The Mediterranean, bastion of tourism, enjoying all the natural assets such as a fabulous climate, hospitable inhabitants, is certainly the best story in the world to tell to tourists staying in the different countries of the Mediterranean. It is in this spirit that Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association launched the first Mediterranean Tourism Forum with the aim of bringing together public and private stakeholders sharing a common interest in Mediterranean tourism. The success was immediate and more than 800 delegates from 32 different countries participated in the last Forum.
With this in mind, the Maltese Government supported the idea that the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation be established with the clear aim of promoting the sustainable growth of Mediterranean economies, thereby creating the foundations for peace and stability in the region. In addition to promoting dialogue through the organization of forums throughout the region, the Foundation also manages the Mediterranean Institute for Tourism Studies and also serves as a catalyst to promote events that enhance the regional tourism experience and product. The MTF project is supported by the Maltese government, HOTREC, which brings together hotels, restaurants, cafes and similar establishments in Europe, as well as the International Federation of Tourism Journalists and Writers (FIJET).
The next Mediterranean Tourism Forum will be held on March 16 and 17, 2017, at the Hilton Conference Center – Malta. This exclusive summit will allow hospitality leaders, thinkers and experts from around the world to develop ideas on issues that could impact the future of our industry. Indeed, the chosen theme will be the Mediterranean hospitality of tomorrow, thus responding to the new trends that are rapidly redefining today’s hospital environment and the important strategic changes influencing the playing field.
As a patron of the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation, Her Excellency Marie-Lousie Coleiro Preca, President of Malta, will pay tribute to the participants with her presence at the next Mediterranean Tourism Forum. Other guests include: representatives of the main tourism operators in the Mediterranean, Susanne Kraus Winkler (Austria), President of HOTREC, Ministers of Tourism from the Mediterranean region, Members of the European Parliament, Manfred Kaiser (Italy), Senior Vice President of Retail at Micros Systems, Dr Tijani Haddad (Tunisia), Former Minister of Tourism Tunisia and President of FIJET, Dr Hisham Zazou (Egypt), Former Minister of Tourism of Egypt, Hamid Bentahar (Accor Gestion Maroc), Maestro Bruno Santori (Italy), symphony conductor, Daniel Surya (Indonisia), President of the WIR Group, Nick Vilardel (Las Vegas), 360Brandvision, Prathish Nair (India) Transcend, Dr Barbaros Kon (Turkey), President Humanica, Angela Fenech (Malta), owner of Hilton properties in Malta, Alfred Pisani (Malta), founder and president of Corinthia Hotels, David Xuereb (Malta), Managing Director of QP Management, Bill Price (London), CEO of WSP, István Ujheli, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Transport and Tourism in the European Parliament, Murat Ersoy (Turkey), owner of Etstur, Atlasjet and Etsgroup, George Saliba (Malta), Special Envoy Secretariat of the Mediterranean Union, Claudio Baglioni (Italy), popular singer, CEOs and presidents hotel and restaurant associations from across the Mediterranean region, as well as other delegations from different parts of the world and tourism stakeholders who have a particular interest in the Mediterranean.
The Mediterranean Tourism Awards will also take place on 17 March 2017 at the Mediterranean Conference Center during a gala dinner organized under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Malta, the Honorable Joseph Muscat.
