During the inauguration of The 2016 MFC Weddings and Exhibition Fair, Minister for Tourism Edward Zammit Lewis stated that one of the important goals within the National Tourism Policy isthat of ensuring and providing the best service quality all year round.
The development of a cosmopolitan, yet very Maltese, offer is managing to capture the imagination of potential visitors, especially independent travellers who seek to create and ‘tailor-make’ their own experiences. This distinct feature is complemented by easier accessibility toward Malta from a growing list of European gateways, as well the availability of a diverse and quality-assured base of accommodation options, the Minister for Tourism said.
As a result, the Minister explained that the growth of a number of tourism niche markets, amongst which is that of weddings and honeymoon tourism, is very tangible. “Our commitment to promoteMalta and Gozo as an exquisite destination for wedding tourism is surely bearing fruit. In 2012, 682 marriages were registered between foreign couples, equivalent to 27% of total registered marriages.
By the end of 2015, registered marriages between foreign couples in Malta increased to 835, thereby marking 32% of the total marriages. We are now pleased to note that between January and October of this year there were already 884 registered marriages between foreign couples, meaning that the figure registered last year was already surpassed by 6%, and we still have two months remaining until the end of the year”.
The Minister for Tourism noted that this niche is expanding into other source markets, as our marketing efforts, paired with those of wedding organisers, hotels, and related service providers, are yielding positive results, as we are currently witnessing an increase in weddings celebrated on ourshores by couples originating from Germany, Poland, Hungary, Scandinavia, Italy, and also as faraway as Japan.
“In terms of overall tourism, we are aiming that by the end of 2017, we surpass the figure of two million tourists. This means that that we would have managed to increase tourism arrivals by half a million arrivals in just four years. Furthermore, we recognize the importance of air connectivity inorder to continue achieving these positive results targeting specific new source markets. I am pleased to announce a substantial growth in the airline schedules for this winter, starting off this month as we continue to make inroads with regards to one of our policy objectives, that is,drastically reducing seasonality patterns”, continued Minister Zammit Lewis.
During his concluding remarks, while thanking the organisers and all exhibitors, the Minister acknowledged the ever-growing professionalism which has characterised all the service providers within this sector and that has contributed considerably towards the successful development of this weddings and honeymoons tourism market, which now cannot be simply considered as a niche.
Photo DOI
