WBJ:  Can you share some insights into the initiatives or strategies that Malta is currently employing to attract more Polish visitors, especially considering the ambitious goal of reaching 200,000 tourists from Poland annually?

John Mary Attard: Our strategy is anchored by a great message: Malta is a year-round destination with 300 days of sunshine. Encapsulated in our slogan is the idea to "Explore more...". Our strategy is based on three core elements: geographical planning, demographic targeting, and motivation-driven marketing. With this new tagline, we can now focus on distinct segments, catering to the varied interests of our audience across different markets and at different times of the year.

We will aim at maintaining a comprehensive 360-degree marketing approach, covering every part of a customer's journey and interaction with our brand. This entails utilizing various marketing channels, online and offline, to deliver a unified and consistent brand experience. Our goal is to offer personalized, targeted messages to potential customers through multiple touchpoints. We are executing this strategy on many levels.

Firstly, we are talking to airlines such as Wizzair and Ryanair to open more flights to Malta from major Polish airports. Thanks to our efforts, by the end of March people from 7 Polish airports (Warsaw-Chopin, Warsaw-Modlin, Kraków, Wroclaw, Gdańsk, Poznań, Katowice) can fly to Malta every week. There will be more opportunities to see/experience Malta in the "dead" season of winter rather than during the summer holidays.

Secondly, we are developing cooperation with major tour operators. By the end of 2023, we joined forces with Wakacje.pl, the biggest online and offline travel company. At the beginning of 2024, we started cooperation with another big travel brand - Itaka. However, we recognized that this alone was not sufficient. We also started engaging influencers to visit and experience Malta and then share their experiences with their communities and followers.

It's also worth mentioning the TV projects. Last year, in collaboration with ESKA TV, which is the most important brand among TV channels for Polish Gen Z, we produced the Maltese edition of the program "ESKA on the beach". At the end of 2023, viewers of the WP TV channel enjoyed a Maltese episode as part of the new season of the program "Jedziemy na wakacje." This episode was made possible through our partnership with Wakacje.pl and the WP TV channel (Wakacje.pl being part of the Wirtualna Polska media holding).

From the 25th of February, on the Canal+ Kuchnia TV channel, you will be able to watch "Jakubiak rozgryza Maltę", another TV production that we launched last year. All of this is producing tangible results. According to data from Wakacje.pl and Travelplanet, Malta ranks as the third most popular winter destination for Poles in 2024.

Now we can announce that the year 2023 was a special period in the history of Maltese tourism. A psychological threshold was crossed in terms of the number of tourists who visited our country. More than 3 million people visited last year. Compared to 2019 - a record year for Maltese tourism - this was an increase of more than 8%. More foreign visitors also meant more income for the country's budget. In 2023, tourists injected €2.7 billion into the Maltese economy - 20% more than in the aforementioned 2019 (€2.25 billion). More than 167,000 Polish tourists visited the Mediterranean country last year. Compared to the pre-epidemic period (2019), this was one of the two largest increases (60%) with 63,000. Only Italy recorded a larger increase (155 000). Poland is once again one of the top 5 European countries in terms of tourist traffic to the Maltese Islands. This makes the pillars of our tourism development more diversified and therefore more stable and healthy.

What aspects of Malta's offerings do you believe resonate the most with Polish tourists? In other words, what are Poles typically seeking when choosing Malta as their travel destination?

Regardless of the time of year, Malta has a lot to offer. Basically, it's the one place in Europe where it's almost always sunny and warm (from October to May). With a flight time of just 2-3 hours, Malta is conveniently close for Polish travelers. Additionally, the Mediterranean allure holds a strong appeal for Poles, who are drawn by the region’s reputation for good weather, proximity to Europe, along with the opportunity to explore diverse attractions and savor local cuisine.  

In summer, Poles flock to Malta for sun-soaked beach holidays, particularly in the northern part of the island. Many also come to experience events like the Isle of MTV Malta. During spring, Malta attracts Polish visitors seeking religious experiences or eager to explore the filming locations of popular movies such as Napoleon, Gladiator, Troy, and Game of Thrones. The allure of Malta's cinematic settings continues to grow, with the island set to host the filming of Gladiator 2. Active holidays and visits to Gozo, a sister island of Malta, are in turn driving forces in attracting Polish tourists, especially in the current winter months.

