You got blessed by our water, jokes Rosanne Sciberras, from the Malta Tourism Authority’s marketing team. That’s putting a positive spin on some pretty wild weather, which is exactly what TTG’s Top 50 Champions manage to do when they spend a long weekend in Malta and Gozo. A weekend that blesses the agents with both stormy downpours and some warm late summer sunshine.
One highly-dramatic deluge has the group running for cover in Victoria (also known as Rabat), capital of Gozo, as café umbrellas flip over and souvenir stands topple.
Mid-storm Emma Otter saves souvenir stock from being washed away
The storm makes heroes of The Travel Village’s Amanda Taylor, who rescues an elderly tourist who has fallen in the road, and Travel Counsellors’ Emma Otter and Travel Four Seasons’ Sean Fletcher who save the contents of fallen souvenir stands from being washed away down storm drains. “I've never known it like this in 20 years of guiding,” cries Audrey Marie Bartolo.
Laura Winnery from Olive Lounge Travel says: “The rain tested us, but it brought us together creating a shared memory we will all cherish. When the skies finally cleared, the next day’s sunshine felt all the more precious.”
Laura Winnery, Olive Lounge Travel
After flying in from Gatwick and Manchester with easyJet, the fam trip programme begins at Ta X’Mun Olive Grove, where owner Charles Bugeja produces his own extra virgin olive oil. He showcases the heritage and health benefits of his olive cultivation with great passion before serving delicious platters of fresh, local produce.
The trip is being led by Manuel Holden (Manny for short), trade relations executive from the Malta Tourism Authority’s UK office, and he quips: “Find yourself a partner who looks at you, like Charles looks at his olives.”
Living history
Next up, a tour of Valletta where the encyclopaedic knowledge of Audrey, freelance guide with Visit Malta, shines through. She’s exactly the sort of guide you would want your client to have – full of facts as well as personal anecdotes, such as how she narrowly missed out on representing Malta in Eurovision and worked as an extra when Game of Thrones series one was filming in Malta.
Inside St John’s Co-Cathedral, she brings to life the story of Italian painter Caravaggio’s time in the service of the Grand Masters of Malta, as the agents rest their eyes on his grisly masterpiece, The Beheading of John the Baptist.
Caravaggio's Beheading of John the Baptist is a famous, rather gruesome oil painting © Katherine Masters
After an exquisite dinner at Michelin-rated The Medina hidden away in the enchanting streets of Mdina, the group head back to the hotel. Their base for the weekend is Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands, a three-tower hotel overlooking one of Malta’s best beaches on the north side of the island.
Bryan Bartolo, director of sales and marketing, explains how, in the last three years, this property has transitioned from mainly timeshares to a full-service hotel, with a refurbishment programme around 50% complete. What was once considered a location too far off the beaten path, he says is now a selling point, attracting clients who want a quieter ambiance than buzzy Sliema / St Julian’s. ‘Our unexploited part of the island really gives you a feel for Malta,” he adds.
To Gozo
The Radisson’s location is handy for Gozo and departures from Cirkewwa ferry terminal – and that’s where the group heads on day two. After the 25-minute crossing, the agents climb into ATVs and head off with Yippee tours to explore Malta’s sister island.
Torrential rain makes it a rather soggy experience but the agents still get a good feel for Gozo’s rural landscapes and slower pace of life.
TTG Top 50 Champions at Gozo Salt Flats © Katherine Masters
“We saw breathtaking views from the Calypso Caves, the incredible salt flats producing salt for Gozo since the Roman times, and my favourite part, the Citadel, where we had the chance to wow and wonder within the city walls,” says Emma Otter.
Audrey tells the agents: “Most tourists don’t have time but we want them to stay in Gozo and spend money here – so we are trying to educate everyone, there’s a sister island, it’s like Malta in the past – and you can stay there, in hotels and in farmhouses, and enjoy the more laidback lifestyle. Maltese people come to Gozo to switch off because there is a difference.”
