Kevin Drake, Director Marketing & PR and Joe Cassar CEO Kunsill Malti għall-iSport

Sports tourism scheme launched

Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism Dr Mario de Marco and Parliamentary secretary for Youth and Sport, Clyde Puli launched the Sports Tourism Scheme in a press conference held recently.

The aim of this scheme is to attract more sports based tourism to our Islands. The MTA and the Malta Council for Sport have created a joint fund worth €200-250k per annum, so that local sport clubs and associations can help attract more foreign athletes and sports people to train and practice their sport locally. For the launch of the scheme for 2009, the joint fund is of €100,000.

Dr de Marco stated that according to research carried out by the MTA, around 80,000 tourists travel to Malta for sports, of which around 50,000 are for diving. Our weather and small size - which makes going to facilities and sites very easy, our accessibility from numerous airports, our talent for languages and sense of security offered, all make Malta an ideal destination. He added that there is still scope for development in this ever expanding sector. The funds available will be useful for clubs and associations to organise international seminars, training camps and competitions, thus attracting tourists to attend these events.

Parliamentary Secretary Clyde Puli, stated that this scheme has two main benefits, the clubs and associations can help bring more tourists to Malta in these trying times, whilst they will benefit from funds per bed night generated thorough these events and benefit from the experience of meeting international athletes and clubs. The Hon. Puli stated that around 60,000 bed nights were generated over a 3 year span from 2006 - 2008 by sport tourists who visited Malta for sporting events registered with the Malta Sports Council. This figure does not include private events or the diving industry.

This scheme is in line with Government’s policy to attract international events, not merely as sporting events, but in the shape of conferences, seminars and training camps, which could serve to increase tourists in what are considered off peak and quiet months.

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Is-SegretarjU Parlamentari għat-Turiżmu Mario De Marco, u s-Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ u l-Isport Clyde Puli jniedu l-iskema Turiżmu Sportiv

Bl-għan li jkunu attirat aktar turiżmu sportiv lejn pajjiżna, is-Segretarjat Parlamentari għat-Turiżmu u s-Segretarjat Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ u Sport ħolqu fond li jlaħħaq €250,000 fis-sena biex niedew skema li biha Assoċjazzjonijiet u Għaqdiet Sportivi Maltin jattiraw atleti u sportivi minn pajjiżi oħra ħalli jipprattikaw l-isport tagħhom f’pajjiżna.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Mario De Marco qal li skond stħarriġ tal-MTA, is-sena l-oħra, kellna aktar minn 80,000 turist li ġew Malta apposta biex jippratikaw xi sport; b’50,000 minnhom ġew għall-għadis. Huwa rrefera għall-fatt li l-klima tagħna, l-aċċessibbiltà minn diversi pajjiżi, il-lingwi differenti li nitkellmu, id-distanzi żgħar bejn il-lukandi u l-faċilitajiet sportivi, l-akkomodazzjoni tal-ogħla livell, u fuq kollox is-sigurtà f’pajjiżna jagħmluna post ideali sabiex inkomplu niżviluppaw dan is-settur.

Dr de Marco qal li permezz ta’ din l-iskema l-Gvern se jkun qiegħed jgħin lill-għaqdiet sportivi sabiex jagħmlu użu min-netwerks internazzjonali tagħhom u jidħlu għall-organizzazzjoni ta’ attivitajiet internazzjonali bħall-konferenzi, seminars, kompetizzjonijiet u training camps li permezz tagħhom jiżiedu t-turisti li jiġu Malta għal dan il-għan.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Clyde Puli qal li din l-iskema fiha żewġ benefiċċji primarji. L-isportivi Maltin se jużaw l-kuntatti internazzjonali tagħhom sabiex jgħinu l-pajjiżna jibni niċċa turistika oħra fi żmien ta’ ċirkostanzi diffiċli. Fl-istess waqt l-isportivi se jibbenefikaw minn fondi għal kull bed night li jġibu lejn pajjiżna waqt li jgawdu mill-esperjenza ta’ atleti u klabbs barranin f’pajjiżna.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Clyde Puli qal li bejn l-2006 u l-2008 l-ammont ta’ turisti sportivi li żaru pajjiżna minħabba avvenimenti sportivi organizzati minn għaqdiet reġistrati mal-Kunsill Malti għall-Isport, ammontaw għal kważi 60,000 bed night jew 20,000 bed night fis-sena. Dan in-numru ma jinkludix is-settur ta’ l-iscuba diving u attivitajiet sportivi oħra organizzati mill-privat.

Clyde Puli qal li l-iskema mħabbra għandha mhux biss tassisti u tinċentiva l-għaqdiet sportivi Maltin iżda wkoll iżżid l-ammont ta’ avvenimenti sportivi internazzjonali f’Malta u konsegwentement iżżid il-bed nights.

Il-finanzjament ta’ l-iskema ser ikunu qed joħroġ nofs mill-Kunsill Malti għall-Isport u nofs mill-Awtorità Maltija għat-Turiżmu. Matul l-ewwel sena ta’ din l-iskema il-fond allokat se jkun ta’ €100,000. Fis-sentejn ta’ wara l-ammont ser ikun ta’ mhux anqas minn €250,000 fis-sena.

L-iskema konġunta bejn il-Kunsill Malti għall-Isport u l-Awtorità Maltija għat-Turiżmu se tkun qed tgħin lill-għaqdiet biex ikunu preparati b’mod professjonali fl-istadju ta’ bidding kif ukoll biex ikunu attirati u organizzati avvenimenti internazzjonali lejn pajjiżna.

Din l-inizjattiva tikkumplimenta l-ħidma tal-Gvern li jattira avvenimenti internazzjonali f’Malta li mhux bil-fors ikun f’forma ta’ logħob kompetittiv imma wkoll jistgħu ikunu training camps u konferenzi. Din l-iskema għandha tgħin fiż-żieda ta’ turisti li jżuru Malta speċjalment fix-xhur meqjusa kwieti għas-settur turistiku.