The Malta Maritime Authority recently participated at the RDA exhibition to promote maritime links between Malta, Gozo and Catania. The RDA Workshop and Exhibition is a specialised network of operators in coach tourism and today is Europe’s largest umbrella organisation for the coach tourism industry and for its business partners. The workshop is the largest international purchasing and networking fair for the coach tourism industry as a whole.

Held in Cologne, Germany, with a total of 1,200 exhibitors from 36 countries, the RDA was a good platform to promote the EU-funded project, called Cavalgo, which commenced earlier this year. Through this project, Malta, Gozo and Catania were jointly promoted at the fair as a new destination for European Coach Tours. The improved maritime links between Malta and Sicily, provided by high-speed catamaran and ro-ro vessels, today allow for coaches to travel between the three islands on a daily basis.

The Cavalgo 2006 project, which is being implemented through the assistance of the EU (Interreg IIIA: Italia-Malta Programme) is a joint effort between the Port Authority of Catania and the Malta Maritime Authority aimed to step up maritime traffic between Sicily and Malta in an attempt to increase the flow of passengers and cargoes and to develop a cooperative relationship between the two port authorities; to enhance port facilities and market the development of a joint destination through maritime links between the ports of Valletta, Catania and Mgarr, Gozo.

The stand at this fair, set up with the active assistance of the Malta Tourism Authority, attracted several enquiries from the coach tours industry, which hopefully would translate into increased passenger traffic between Malta and Sicily in the near future. In fact, several coach tour operators commented positively on the improved maritime links between the two islands and relished the opportunity to include both Malta and Sicily in their future tours.

A representative of the Malta Tourism Authority from the German office, together with local operators from the travel trade, attended the fair with the Malta Maritime Authority.

The Cavalgo project will also be featured in upcoming Seatrade Med Cruise and Ferry Convention being held in Naples, Italy on 18-20 October. The Malta Maritime Authority will soon embark on a study to determine the feasibility of the development of direct maritime links for both passengers and vehicles, (including trailers) for the Island of Gozo. This study will assess the potential to link Gozo directly to destinations in Europe through Catania.