If it's possible, they like to take a short break (a few days off) and go to Malta to discover new things. Malta is at the crossroads of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. We're Christian but our language comes from the Semitic family. We're bilingual (Maltese/English) and our food is mostly rooted in the Middle East. We're a small country and the most LGTBQ+ friendly place in the world. As a former part of the British Commonwealth, we also offer great holiday English schools. I think Poles choose Malta because it's an open place: for singles, couples, families, pilgrims and architecture lovers.

Malta seems to be drawing interest from Poles looking to invest in housing or second homes. Could you elaborate on the possibilities and incentives available for Poles interested in real estate investment in Malta?

The impact of tourism on other sectors is enormous. It is worth mentioning that 30% of GDP is generated by it. So it also affects the growth of real estate. A lot of people are investing in renovating and opening boutique hotels because that's the future of the sector.

Another promising aspect is the rise of remote workplace business models. With an increasing number of IT/tech companies implementing benefit programs that include 'remote offices' for employees, Malta emerges as an attractive destination. Imagine working for an IT/tech company that offers you the opportunity (especially in autumn or winter) to travel to Malta and work from a charming residence, enjoying delightful weather with sunny and warm days.

Malta has excellent connectivity with various parts of Poland. With the increasing popularity, do you anticipate any challenges in managing the growing interest, especially on an island with limited land resources?

A few years ago, the Maltese Ministry of Tourism set a target for the number of inbound tourists. It's around 3.5 million visitors per year. In order to manage year-round tourist traffic, we are focusing on building our position as a year-round destination. Another thing is that Malta isn't just a sun and beach destination. That's true, but it's only part of the tourist experience that this country can offer.

That's why we are developing specialties like religious tourism, screen tourism, gastronomic tourism, LGBTQ+ tourism. To underline how important the gastronomy sector is to us, in January we appointed Joséf Bonello as wine ambassador for the Maltese Islands. His mission is to create a brand identity for the wines of Malta and Gozo, and the Mediterranean, through his vast experience (over 30 years) and love of wine. 

We also organized the first Mediterranean Tourism Forum in Valletta at the end of last year. Together with our colleagues from Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Libya, Italy, Palestine and Spain, we launched a joint initiative to build sustainable tourism through collaborative actions and to promote the Mediterranean as a great tourist destination. At the onset of 2024, we embarked on the second phase of the 2021-2030 Tourism Strategy, which is centered on reimagining the tourist experience through a quality tourism approach. Central to this strategy is the emphasis on sustainable tourism, which serves as one of its key pillars.

Given the trend of workation and international job opportunities in Malta, have you observed an uptick in the number of Poles considering permanent relocation to Malta? If so, what factors are driving this shift?

According to the latest data from the Maltese Ministry of Finance, there are 106,000 foreign workers in Malta. It's a big number when compared to the total population of Malta (about 500,000 people). About 2,000 of them are from Poland. As many Poles are returning to Malta, some of them are deciding to stay longer or permanently. The post-COVID effects, including the increased popularity of remote work, could serve as a catalyst for attracting more affluent Polish individuals to Malta. Initiatives like the Polish Pavilion at the Malta Art Biennale 2024, scheduled to open in March, are expected to further bolster this trend.

In 2024, sustainability and ESG considerations are prominent. As an island, how is Malta addressing the challenges associated with sustainability? Are there specific initiatives or policies in place to ensure responsible tourism and environmental preservation?

By sustainability in tourism, I mean, first of all, tackling seasonality. We can no longer think of tourism as a "temporary" sector with temporary jobs. That's a dead end at the moment. Tourism should be managed on a year-round basis. That's why Malta decided to become a year-round destination.

Any new investment related to the construction of hotels or resorts in Malta must comply with strict environmental restrictions. We are also encouraging the hospitality industry to invest in green solutions. Moreover, Malta will invest EUR 700 million in green spaces by 2030. Nature and green recreational areas will become green lungs for urban centers. This will make Malta a green Mediterranean archipelago.  

Visit Malta: visitmalta.com/en/

John Mary Attard, Regional Director of the Malta Tourism Authority, Warsaw office