The rising trend in call centres being opened is a phenomenon which is occurring throughout Europe, Industry, Investment and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt said during a visit to Availacall, a call centre based in Malta and the UK.

The minister said Availacall was another example of the new kind of business operations which the country has been attracting. The company employs 50 people and offers an array of inbound and outbound services, including customer help lines, information services, media response lines, direct sales, lead generation and market research mainly for the UK market.

Dr Gatt said the country already had six independent contact centres and seven in house which provided it with a total of 800 seats. This industry was employing just over 1,000 people.

The minister said companies were returning to Europe after their stay in Asian countries. He said this move was influenced by the higher level of service provided in Europe.

This was also true of Malta, said the minister, adding that the Maltese could justly boast of their proficiency in English and other languages, their high level of education and their aptitude for work.

Dr Gatt said Malta offered prospective investors a state-of-the-art digital network, competitive wages, and a base which was geographically closer to Europe. He added that the government, through the Business Promotion Act, provided various incentives to those interested in opening call centres in Malta.

Availacall general manager Mario Magri said the company had set up shop in Malta just over a year ago. Malta was ideal for call centres, especially in the light of the outsourcing carried out in Europe.

Director and group chief executive officer Mohammed Kazi praised his staff and the flexibility of the Maltese employees. “Malta is a great place where to work,” he said, after admitting that he was on his 40th trip here.