A delegation of Maltese researchers, entrepreneurs and top officials from public entities and local councils have attended the official launch of Prisma in Sicily.

Prisma is a project on a new concept in tourism being explored in Malta as part of a Structural Funds Programme for Malta 2004-6 project part-financed by the European Union.

The project will explore the potential in Malta and Sicily for "Integrated Relational Tourism" (IRT), which is a departure from traditional tourism, offering the tourist the possibility to immerse himself/herself and taste local culture and traditions in the particular region or locale being visited.

Through the integration of small and medium-sized operators and the use of advanced technology IRT aims to provide a future alternative, yet sustainable, form of tourism.

The visit to Sicily was divided in two parts. The first included a visit to Syracuse, where the group was hosted by GAL Val D'Anapo, a co-operative group that promotes relational tourism in the area, and shown around various historical, cultural and agri-tourism sites.

The second witnessed the official meetings in Palermo in which the Maltese researchers, entrepreneurs and officials met their Sicilian counterparts to share ideas on the project.

Prisma falls under the Community initiative INTERREG IIIA Italy-Malta Cross-Border co-operation programme and the partners are the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) from Malta and ARCES University College of Palermo, which is the project leader, the Assonautica Palermo, the Department of Public Works - Regione Siciliana and Val D'Anapo Local Action Group from Italy.

As the Maltese partner, the ITS will co-ordinate all the initiatives and activities that will be carried out in the Maltese Islands.