About 300 high-level European delegates are expected to attend a wide-ranging conference on tourism in Malta later this month.

The European Tourism Forum focuses on maintaining Europe attractive as a top destination, Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said.

It will also focus on the implementation of a new tourism policy framework approved recently by the European Commission.

The framework comes with an increasing appreciation at EU level of the role tourism plays in respect of the European economy. Recent statistics indicate the industry contributes about five per cent to Europe’s combined GDP and supports about 1.8 million businesses and 10 million jobs.

The sector is even more important for Malta where some estimates suggest it may account for as much as 25 per cent of its GDP and support about 40,000 full and part-time jobs.

This is the second time Malta will host the conference, a similar event having been held here in 2005. This year’s conference will be held at the Golden Sands Hotel, in Mellieħa between November 18 and 19. It will be jointly organised by EU Belgian presidency, the European Commission and Malta. Belgium was the only other country that had hosted it twice since the conference started being held annually in 2002, Dr de Marco pointed out.

It will bring together a number of high ranking speakers, including European Commission vice-president Antonio Tajani, ministers and regional and international organisations involved in the industry.