The US Tour Operators Association (USTOA) traveled to Malta and Turkey for the 2022 Overseas Board Meeting.

Originally planned for 2020, Malta has been working for seven years to bring in the best tour operators in the country and as the pandemic began to subside, the opportunity became a reality.

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USTOA President and Chief Executive Officer Terry Dale was attracted by Malta and called the meeting a success.

“It has been gratifying to experience these diverse and fascinating destinations and to learn more about their commitment to sustainability along with the USTOA’s plan to establish a more sustainable future for the travel industry,” Dale said.

Michelle Buttigieg, Representative of the Malta Tourism Authority for North America, who worked to bring the meeting to Malta noted that it was very important for the destination.

“This is the right audience,” Buttigieg said. “Now I have a bunch of ambassadors who will talk about Malta and I can help them create tours and packages.”

For many tour operators, this was their first time in Malta and they enjoyed the experience.

Scott Wiseman, chairman of USTOA and Senior Vice President and General Manager of Apple Leisure Group, enjoyed his time in Malta.

“I can’t tell you how amazing and spectacular this country is, not only historically but also culturally. Our warm welcome was great,” Wiseman said during his visit. “Therefore, I urge you, if you have not yet or have not planned to visit Malta, to come here immediately and find out what this destination is like in many different ways.

USTOA board members were hosted at the Corinthia Palace Hotel in Balzan, which is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

“Malta, in the middle of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, with its 7,000-year history and warm Maltese hospitality, offers a unique experience to the discerning American traveler,” said Corinthia Palace General Manager Alexandra Pisani . “As we look forward to the 60th anniversary and re-launch of Corinthia Palace, it has been an honor for us to host USTOA members.”

While in Malta, the visitors visited the Qim Stone Temple in Qrendi, toured Valletta, the capital city of Malta, boarded a ferry to Gozitan Island, and took speed boats to Malta. St. Paul’s Bay and more.

“We should have relied on everything Malta has to offer with our itinerary,” said Buttigieg, noting that attendees experienced great dining, temple tours, historical experiences and more.

A tree planting ceremony was also held at the Spring Olive Grove in Bingemma, which honored the 50th anniversary of the USTOA.

“Malta was honored to be able to host, for the first time, the USTOA Out of Country Board Meeting in partnership with Turkish Airlines and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for Turkey,” said Buttigieg. “We understand that for many tour operators it was the first time they experienced Malta, its rich history, diversity, gastronomy and most importantly, the warmth of the Maltese people. We hope that they have come up with a new understanding of why Malta as a destination has been a trend in the United States and Canada and will be inspired to include programs for Malta in their offerings. ”

In addition to Malta, the group also visited Istanbul, Turkey, where they stopped at the Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar and more as well as took a private tour of the Bosphorus Cruise Tour and toured the new port of Galata.

“This is the first time that the newly established Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), a new member of USTOA, has hosted tour operators and esteemed USTOA board members in Istanbul, and we were thrilled to see how everyone enjoyed their time, “said Yalcin Lokmanhekim, Director General of the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency.” We were proud to host the event abroad in Our historic city, which has always been an important meeting point for civilizations throughout history. . We hope that the memories from this trip will last a lifetime and that this visit will inspire the group to return soon. ”