Malta Enterprise and Transport Malta, supported by the Malta Business Aviation Association, co-ordinated Malta’s participation in the Middle East Business Aviation fair in Dubai last week.
The Maltese delegation sought to showcase the island’s wide-ranging offering in the aviation industry to numerous high-profile visitors.
Other exhibitors on the Aviation Malta stand included the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, DC Aviation Ltd, Executive Training Institute (Malta), International Management Services (Malta) Ltd, Aeronautica (Malta) Ltd, 3a (Malta) Ltd, BizAv Services Ltd, and Fenech & Fenech Advocates.
Malta’s aviation industry has grown exponentially in recent years. The sector is expected to grow even further with the establishment of a revamped and ambitious aviation register that builds up on the success of sectors such as the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry, flight training and other supporting services.
Malta has one of the largest maritime registers in the world, and the country is seeking to emulate this success with an aircraft register which would lead entities seeking to benefit from sound legislation and an advantageous tax regime to register their aircraft in Malta.
Maltese authorities are easily accessible, a factor that is much appreciated by foreign investors. Some of the world’s leading MRO companies, such as SR Technics and Lufthansa Technik have set up operations in Malta in an aviation park that is currently being built to upgrade the infrastructure required by this industry sector.
The sector’s growth has also benefitted from Malta’s proximity to major destinations in Europe, the Middle East and north Africa, a strategic location which was also important for the development of the chartering sector.
Responding to the increased demand generated by these developments, Malta has boosted its educational services to offer training in fields such as aircraft maintenance engineering, flight training, cabin crew training as well as handling of dangerous goods on aircraft.
The multilingual environment in the country also facilitates the provision of other services such as back-office support and call-centre operations, while the ICT industry also comprises companies which provide tailor-made software for the aviation industry.
Legal, tax and aviation consultation and management services in the country are also of a high standard, ensuring clients’ expectations for a complete service are met.