First Mediterranean world travel conference to be held in Malta

The first Mediterranean World Travel Conference, known as Medworld Malta 2004, will be held on February 26 and 27 at the Westin Dragonara Resort.

The conference is organised jointly by the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) and leading tourism research and consultancy firm IPK International - the World Travel Monitor Company.

The conference is to address the Mediterranean's status as a world tourism destination based on the statement: "Today, the Mediterranean is the world's number one tourism destination... but it risks becoming yesterday's destination."

On the basis of this theme, the conference organisers highlight the fact that the Mediterranean is susceptible to a number of interconnected issues which represent both challenges and opportunities for operators in the tourism sector.

Medworld will be addressing four key, related issues under these themes - accommodation, transport, sustainability and sales channels.

"Medworld Malta 2004 is planned not as a one-off event, but we are looking on this initiative as the beginning of an interactive process among stakeholders in the Mediterranean region," Marie-Louise Mangion, senior manager, Strategic Planning and Research at the Malta Tourism Authority, said.

Opening addresses at the two-day conference will be delivered by Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech and MTA CEO Leslie Vella, who chairs the European Travel Commission Research Group.

An outstanding panel of 21 leading personalities from the tourism industry will be making presentations at the conference, providing first-hand information from the various aspects related to and affecting the industry, as well as representative of a wide range of responsibilities and countries of origin.

These include such personalities as Tom Jenkins, executive director, European Tour Operators Association; Rok Klancnik, chief of Press and Communications, World Tourism Organisation; Rolf Freitag, chairman of IPK International; Jean-Robert Reznik, general manager, Accor Leisure Group; and senior officials from the tourism sector of Morocco, Monte Carlo, Slovenia, Egypt, Croatia, the Balearic Islands, Italy and Malta.

"Medworld is offering a unique opportunity for the benchmarking of ideas, products and strategies against an expert outlook on the future of tourism in the Mediterranean," Marie-Louise Mangion said. "Conference participants will have the opportunity to gain an insight into the bigger picture by getting the right information, at the right time, from senior industry specialists."

Medworld will present participants with the opportunity to hear speakers from main operators in the international industry talking on what can be improved in the tourism sector so as to increase business.

Full information on Medworld Malta 2004 is available at www.medworld.com.mt