March 2007
Messina comes to Victoria and the Palace • New committee meets tourism minister over 'northern triangle' • FTI Malta relocates • Unwind at the Westin's ORVM • P & A Sullivan named destination specialists • Air Malta relocates Brussels office • Lebanese food festival at InterContinental • AMITEX '07 slated for end-April • The Arches under new management • Exchange visit to Brussels for hoteliers • MIA sponsors Maltese Olympic Committee • Air Malta employees support Dar tal-Providenza

Messina comes to Victoria and the Palace

Sliema, 28/03/07 - Mario Messina is the Victoria Hotel's new front office manager. His responsibilities include the overseeing of operations for both the Victoria and the five star Palace - scheduled to open in June.

Claire Xuereb, the Victoria general manager, said Messina's "vast experience in the category of five star hotel management makes him an ideal choice for the new structure which includes both the Victoria and the Palace hotels".

With 32 years in the hospitality industry, 52-year-old Messina brings with him extensive experience that will serve him in good stead at the two properties.

New committee meets tourism minister over 'northern triangle'

Sliema, 28/03/07 - The St Paul's Bay Tourism Joint Committee composed of representatives from the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), St Paul's Bay Local Council, the General Retailers and Traders Union (GRTU) and the St Paul's Bay Bars and Restaurants Association met the Minister for Tourism and Culture, Francis Zammit Dimech, together with officials from Malta Tourism Authority to discuss how best to address the needs of St Paul's Bay, Qawra and Bugibba - the northern triangle.

An agenda for discussion was presented to the minister listing a number of proposals that included a calendar of events to revamp this important tourist area. A third of all tourists to the island book accommodation in the area, but more needs to be done to attract more visitors in order for all establishments in the area to be sustainable, the committee claims.

The newly established committee plans to work closely with the Ministry for Tourism and Culture and the Product Development Directorate of the MTA to address a number of issues "which, once resolved, will make the area more attractive and inviting to locals and visitors to the area".

The projects earmarked for Qawra, Bugibba and St Paul's Bay, are certainly welcomed by the commercial community in these areas since these will certainly enhance the product on offer.

FTI Malta relocates

Qormi, 27/03/07 - FTI Services Malta has moved from Sliema to new offices in Qormi.

Finserv, FTI's accounting outfit, moved to the new offices in December. Now, the company's other departments have relocated to the FTI Centre, Guze Duca Street, Qormi QRM 06. Email addresses remain the same, however the general telephone number is now 22737570 whilst the new fax number is 22737520.

Unwind at the Westin's ORVM

St Julian's, 22/03/07 - The Westin Dragonara Resort has refurbished its lobby lounge bar, making it into one of the most "luxurious hotel piano bar lounges in the industry". The revamped lobby lounge, now renamed Orum Bar Lounge and Piano Bar (left), in art deco style also offers free WiFi.

The predominant colour of the restyled bar is orange: its shades apparent in the onyx panels that illuminate the dark wood of the imposing bar. The brown, beige and blue tones of the furniture, in leather and chenille, are a modern interpretation of the spirit and charm of the roaring '20s, punctuated with late art deco design elements. Bright turquoise and fuchsia cushions scattered on the plush sofas instil the Mediterranean warmth Malta is famous for, "making Orum a place to live, and also to experience".

The name Orum implies gold, from the Italian oro, signifying the luxurious and plush decor. It also comes from the Latin word forum, a meeting place, where people congregate and interact - a social place that one has to experience.

Orum can also be found at the Westin Excelsior Rome and the Westin Excelsior Florence.

The Orum Bar Lounge and Piano Bar opens every day from 08:00 to 01:00. Unwind, a new Westin evening ritual happens every day at the Orum from 18:30 to 20:30.

Unwind is a new signature social experience introduced at the end of February by Westin Hotels & Resorts that features the tastes, sights and sounds of each destination. From lessons on mixing a Bellini in Venice to learning about fine Scotch whisky in Scotland, to whipping up guacamole in Tucson, to a tai chi lesson in Beijing, each of the Westin brand's 129 hotels worldwide have carefully curated social experiences that are rolling out in hotels.

Designed to bring new energy to its hotels, the Westin Unwind events transform each lobby into a gathering spot, encouraging guests to socialise, helping to combat the loneliness many travellers can experience on the road. A recent study by Westin found that that 34 per cent of frequent travellers feel lonely while away from home.

"By transforming our lobbies from a place guests pass through to an inviting social and sensory setting, Westin hopes to provide a richer guest experience, where guests can indulge, socialise and maybe even learn a new skill to bring home from each destination", said Sue Brush, senior vice president, Westin Hotels & Resorts. "If we can provide our guests with a place to relax at the end of the day, lift their spirits and perhaps meet new people in a warm environment, we believe we are doing our job well."

To set the stage for its signature evening rituals, Westin lobbies evolve from day to evening through a variety of subtle sensory cues - everything from music, to scent, to lighting. Warm, natural lighting is dimmed at the start of the evening while scented candles are lit and carefully placed around the lobby. "Westin music moves from the background to the foreground with musical cues and selections that change from day to night. Westin has partnered with eMusic, the world's largest digital retailer of independent music, to develop the custom soundtracks for Unwind".

P & A Sullivan named destination specialists

Sliema, 22/03/07 - Travel retailer and DMC P & A Sullivan has been appointed "destination specialist" for the Signature Travel Network of America. The network groups some 4,0000 travel agents in the United States that specialise in upscale clients. .

