[WATCH] Isle of MTV 2016 to be streamed online in digital first

Isle of MTV 2016 to be streamed online in digital first

50,000 people are set to flock to Floriana tomorrow for the the first night of a week-long music festival that will for the first time feature online streaming and social media interaction.

This year’s edition of Isle of MTV is expected to bring together a crowd of 50,000 people, and as one of the longest running MTV events, the key to its success is concurrent 'consistency and evolution', says Vice President of Creative and Integrated Marketing Viacom Velocity Intl, Russell Samuels.

“Music fans know they will attend a consistently excellent festival while evolving accordingly,” he said.

By way of example, Samuels mentioned streaming the event live online, airing a series of prime time recordings on the screens and the addition of a Snapchat team who will be documenting the event as some of this year’s additions.

“Audiences will receive an unprecedented, on demand, viewing experience,” he added.

Tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis commented that the festival attracts mostly youths between the ages of 15 and 24, not only from across Europe but also beyond.

“Over the ten years that Isle of MTV has been held in Malta, the number of visitors to the island within this age group has more than doubled,” he said, , speaking at a press conference at the Granaries in Floriana in front of the Isle of MTV stage.

Zammit Lewis attributed the success of the marketing team to the early announcement of the date of the event, which was released around a year ago.

“The advertising campaign has been carefully planned, and the promotional aspect was fully exploited and maximised. These events give Malta a formidable platform to open itself to markets that we normally would not have the budget for,” the minister said.

He added, also, that organisers were stepping up security throughout the event this year.

“We have to accept that we are living in the Mediterranean, in Europe and in the world. Taking recent events into consideration, the Isle of MTV organisers as well as the Malta Tourism Authority are being extra cautious. Safety and security are our priority.”

On this, Malta Tourism Authority Chairman, Gavin Gulia, remarked that tourism is not about numbers, but it is about the product.

“Malta has more to offer than sand and sun. The growth of the tourism industry is the direct result of the hard work carried out by the staff of the Malta Tourism Authority and private stakeholders.”

Zammit Lewis concluded by exemplifying the corporate social responsibility of the event; handing Floriana mayor Davina Sammut Hili a letter, the minister explained that the Tourism Authority was providing the Floriana local council €20,000 to go towards a community project as compensation for all inconveniences caused during the event.