Joseph Tanti, Head of Human Resources Development - The key to the success of the Maltese Tourism Industry is to offer quality service by ensuring value for money

364 Transport Operators Attend MTA Training Programme

Over 364 transport service providers have participated in the Merhba training programme organised by the Malta Tourism Authority in collaboration with ADT. The participants included 132 taxi drivers, 98 bus drivers, 47 ADT Dispatchers, 54 coach drivers, 14 car hire operators and 19 horse drawn carriage drivers Karrozzini. The demand for this kind of training was so overwhelming that the programmes had to be repeated in order to accommodate this demand. This was announced by MTA’s Chief Executive Officer David Mifsud during the certificate presentation ceremony held at the ADT’s offices in Pietà.

The Merhba training programme is aimed at improving customer care skills of transport operators and related support services. During the 32 Merhba training programmes the delegates were given information about how to improve communication with tourists and provide them with helpful information about Malta. In this respect participants were also taken on guided tours to various historical locations in Valletta in an effort to explain the historical significance of these locations.

The Merhba training programme was one of the five main activities forming part of the ‘Tourism and Support Services Training Programme’ (TSSTP). The TSSTP was part funded by the EU from the 2004/2006 Structural Funds and by the time it is complete at the end of September 2007, over 800 people would have been trained. The development of this project arises primarily from the need to provide for a holistic approach towards training and human resources development in tourism and tourism-support services. The programmes cover the whole spectrum of sectors where there is contact between the host and the tourist, and were free of charge to all participants.

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The MTA implemented this programme with the support of a consortium composed of MISCO, JP Advertising and Irish company ‘Optimum Results’, who looked after the training, PR and information dissemination. This contract was awarded by public tender.

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The ‘Industry Human Resources Development Unit’ within the MTA is responsible for the development of national human resource development initiatives for the tourism industry. For further information please contact the Industry HR Development Unit at the MTA on 22915122/3/4 or email training@visitmalta.com