The Deputy Prime Minister of Bavaria, Ilse Aigner, and Malta’s Germany Ambassador Albert Friggieri recently inaugurated this year’s Travel and Leisure Fair ‘f.re.e.’ in Munich. Malta featured prominently in this year’s edition as it was the fair’s partner country.

With 1,200 participants from 60 countries and an exhibition area of 70,000 square metres, the five-day fair is the largest of its type in Bavaria. More than 130,000 people visit it every year. Malta’s special participation, which involved publicity in all principal areas of the fairgrounds and in the media, as well as a large stand, was coordinated by the Malta Tourism Authority’s office in Frankfurt, headed by Martin Frendo.

In a speech before the joint ribbon-cutting ceremony with Ms Aigner, Dr Friggieri highlighted Malta’s robust economy, its dynamic tourist industry and the wide-ranging Valletta 2018 cultural programme. He referred to the many relations between Malta and Bavaria in various sectors which, besides tourism, include the manufacturing and services industries.

The Ambassador later showed Ms Aigner around the Malta stand, where she could taste some culinary specialities prepared by chef Victor Aquilina and admire the talent of expert filigree-maker Nicholas Magro.  Dr Friggieri also welcomed the Bavarian Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, to the Malta stand, who gave interviews to journalists. During the fair, the Paul Curmi Folk Dancers, led by Eldridge Curmi, gave numerous performances.

Also present was Malta’s Honorary Consul for Bavaria, Malik Englmaier, accompanied by his wife, Birgit Englmaier.

Bavarian Deputy Prime Minister Ilse Aigner (centre) with the fair’s director, Reinhard Pfeiffer, and Albert Friggieri on the day of the inauguration of the Munich Fair.