Air Malta signs agreement with Serie A champions

Air Malta and Italian Serie A champions Inter Milan FC have concluded a one-year commercial agreement.

The deal, signed last week, sees Air Malta becoming the official supplier of the high profile Italian football club. This agreement paves the way for both organisations to work together on various joint marketing opportunities.

Air Malta and Inter FC have agreed on a variety of marketing and advertising opportunities during the Italian Premier League.

These vary from perimeter advertising at San Siro and advertising on interview backdrops to the visibility of Air Malta logos in commercial areas, Air Malta television adverts on mega screens at the stadium before matches, websites links and specific airline promotions both online and during matches, and brand marketing at the training grounds.

Air Malta's chief executive Joe Cappello said, "We are excited to have concluded this agreement with Inter FC. This is the second agreement we have finalised with a top football organisation. Last year we signed a similar two-year agreement with the UK Premier league club Portsmouth."

This agreement is part of the extensive marketing campaigns being undertaken by the airline to promote Malta across Europe, especially in the core markets of the UK, Germany, Italy and France.

The airline has increased the number of scheduled routes in Italy and is now operating to seven routes: Milan, Rome, Catania, Reggio Calabria, Bologna, Palermo and Verona.

"The growth in the number of routes is also reflected in the increased passenger figures. If the current trend persists, the Italian market will surpass the German one in terms of passenger arrivals," Mr Cappello added.

He went on to say that, despite the recession, the airline carried almost 250,000 passengers on Italian routes - an increase of two per cent over last year. The Milan route alone saw a traffic increase of six per cent.