DESTINATION OF EXCELLENCE

The EU Affairs and Policy Development Unit within the Ministry for Tourism and Culture is participating in an initiative organised by the European Commission supported by the EU Member States and the Candidate Countries.

As a means of initiating a Community action in support of European tourism, the pilot project aims at drawing attention to the value, diversity and shared characteristics of European tourist destinations and to promote destinations where the economic growth objective is pursued in such a way as to ensure the social, cultural and environmental sustainability of tourism.

The objective aims at supporting an enhanced quality of the service provided and the product offered (such as preserving and interpreting the rural landscape, conservation and upgrading of cultural sites, setting up of information offices, etc). These actions are considered to be complementary to the objective of diversification for rural based activities.

This project will also support the implementation of recommendations emanating from the National Tourism Policy and ‘Carrying Capacity Assessment for Tourism in the Maltese Islands: Tourism Development Policies 2000-2010’. Its objectives shall encompass the targets identified by relevant pre-EU Accession projects, inter-regional collaboration  initiatives, as well as Structural Funds both those implemented during the 2004-2006 programming period as well as those in preparation for the 2007-2013.

Malta expressed its interest in this endeavour by supporting this initiative in its early stages and also by submitting its proposal. Through an assessment process performed by the European Commission Evaluation Committee, the project submitted by Malta has been selected. The implementation period started in January 2007.

Total Value of Project:

€54,565.86

EU Funds:

€27,282.93 (50%)

Malta Funds:

€27,282.93 (50%)