Pan-European roadshow to sell Malta in French-speaking markets

The German agency chosen as the Malta Tourism Authority's international communications partner will launch a pan-European roadshow to offer Malta a street presence in the French-speaking markets next year, moving on to others in the following years.

A new advertising campaign will kick off this September, the MTA's annual conference on Tourism Towards Tomorrow, held at the Dolmen Resort Hotel, in Bugibba, was informed yesterday.

The agency, Media Consulta International Holding AG, has been awarded a three-year contract following a lengthy international tendering process. It will be responsible for an annual account of €7 million for advertising and marketing communications services, with the option to extend for another year.

Media Consulta is the only German agency to have a network covering the 27 EU member states and candidate countries. Its new integrated communication strategy was yesterday introduced to tourism experts and stakeholders.

Having one agency representing the country's tourism interests in its core markets was expected to ensure a coordinated and clear message, Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech told the conference.

The mood was upbeat at the conference, with buzzwords like "vision", "determination", "cooperation" and "commitment" being bandied about by the minister and MTA's chairman and CEO.

CEO David Mifsud said the past few months had been crucial for the local tourism industry. It was a time for make-or-break decisions to be taken. It was time to turn the tide and for substantial change to be made within the authority.

"We have managed to create new work modes, more effective structures, strengthened motivation and also to bring about a reversal of fortune in tourism figures," he said.

The formulation of the Marketing Plan 2008-2010 was almost complete, and the MTA was embarking on ambitious EU-funded projects to improve Malta's product offer, while working on cleanliness, the upgrading of beaches and rehabilitating areas within tourism zones.

In the coming months, the MTA would be undertaking a number of initiatives to facilitate the further development of the accommodation component, Mr Mifsud said. Standards, for example, needed to establish a clear distinction between different ratings, especially between four- and three-star.

"We need to develop policies to help align the accommodation supply with the needs of our segment-based marketing strategy. The development of the right type of accommodation could be instrumental for the success of the marketing strategy," he maintained.

The MTA would also be analysing the current bed stock supply to identify shortages or oversupply, as well as the types and volume of accommodation required.

"This will present an opportunity for the development of new accommodation, or for the conversion of existing establishments to more appropriate and successful operations," Mr Mifsud said.

"Radical changes in travel trends, patterns, likes and dislikes, new competitors sprouting up at every turn, the 'flavour of the month' factor are changing the face of the global tourism trade.

"We predicted a downward turn in the tour operator market... but no one could have seriously predicted how rapidly this is coming about! These huge shifts in tourism trends and patterns require that the industry becomes more dynamic in its efforts to continuously attract tourism towards Malta," he said.

To deal with the rapid changing of the international scenarios head on, the necessary resources were required, Mr Mifsud hinted, encouraging personal agendas to be put aside.

Speaking nine months down the line in his role of MTA chairman, Sam Mifsud said initial results were gradually beginning to show. But there was still a lot to do.

He commended Air Malta for the way in which it rose to the occasion, operating in a far more competitive arena and adapting to the new circumstances in an "excellent" way.

The winter and spring overseas campaigns seem to have had positive effects across the board, he said. From November to March, tourist arrivals increased by seven per cent (almost 20,000 tourists) but, unfortunately, the upturn at year's end was not enough to reverse the fortunes of 2006 as a whole.

"These past few months have been tough. However, things would have been much tougher had it not been for the immediate support of the key industry players," Mr Mifsud said.

Dr Zammit Dimech joined the commitment chorus, saying that a recent study placed Malta in 26th position in terms of the competitiveness of the tourism industry in 124 countries.

He said SmartCity and the new hospital would create new tourism flows.

The low-cost component of the tourism mix was going from practically zero two years ago to close to a likely 16 per cent by the end of next year, he added. "Some may say it is not fast enough, but the big-bang approach was too risky for Malta's circumstances," he argued.

The new round of European regional development funds would bring about a new investment boost, focusing on the more vulnerable sectors of the industry including tourism operators in Gozo and St Paul's Bay, and three- and two-star hotels.