The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) has been accepted as a luxury travel partner into Virtuoso®’s exclusive portfolio, comprising more than 1,700 preferred suppliers in 100 countries. According to Michelle Buttigieg, MTA’s U.S. representative, inclusion in Virtuoso will open up new sales and marketing opportunities for Destination Malta, an archipelago located in the Mediterranean Sea, to the network’s more than 11,400 luxury travel advisors and their highly desirable clientele. Virtuoso agencies sell more than (U.S.) $15.5 billion annually, making the network the most significant player in luxury travel.
“Adding Malta to our family of Virtuoso preferred destinations creates new opportunities for our affiliated travel advisors,” said Angela Roditi, vice president, Alliances at Virtuoso. “European travelers are well acquainted with Malta’s unique historical, cultural and scenic appeal, and now Virtuoso advisors in 42 countries will have access to information and training that will encourage their clients to experience it. Sophisticated travelers are always seeking out exciting destinations to discover, so we look forward to elevating Malta’s profile among our worldwide network of luxury travel agencies.”
“Virtuoso’s acceptance process is incredibly selective, so becoming a preferred partner is a true honor,” said Michelle Buttigieg. “We look forward to now offering Virtuoso advisors and their clients the opportunity to discover the Maltese islands with unique experiences that surpass their expectations.”
Malta joins Virtuoso’s collection of the finest luxury hotels, resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour operators and other suppliers worldwide. These partners, which specialize in world-class client service and experiences, provide Virtuoso advisors, and therefore their clients, with superior offerings, rare opportunities and exceptional value. These prestigious providers are able to market to Virtuoso clients via network vehicles and to Virtuoso agencies through multiple communications channels and events. Those include Virtuoso Travel Week, luxury travel’s largest worldwide sales and networking event, and Virtuoso Symposium, an elite summit for the network’s top agency and supplier principals.
Paul Bugeja, CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, said that “the value of Malta’s membership in Virtuoso is that it provides MTA access far beyond the U.S. market, allowing for direct relationships with the world’s leading leisure travel agencies in North and Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.”
“The timing for acceptance in Virtuoso could not be better,” said Michelle Buttigieg. “Destination Malta is riding a wave of popularity in the U.S. It has recently been featured on several high-profile ‘places to go’ lists in 2016 and 2017, including The New York Times and National Geographic Traveler. Malta itself is now resonate with festive celebrations as it gears up to Valletta 2018, when this historic port and Malta’s capital will have the designation of European Capital of Culture. It is a great time for Virtuoso advisors to be offering their clients a new, vibrant, diverse destination to explore.”
The sunny islands of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, are home to a most remarkable concentration of intact built heritage, including the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in any nation-state anywhere. Valletta built by the proud Knights of St. John is one of the UNESCO sights and the European Capital of Culture for 2018. Malta’s patrimony in stone ranges from the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, to one of the British Empire’s most formidable defensive systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious and military architecture from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. With superbly sunny weather, attractive beaches, a thriving nightlife and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do. For more information, go to visitmalta.com
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