An exclusive picnic
Picture one of Gozo’s untrammelled beaches on a sunny day and a picnic that resembles a banquet – and that’s an experience that your clients can have courtesy of Gozo Picnic, which can be delivered almost anywhere on the island, says owner Ana Kisling proudly.
Sadly, the rain drives the agents’ picnic experience under cover, but if you’re going to eat an indoor picnic in Gozo, there’s no better location than in a private chamber in the Cittadella, an ancient city first fortified in the Bronze Age and later rebuilt by the Knights of Saint John. When Ainsley Harriott filmed his recent Taste of Malta TV series, he shared a picnic with the lovely Ana, which gives you a pretty good measure just how tasty her food is.
After lunch there is time for a stroll around Gozo’s capital Victoria (which the locals call Rabat). The Travel Village’s Amanda Taylor says the time-capsule world of Gozo particularly exceeded her expectations: “Stepping a few streets back from the café scene in Victoria, we were treated to lace making and a visit to a jewellery maker whose gorgeous home once housed farm animals. Every corner we turned revealed another fascinating street.” Events take a slightly surreal turn with that storm – but the group makes it back to Malta safe and sound as the skies begin to dry up.
The agents are surprised with a charming mode of transport to dinner at Verbena that night, a shiny green vintage bus supplied by Malta transport specialist, Verb Coaches.
A surprise was organised to transport the agents to dinner © Katherine Masters
Later, a smaller group takes on vital research on behalf of all the agents, checking out Malta’s party strip, in Paceville, St Julian’s and returning home in the wee hours.
Thorne Travel’s John Ferguson describes what he discovered: “It was like an Ibiza or a Thailand – it was really good to experience that side of the island so that now I will feel more confident recommending it to clients who want that party vibe.”
Here comes the sun
A much sunnier day three kicks off with the view from the area known as the ‘Three Cities’ towards Valletta, and a walking tour of one of the Cities, Birgu.
Then it’s on to the Blue Grotto, nestled in the cliffs on Malta’s south coast. The agents board small boats for a scenic tour of the network of six caves, where the water is some of the clearest that can be found in Malta.
The Blue Grotto boat trip is a budget-friendly tourist attraction © Emma Otter
“Something that’s super popular, you don’t know if it’ll be a bit ‘wet lettuce’ but that was great and I would definitely recommend clients do it,” said Emma.
Food has already been a highlight of this trip and the best is yet to come – with the owners of Ta Cicivetta opening up their homestead to the group. Cocktails made with the local prickly pear spirit are served around the pool while an elderly musical duo, all leathery skin and twinkly eyes, play guitars and sing.
The agents make their own lunch – traditional Maltese ricotta pie and ftira sandwiches … but these are only the starters. After a tour of the 1914 farmhouse, the agents sit down for even more home-made gourmet food. No one can complain of going hungry on this fam trip.
Sean Fletcher thinks the farm would be a great addition to a bespoke Malta itinerary: “It’s probably leaning more towards group travel or multi-gen-style wedding bookings, whereas Gozo Picnic is a more intimate option for couples. I love the family feel of Ta Cicivetta, it is authentic and immersive and a great showcase for local produce.”
Gozo farm Ta Cicivetta caters for events and private functions © Katherine Masters
A farewell gathering brings everyone together on a private terrace at the Radisson, dressed in easyJet-inspired orange. EasyJet supported the flights for this fam trip, with trade marketing manager Lauren Yems joining the group.
Lauren says: “Malta sells really well for easyJet holidays. It’s a small but mighty island, which packs a lot in.”
The agents feel the same, with the first-timers falling for the destination and repeaters discovering new sides to the islands they hadn’t considered before.
Amanda Taylor had been to Malta before but the trip opens her eyes to new experiences: “Malta and Gozo are hidden gems in the Mediterranean, they are so much more than a summer or a winter sun destination, with their cultural, historical and archaeological experiences and incredible food. I will definitely be visiting again and offering these islands to my clients.”