Taxi drivers, tourist guides in Leonardo programmes

A number of taxi owners and drivers are soon to take part in a two-week training programme in Portsmouth, England.

The Malta Tourism Authority is coordinating this overseas training programme on behalf of White Taxi Licensed Amalgamated (WTLA) as part of the EU community programme Leonardo De Vinci.

The Southern Tourist Board in the UK is to prepare this programme in conjunction with "Pride in Pompey" (a Portsmouth-based initiative for taxi drivers), Portsmouth and Southampton city councils' licensing authorities, Portsmouth city council and the Taxi Driver Federation in Portsmouth.

The MTA is coordinating another Leonardo overseas training programme for the Malta Union of Tourist Guides (MUTG) in collaboration with the Italian National Association of Tourist Guides.

A number of local licensed tourist guides will attend a two-week programme in Assisi. The Maltese guides will interact with their Italian counterparts, enhancing knowledge of the links between the two countries in relation to religion, art, history, gastronomy and architecture.

Sixty hotel and restaurant staff recently took part in another Leonardo programme which consisted of a 12-week training placement in Ireland. This initiative was also coordinated by the human resources and support services directorate of the MTA.