Advantage, the leading consortia of travel agents in the UK, has confirmed Malta as the destination for their 2012 conference.

The event will bring over 500 independent retail travel agents in April next year, with the meeting taking place at the Hilton Malta Conference Centre.

Commenting on Malta hosting this prestigious travel trade conference, Malta Tourism Authority CEO Josef Formosa Gauci said:

"We are thrilled at this opportunity being given by Advantage to host their 2012 event in Malta. It goes without saying that the exposure that will be given to the Maltese islands will be significant and will provide an excellent platform to promote and showcase Malta's diverse offering to over 500 front line travel specialists."

Colin O'Neill, Sales and Marketing Director at Advantage Travel Centres, said:

"Malta as a destination has gone through a process of significant investment and development which we are keen to share with our members and preferred business partners. The conference is the ideal opportunity for delegates to get to know the islands better and we'd like to thank the Malta Tourism Authority and Air Malta for inviting us."

The National Association of Independent Travel Agents, (NAITA) was formed in 1978 as a commercial buying group of likeminded independent travel agents.

Throughout the 80s the association grew to over 600 travel agent members.

In the early 90s the brand name Advantage was adopted and the association increased its profile within the industry.

Today, they have close to 800 members, a combined turnover of £3 billion and are the foremost independent travel consortium in the industry.