Minister announces creation of consultative council to strengthen tourism sector

Tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis announced that a Consultative Committee has been introduced to revise Malta’s tourism policies.

“There are many beautiful sites in Malta that need better marketing. The revision of tourism policies is very important if we want to become more competitive. Such projects fall under the government’s plans to attract more tourists to our islands,” Zammit Lewis said.

The minister was speaking during the inauguration of six hiking trails and a landscaping project in Misrah il-Maqluba, in the vicinity of Qrendi. The trails are part of the MaltaGoesRural, a project which co-funded by the EU.

“The main aim of these projects is to attract more people interested in rural tourism to Malta. In winter, many European countries will be affected by low temperatures, while the Maltese islands will be enjoying hours of sunshine,” Zammit Lewis said.

The Minister launched six out of the nine hiking trail routes that were chosen by the Maltese Authority for Tourism. These routes will include signs that will allow tourists to follow particular trails towards villages.

These signs will be available in English, German, and French. Thanks to an injection of €21,000 from European agricultural funds, they will soon also be available in Italian.

This initiative will help the tourism business spread throughout different locations on the island, instead of congesting itself in the most popular tourist zones.

This zone forms part of Natura 2000, meaning that it is internationally recognized as a protected zone. Therefore, this project was created with full respect towards the location’s natural environment.

“It is of great importance that we continue investing in rural tourism. We are not only doing this to invest further in the tourism sector but also because we believe that our natural heritage should be preserved for future generations,” Zammit Lewis said.

He also said that Misrah il-Maqluba is an ideal location for couples wishing to spend their wedding day or honeymoon in Malta.

 “These projects are essential to our country because they link up sites of cultural interest with the heart of the village. Tourists are given the possibility to spend a few days living a typical rural life.”