Chief Executive of the Malta Tourism Authority, Josef Formosa Gauci addressing the seminar

MTA Seminar on Creative Tourism Marketing

“There is a need for skills and competencies that enable people to embrace change as an opportunity and to be open to new ideas in a culturally diverse, knowledge-based society”.  This was stated by the Chief Executive of the Malta Tourism Authority, Josef Formosa Gauci, whilst addressing a seminar aimed at supporting the continuous professional development of those who operate within the tourism industry.

The seminar,  with the theme: Marketing Tourism Products and Services Creatively, was part of a series of innovation seminars organized by the MTA’s Industry Human Resources Development Unit. This well-attended and well-received seminar served as a means whereby emerging opportunities and threats that tourism-related businesses in Malta are encountering could be discussed in more detail.

Branding, particularly destination branding, along with a discussion on a ‘product positioning’ strategy for Malta were outlined by Adrian Said, Director EMCS Ltd.

Dr Jim Hamill, from the Department of Marketing at the University of Strathclyde, delved deeper into the new buzz word of Tourism 2.0 explaining its key features and applications. Making reference to Bob Dylan’s song ‘The times they are a-changing’, he underlined the challenges and opportunities faced by the tourism industry today.

Thanks to the collaboration of the Tourism Studies Association (TSA), Dr Jim Hamill delivered another talk to University students following their degree course in B.A. (Hons) Tourism Studies and also had the opportunity to visit the Institute of Tourism Studies and to learn about new developments at the Centre for E-learning Technologies.

For further information regarding other training-related activities, kindly contact MTA IHRD on 22915124/5 or email training@visitmalta.com

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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. This is done through promoting a service culture within the industry thereby raising service standards; through building a strong liaison with employment, education and training institutions on actions required for the industry; and through the implementation of EU funded projects relating to human resources development.