Emirates has announced that it will resume flights to Malta as the airline expands its European network to a further 34 destinations.

The United Arab Emirates airline will be resuming its three weekly services to Malta via Larnaca starting from 14th July.

Flights will depart Dubai every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The airline had stopped all flights to Malta almost a year ago in light of the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in a number of flight restrictions and suspensions.

All local Emirates staff were made redundant at the time.

Passengers travelling to Malta will either have to present a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR before boarding.

Read the full article here: https://lovinmalta.com/news/emirates-airlines-resumes-three-weekly-flights-to-malta-via-larnaca/ 

The Maltese Olympic Committee announced that local badminton sensation, Matthew Abela, will form part of the Maltese committee at the forthcoming Olympics in Tokyo.

Abela, a six-time Maltese singles champion, has been competing in the sport from a very young age. He was introduced to badminton by his father, who also coaches. His big break happened when he was selected to join Badminton Europe’s Centre of Excellence, based in Denmark, in 2017. He spent three years gaining valuable international experience and training with the best athletes and coaches.

At just 22 years of age, Matthew has competed in countless major international tournaments abroad, from Egypt and Bahrain to Ukraine and Portugal.

The 2020 Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to take place between 23rd July and 8th August in Tokyo.

Read the full article here: https://bay.com.mt/matthew-abela-will-be-the-first-badminton-player-to-represent-malta-at-the-summer-olympics/

70% of the Maltese population received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine whilst 42% has been fully vaccinated already.

This week we met Josanne and joined her for a trek in the beautiful Maltese countryside. Josanne is one of the key event planners with Outdoor Living and has joined us on hundreds of activities throughout the years!

Away from the resorts and urban areas of central Malta, there is a surprising amount of countryside, some left almost untouched by modernity. You may be surprised to learn that only around one-fifth of the Maltese Islands is urbanised.

The Islands offer some of the most stunning views anywhere in the Mediterranean. The first thing to do is to decide what sort of view you prefer – dramatic cliffs plunging into waves, the rocky, scrubland of the garrigue or hidden, lush valleys. En route, you’ll come across mysterious, prehistoric sites, cave chapels and secluded palaces of the Knights.

Josanne showed us a trekking route along the cliff edge of the Rabat region, here she explained how ODL can also offer abseiling, climbing, zip lining and more for those that wish for an adrenaline rush!

Together we  experienced a myriad of colours and breath taking views that we are sure our guests would love to experience as the ultimate time out from busy lifestyles!

At ODL the main mission is to Develop Winning Teams through Innovative Fun Team Challenges.

Using fun and innovative team events, at Outdoor Living the aim is to connect, engage and invigorate teams.

Be it a nature trail, a high adrenaline activity, a technological team building or a  hybrid event ODL have what to offer and can we can vouch for  an unforgettable experience.

We invite you to join us to explore the other side of our islands on your next trip!

*Drone footage courtesy of Antoine Azzopardi

11 beaches in Malta and Gozo have been awarded the Blue Flag for 2021. This year the International Jury took into consideration the COVID-19 restrictions imposed on beaches all over the world and noted that the beaches in Malta and Gozo followed these restrictions in a good manner, keeping in mind the safety of beach users in mind.

The Blue Flag Beaches in Malta and Gozo are:

• Fond Għadir, Sliema
• Westin Dragonara Beach Resort, St Julian’s
• St George’s Bay, Paceville
• Qawra Rock Beach
• Buġibba Perched Beach
• Għadira Bay, Mellieha
• Golden Bay
• Ghajn Tuffieha Bay
• Ramla l-Ħamra Bay, Gozo
• Ħondoq Bay, Gozo
• Marsalforn Bay, Gozo

This week we ventured out into the countryside with Christian who explained to us the concept behind Merill Rural Network.

Merill brings together a number of farmers, breeders and artisans. Through this network, tourists and locals have the opportunity to experience the Maltese Islands’ beautiful rural areas and consume genuine local products.

The network operates as a social enterprise and its main aim is to increase awareness about local agriculture, revive traditions, and empower the rural community to diversify their income in a sustainable manner. The two main pillars of the network are Rural Tours and Local Products.

The mission is to nurture alternative experiences for locals and tourists, which contribute directly towards the conservation of the environment and empowerment of the rural communities.

During our busy morning we visited a number of local artisans as we collected local products that were then served for lunch at an idyllic traditional farm where we enjoyed local cheeses, seasonal vegetables, Maltese bread with olive oil and of course local wine!

Over the years we have brainstormed and created a number of very interesting artisanal experiences for our guests, a great combination of local traditional visits and artisanal workshops ending off with a culinary experience set in a secret hideaway!

