A delegation from the Trade Fairs Corporation has returned from a visit to Tunisia where the corporation continued to promote its programme to further develop and expand its international collaboration with corresponding organisations in the trade fairs business.

Corporation president Joseph J. Mifsud, accompanied by Anthony Galea, senior vice-president, discussed with a number of Tunisian senior ministerial officials from the trade and industry sectors matters of mutual interest in relation to fairs organisation and the handicrafts area of production. The Maltese delegation was also invited as a guest of honour at the inauguration ceremony of the International Plastic Exhibition – Plastic Expo 2005 – at the exhibition grounds, le Kram.

“The visit was another step towards the internationalisation of the Trade Fairs Corporation’s activity,” Mr Mifsud said. The corporation has also recently signed an agreement with Romexpo s.a. of Bucharest, Romania and another similar agreement was reached with GESMA, a group of Sicilian businessman, who will be bringing fair business to Malta.

Discussions are also under way in respect of fairs business from Croatia and San Marino while opportunities are being closely evaluated and promoted to strike new deals with new markets, namely African countries and China.

“In view of the 2010 free economic area appointment in the Mediterranean, Malta is bound to become an ideal platform for the promotion and development of commercial exchanges in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Malta must firmly believe in its primary role in the centre of this developing economic reality of 400 million people”, Mr Mifsud concluded.

The Tunisian tour was organised with the assistance of the Tunisian ambassador in Malta, Dr Naceur Mestiri.