Valletta 29/09/2022
 

Malta Tourism Observatory Launched

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The Malta Tourism Observatory was officially launched on Thursday 29th September 2022 during a press conference addressed by the Minister for Tourism, Clayton Bartolo.

In his address, Minister Bartolo said that this Observatory will work in synergy with stakeholders in the tourism sector to drive innovation and sustainability. Furthermore, this Observatory can also be viewed as a "watchdog” that safeguards the implementation of the Malta Tourism Strategy 2021-2030, with its 125 proposed goals. “It is pointless to have a strategy on paper, never to be implemented,” Minister Bartolo said. “The Observatory will help to ensure that this does not happen.”

Malta Tourism Authority CEO Carlo Micallef, who will also be chairing the Observatory management board, stated that "the Observatory will be a small but very important development in the execution of the rethinking and revitalisation objectives of the national tourism strategy, in the belief that it will contribute, strongly, towards the transition to a more sustainable, quality-driven approach to tourism management and development in the Maltese islands."

MTA Deputy CEO Leslie Vella, who is the Observatory’s Managing Director, explained how the setting up of this Observatory will bring Malta on par with other tourism destinations which have already such an organ in place. He added that the Observatory will be uniquely positioned to "give an extensive view over all aspects of tourism..."  Vella also explained that the Observatory will be manned by two fulltime employees, directed by a management board.  A number of "Advisory Groups" shall be set up by the Malta Tourism Observatory to focus on specific areas, appointed from relevant Government entities, institutions, organisations, and NGOs.

The Malta Tourism Observatory shall be responsible for a range of activities dealing with the development of tourism in the Maltese Islands. It shall align itself with the work and practices of other established Tourism Observatories worldwide, and shall also be charged with the execution, monitoring, updating, and communicating of progress concerning the Malta Tourism Strategy to 2030. 

The press conference was followed by the first meeting of the Malta Tourism Observatory management board.