We love to show our guests this side of the Maltese culture and we know that in turn visitors love to mingle with local people, so all in all these ‘ECO’ activities have become a very integral part of our Malta programmes, and we are very happy about this!

Our countryside is limited but it is still the perfect location for a rest from the hustle and bustle and enjoying one of these tailor made tours is a great contribution to our local society.

This week we headed down to Vittoriosa to learn about Heritage Malta’s Taste History initiative. Clive Cortis explains to us this fairly new concept that is being introduced  to Museums on the islands.

After thorough research extracted from a vastly documented evidence found in Malta from the days of the corsairs, Taste History managed to reproduce the recipes and food stuffs used in the past and bring them to life.

This activity is lead by a professional team of curators and chefs that have come together to recreate the paupers’ frugal snacks, the corsair’s celebratory dinner, the Grand Master’s wine list, the Inquistor’s lent dinner and the Merchant’s decadent dessert, bringing about results that are as surprising as the flavours which have been brought back to life. An opportunity for guests to taste Maltese and Mediterranean history. This journey can be enjoyed at the Maritime Museum or the Inquisitor’s Palace, both found in the Three Cities, the original location of the corsairs or in any other Heritage Malta site. The Taste History team are urging the general public to join expert historians and fellow learners and immerse in the changing tastes of history in 18th century Malta.

This experience is exciting and interesting as a traditional dinner or lunch event and is being extremely well received by all that have experienced the journey.

Malta is renowned for its history and we are very proud to share it with all our guests as we greet them on our islands and passionately recount the myriad of stories the island holds so dearly.

World-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli has released a new cover of Gerry & The Pacemakers classic You’ll Never Walk Alone with a music video shot entirely in Malta.

The dimly lit halls of the historic MCC set the ambiance for an emotional performance by Bocelli before the environment shifts to the iconic Upper Barrakka Gardens with a breathtaking backdrop of the Grand Harbour.

The world-renowned musician has a strong affinity for Malta, which produced its own tenor, Joseph Calleja, and even welcomed the new year with a spectacular 50-minute performance on Maltese TV.
The 50-minute set included eight songs across two iconic locations across the island – Fort St Elmo and St John’s Co-Cathedral. The decision to perform eight songs was in tribute to the eight-point cross of the Knights of St John.

Read the full article: https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/music/andrea-bocellis-latest-music-video-features-stunning-shots-of-maltas-historical-sites/?fbclid=IwAR1qfzKwRQUr9XJsHtsdKxru9xhAEhNWe2PO2Bsvsw-wGE9jsSPjJytph-4

The Malta Tourism Authority is committed to support tourism operators to confirm M.I.C.E. business to the Maltese Islands. This scheme is targeted to incentivise foreign corporate clients and associations to choose Malta and Gozo for their M.I.C.E. events in 2021 & 2022.

The M.I.C.E. segment is a very important component of Malta’s tourism industry. It is known to generate a higher than average spend per tourist and important tourism traffic in the shoulder months. The Malta Tourism Authority is committed to continue investing in this segment of industry in it’s recovery and long term sustainability. This scheme is being launched with this objective.

Applications can be submitted directly by the corporate client, Professional Conference Organizer, licensed Destination Management Companies (DMCs), Hotels and Audio-visual companies for tourism travel specifically for M.I.C.E (i.e. meetings, incentives, conference, and exhibitions) activity.

Support
A contribution will be granted towards each international delegate /registered attendee effectively travelling to attend or participate in a meeting, incentive, conference, or exhibition happening in Malta and Gozo in 2021/2022.

• M.I.C.E. events showing that a minimum of €800 is spent in the Maltese Islands per delegate are entitled to a contribution of €150 per attendee travelling from overseas.
• M.I.C.E. events showing that a minimum of €600 is spent in the Maltese Islands per delegate are entitled to a contribution of €75 per attendee travelling from overseas.

Application
Support under this scheme is subject to approval and is awarded at the sole discretion of the Malta Tourism Authority.

Applications can be submitted online on www.bit.ly/micescheme

Terms & Conditions
Any event can be supported one time only.
Applications will be handled on a first come first served basis.
Support is only payable post event.
Group size should not be less than 10 persons with a minimum stay of 2 nights in Malta or Gozo.
M.I.C.E. event program must showcase the destination in the best possible manner. Quality of service and product must always be ensured.
M.I.C.E. event spend in the Maltese Islands that can be submitted as proof of expenditure per delegate may include costs related to hotel accommodation, ground transportation, dining, excursions, team building activities, event production and logistics. International flights or other means of travel to and from the Maltese Islands are not eligible to be included in the calculation of expenditure per delegate.

Download The M.I.C.E Business Scheme Document here: https://www.mta.com.mt/en/news-details/295