World Report

The island nation is reinventing itself with a new marketing plan, all in an effort to revitalize the sector. And it’s working.

The government is restoring old buildings, roads, monuments and beaches to improve the tourism product and beautify the island.

n this day and age, branding is a part of life. As a world of consumers, we are primed to understand that a name or a logo can represent an entire concept, whether it is as small as a household item or as large as a country. This is why the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) is taking steps to establish a brand for Malta that will allow a more efficient and effective marketing of the country’s already thriving tourism industry.

The project has been split into two equally important parts: external and internal branding. At a sector workshop held last July, working groups looked into optimal ways of presenting Malta abroad, based on comparative evaluations with other countries’ promotion exercises. One key decision has been to focus on marketing and sales rather than marketing and promotion as in the past. Another has been to operate Malta’s tourism sector on a segment basis, dividing potential markets into seven separate areas and targeting each accordingly.

“We’re very much in the age of specialisation,” says Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud, executive chairman of the MTA. “Obviously our product offer determines what business segments we can target, but we also depend on market intelligence. In order to set targets for the coming year, we have analysed the trends in the various segments in order to carefully plan our marketing approach.” With the appropriate information and market research comes additional confidence. “We know that our targets are achievable. We know that our strategies are doable,” he adds.
The seven tourism segment teams established by the ministry and the MTA will be working hand-in-hand with advisory groups from the private sector, appointed by the industry itself, in order to capitalise on the wealth of knowledge available. All the segments will be coordinated by a director of marketing and sales, and four annual meetings will be held to identify weaknesses and provide continuous support.

Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud
MTA Chairman

‘Our mission here is to enrich each visitor’s life. A smile costs nothing’

But a brand isn’t just built in an office, it depends on the people of Malta as well as external factors, according to the executive chairman, and plans are under way to develop an internal branding campaign. This will target the main players in the country’s tourism industry in an initial phase, and will eventually be introduced to the general community. “This is perhaps the biggest challenge,” says Mr Lungaro-Mifsud. The MTA will send promotional packs to key industry stakeholders, and hold training seminars to recover what he refers to as “the basics”. “Malta is a mature tourism destination and, although we are well-known for our hospitality, it is easy to start taking levels of tourism for granted,” explains the MTA head, who sees each Maltese citizen as a potential brand manager. “Our mission is to enrich each visitor’s life. A smile costs nothing,” he adds.

Three factors influence Malta’s strategies for revitalising the sector: high development costs, high operating costs, and a limited carrying capacity. This means that instead of going for increased volume, the country is looking to stand out from competition through quality and standards. “Standards are a long-term investment,” says Mr Lungaro-Mifsud.

An internal branding campaign is well underway

The government plans to set in motion the restoration of monuments, old buildings, roads networks, and beaches in its bid to improve the tourism product offer and the standards of service. “The aim is to bring in more revenue. The aim is to be able to charge a better rate,” explains Mr Lungaro-Mifsud. “Again it all boils down to the brand. The branding is so vital. Explaining to every one of us what we can do on basic terms improves our standards. Malta is improving but there is still a long way to go. Branding is the key,” he adds.