A representative of the company said that in spite of the weak dollar, Malta offers excellent value for money throughout the year, "especially at the five star properties on the Island".

Air Malta relocates Brussels office

Brussels, 15/03/07 - Air Malta's office in the Belgian capital has moved to: Place de Brouckère Plein 22/4, 1000 Brussels. For toll free reservations call 00 800 66 222 111 whilst the office's fax number is +32 2 513 60 67. E-mail addresses are administration@airmalta.be for administration and reservation@airmalta.be for reservations.

Lebanese food festival at InterContinental

St Julian's, 15/03/07 - A six day feast of Lebanese cuisine, wines and entertainment will be celebrated at the InterContinental Malta's Carissa Restaurant at the end of March.

Lebanese senior sous chef Kassem Ahmend El Ashek and maitre d' hotel Hassan Bassel from the InterContinental Hotels Group are flying to Malta to treat Carissa Restaurant patrons to their authentic delicacies.

Ashek will prepare an a la carte menu of traditional Lebanese cuisine. A special shisha menu will also be available with a variety of flavours including apple.

Traditionally, Lebanese food is served with arak - a clear aniseed-flavoured liqueur made from locally grown grapes - that will, naturally, be available during the festival.

The Lebanese food festival will be held from 26 to 31 March.

AMITEX '07 slated for end-April

Luqa, 15/03/07 - Preparations for the 14th edition of the Air Malta International Travel Exhibition (AMITEX) 2007 are in full swing. This year AMITEX will again be held at the Trade Fair Grounds in Naxxar, from 26 to 29 April.

Every year thousands of visitors attend the fair where local and foreign agents and tour operators present their summer programmes to the public. Over the years AMITEX has enjoyed increasing popularity with the travelling public. The variety of offers and opportunities which are presented under one roof by the various exhibitors have made the show one of the most popular fairs in the fairs calendar and a not-to-be-missed travel event.

The Arches under new management

Mellieha, 15/03/07 - The Arches, one of "Malta's most elegant and refined restaurant, has just got better".

Adrian Buttigieg, owner of Mellieha's four star Maritim Antonine Hotel and Spa, took over the management of The Arches in January and has had this long-established restaurant refurbished.

Now, with a more contemporary design that continues to exude elegance, the award-winning restaurant offers its patrons a refreshed yet delectable dining experience.

Combining Buttigieg's and Maritim's culinary expertise, The Arches' new menu continues to reflect its haute cuisine tradition. Fresh, local ingredients are the mainstay of the eclectic dishes available.

Complementing its unique menu - "that is certain to pique everyone's palate" - is The Arches' famed wine cellar. Voted as having the best Maltese wine list in 2007 and renowned for stocking the finest wines in the world, The Arches is "an unforgettable dining experience".

The restyled Arches is open daily, except Sundays, from 7pm.

Exchange visit to Brussels for hoteliers

Sliema, 15/03/07 - The third group of executives from the hospitality sector travelled to Brussels on 12 March on an exchange visit in Best Practices in Management under the Leonardo Mobility Programme. The visit was organised by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority and the Leonardo da Vinci National Agency. The Malta Business Bureau coordinated the logistics in Brussels whilst HOTREC were official hosts. This was the second field trip in this second programme that the MHRA has been managing.

The participants in this third visit were Franklin Azzopardi from the Golden Tulip Vivaldi Hotel, Patrick Borg from the Corinthia San Gorg Hotel, Lydia Fenech from the Sunny Coast Resort, Karl Grech from the Malta Tourism Authority, Joseph Pace from the Suncrest Hotel, Charles Portelli from the Victoria Hotel, Andre Scerri from the Westin Dragonara Resort, Paul Sixsmith from the Fortina Spa Resort, Maria Vella from the Riviera Resort and Spa and Mario Xerri from the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz.

During their week in Brussels participants visited several top hotels where they were given talks on best practices in management and best methods in attaining and keeping high levels of operational standards. The group also covered other areas such as marketing concepts at product and national level, customer care, personnel management and quality service. The group also visited a Belgian training institute for careers in the hospitality sector, a tourism-marketing organisation and also the EU parliament building.

In the first programme 10 executives went to Ireland in October 2005. In March 2006 another group went on a five-day programme to Germany.

MIA sponsors Maltese Olympic Committee

Luqa, 15/03/07 - The Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) and Malta International Airport have signed a sponsorship agreement whereby the latter will be closely associated with the MOC as an official partner.

MIA CEO Peter Bolech, MOC secretary general Joseph Cassar and MOC director of sport Pippo Psaila announced details of the deal. MIA will not only be a main MOC sponsor but also a supporter of the elite and aspirant categories of the MOC's athlete support programme, the MIA Olympic special TV programme and the MOC sports awards. The agreement also includes the support of the MOC for MIA's activities and sports club in the organisation of a number of events intended for airport employees and their families.

Air Malta employees support Dar tal-Providenza

Luqa, 15/03/07 - Air Malta chief executive Joe Cappello presented more than Lm6,000 to Dar tal-Providenza director Mgr Lawrence Gatt recently. The amount was collected from a number of KM employees who, in 2006, donated money from their salary together with the company that contributed an equal amount to that collected by all staffers. This support forms part of "Air Malta's social responsibility programme for the Maltese community".