environmental Considerations.

Up to 10 points

Equality of Opportunity and Accessibility.

Up to 10 points

Presentation Quality and Delivery (Level of detail in management, financial viability and transparency, as well as the marketing aspect).

Up to 10 points

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Application Process Contents of Submission An application cannot cover more than one event but can contain a series of the same event over a period of time. Some applicants may also submit more than one application for separate occasions.

Submissions must include the following documents: I. II. III. IV.

Annex Annex Annex Annex

1 – Completed Application Form 2 – Marketing Plan 3 – Financial Plan 4 – Economic Impact

Applicants must substantiate, by example and evidence, how their event meets the selection criteria and any other criteria specified in the respective Call for Proposals.

Only typed and non-editable type format applications will be accepted.

Applicants may also be asked to submit further information and documentation.

Declaration by the Applicant In the application form, applicants are to state if: I. They have ever been bankrupt.

II. They have pending direct or indirect taxation or social contribution dues.

III. They have unspent criminal convictions bearing more than three (3) months of effective imprisonment..

If any of the above bear an affirmative answer, the application will be automatically disqualified.

Method of Submission The only method of submission shall be through Electronic means.

Applications must be submitted to the MTA at the email address: sponsorships.mta@visitmalta.com, titled as follows: MEIS 2022 – (name of the event).

Receipt Acknowledging Submission Every applicant will receive an email acknowledging receipt of the application and related documents. This will be sent on the email indicated in the application form.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Evaluation Process The Adjudicating Board All applications will be evaluated by the Events and Sponsorships Adjudicating Board composed of a Chairperson, three (3) voting members and a Board Secretary. All four (4) members of the board and the Board Secretary shall be appointed by the Minister for Tourism. The Board may, when deemed necessary, appoint independent experts to assist in the evaluation process. The Board also reserves the right to request any further information from the Applicant.

All board members must declare their impartiality and any conflict of interest that they might have with respect to any application before the evaluation process; Independent experts shall likewise declare any conflict of interest in writing before delivering any form of advice. This shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

Evaluation Phase All Applications received within the open call period will be assessed by the Events and Sponsorships Adjudicating Board against the Selection Criteria.

Right of Refusal The Events and Sponsorships Adjudicating Board shall have the right to refuse to fund an event (even after committed) should it come to its attention that the Applicant or the Beneficiary of the Event has a severe default.

Applications will be refused if the event is double funded and such double funding is not declared in the Application.

The Malta Tourism Authority reserves the right to refuse to fund an event, or cancel the funding if, in its opinion, the event shall cause reputational harm to the country.

Outright Disqualification Any direct or indirect contact with any member of the Events and Sponsorships Adjudicating Board other than via the official channels is considered a severe breach and will lead to automatic disqualification of the proposal.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Award Process The Adjudicating Board will rank all applications based on their score rating following the evaluation stage. Funding depends on the available budget; therefore, applications that make it through the evaluation stage do not necessarily get funded. If residual funds become available, either through withdrawal of funded events or from savings registered in other events, applicants will be notified by order of merit.

Notifications • The evaluation results will be published on www.mta.com.mt.

• Applicants that have been successfully selected to receive funding will also be informed via an email sent by the Secretary of the Events and Sponsorships Adjudicating Board.

Communication will also include the value of the awarded support.

• Unsuccessful applicants will receive an email from the Secretary of the Events and Sponsorships Adjudicating Board outlining the evaluation’s conclusions.

Signing of Agreement Following the award and appeals process conclusion, the successful applicant/s will be invited to sign the Support Agreement with the Malta Tourism Authority.

The operator shall be obliged to provide a CSR scheme for locals to attend the event; both parties shall agree on the scheme.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Post-Event Reporting All beneficiaries must submit, not later than sixty (60) days after the last day of the event, a comprehensive report containing: I. II. III. IV. V. VI.

A summary of the Event – date/s, time/s, location/s, activities held.

Feedback from tourists on their overall experience in Malta.

Feedback from attendees on the event.

Local and International Marketing and Media impact.

Economic Impact.

Overall conclusion.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Payment Payments will be affected as follows: •

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10% of the total amount of funds eligible (based on the rate per tourist as specified in scheme funding multiplied by the total amount of estimated tourists attending the event, will be paid within thirty (30) days of signing the Support Agreement.

The remaining balance shall be paid as agreed with the Authority.

Overstated Projections Penalties Any overstated projection on the number of tourists eligible for funding less than 20% being the maximum accepted margin of error shall incur a penalty equivalent to the same rate per capita awarded on the shortfall less the accepted margin of error.

Such penalties are to be paid to the Authority by not later than thirty (30) days from the notice letter.

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Malta Tourism Authority Major Events Incentive Scheme

Rights of the Authority I.

From time to time, MTA may issue updates to these guidelines. It is the responsibility of the applicants to submit their proposals in line with the latest version and clarifications as published on the authority’s website www.mta.com.mt.

II. The MTA reserves the right to request up to fifty percent (50%) of the sponsorship value in complimentary tickets for any event.

III. The MTA reserves the right to require the Applicant to use MTA’s ticketing platform.

In the event of alternative arrangements, the Applicant shall give real-time access to MTA for auditing, marketing and logistical purposes.

IV. The MTA reserves the right to require the Applicant to provide access to relevant databases of travellers/companies produced by the event to be used by MTA for research/marketing purposes, in line with Chapter 440, Data Protection Act of the Laws of Malta.

V. The MTA reserves the right to request from the Applicant any information that may be required for auditing purposes.

VI. The MTA reserves the right to hold any person from entering the venue of any sponsored Event should this be required for security purposes.

VII. The Applicant shall allow access to MTA staff during the Event.

VIII. The Applicant must provide the necessary clearance from talent guests or artists to be available for interviews by foreign media and influencers invited by MTA to cover the event.

IX. The Applicant must provide the MTA with relevant evidence such as hi-res photography and HD videography (both royalty-free), media clippings, artist testimonials, social media links, etc., relating to the event.

X. It is the Applicant’s responsibility to inform the MTA of any change in the status or circumstances of the application, including changes in date, location, event, name, and program. The MTA reserves the right to reassess the funding and sponsorship agreement if any changes occur.

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For further information please contact the Malta Tourism Authority on E: info@visitmalta.com and T: (+356) 2291 5000