VisitMalta Italia is gearing up for a robust promotion strategy across the final months of 2023 and into 2024, following its remarkable success earlier in the year that was highlighted by an exceptional performance in July.
The upcoming promotional efforts will revolve around several key themes. Initially, the focus will be on the concept of Last Escape to the Sun, targeting the market segment that prefers annual holidays in September. An out-of-home (OOH) campaign was already launched in August in Milan, running until the end of September. A national OOH campaign will follow from October 2, shifting its focus to the History & Culture and Outdoor segments.
Furthermore, there will be a campaign within the COIN network, a national retail circuit, utilizing advanced LED walls and external maxi walls in December and mid-January, coinciding with the pre-Christmas and sales period. This outdoor campaign will strategically target Italian cities with direct flight connections to Malta, with the aim of boosting Italian tourist arrivals during the winter season. These campaigns, along with coordinated digital advertising, seek to enhance Malta’s visibility as a tourism destination and drive sales for Malta’s tour operators.
In a recent collaboration with Il Sole 24 Ore, an advertising campaign encompassing press, radio, and digital media has been launched. This campaign targets a high-spending and culturally engaged audience, primarily in the finance sector, aged between 30 and 65+. It includes entrepreneurs, investors, and individuals connected to Italian medium and small businesses. Simultaneously, a radio campaign will run on national networks such as Deejay, Capital, and M20, along with a digital campaign on programmatic platforms and social networks, including TikTok, catering to various target demographics.
In addition to advertising, MTA will initiate projects centred on inclusiveness and sustainability. This includes a photographic exhibition titled No Woman is an Island in Milan from October 6 to 26, focusing on Gozo’s landscape and female travel. In October, a press trip will bring the TV documentary Viaggi in Carrozza to Malta, where two hosts travel the world using hand bicycles and wheelchairs. They will discover Malta, Gozo and Comino, their natural and cultural attractions and practice several sports, focusing in particular on sustainability.
These initiatives align with MTA’s new communication campaign, maintaining its original English branding for the Italian market. VisitMalta Italia aims to utilize the campaign’s modular features to engage different target demographics, reflecting the diverse Italian market.
“The new campaign was officially presented to the press on 26 September with an event hosted by Six Senses Rome which represents the flavours of the new look of Malta. VisitMalta Italia will use the new campaign to its full potential by exploiting its modular characteristics and allowing for dialogue with different tones and sentiments according to the target which in Italy is very varied according to the geographical areas,” says Ester Tamasi, Director of Marketing for the MTA in Italy.
“Our challenge is always to find the new key to explore/tell/describe the destination on order to attract new niche market with a new concept and idea of travel,” she added.
All nationwide communication efforts during the winter season will emphasize last-minute bookings, particularly in January and February. Additionally, MTA Italia’s one-to-one interactions with trade and MICE sectors will continue, with a focus on recruiting new luxury tour operators.
Carlo Micallef, CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority commented: “Promoting Malta in Italy transcends mere destination promotion; it’s about cultivating profound connections between two cultural and historical treasures. Malta’s enduring allure, marked by its historical richness, natural splendour and warm hospitality, harmonizes beautifully with the Italian ethos of art, passion, and the pursuit of la dolce vita.”
“This is referenced by the significance that the Italian market holds to our industry. Between January and August 2023, total inbound tourists from Italy amounted 389,059, recording an increase of nearly 40% when compared to the same period in 2019 (pre-pandemic year). This means that Italy is once more the biggest market of inbound tourism to Malta during this time. Italian tourists generated a total of 1,672,592 nights with an average length of stay of 5.7 nights. Total expenditure amounted to €166.2 million, an increase of 48.3% when compared to the same period in 2022. By seizing this opportunity, we are not just marketing a locale; we are building a bridge between two nations, crafting experiences that will create lasting memories,” concluded Mr. Micallef.
