Seven segment leaders at the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), who will be directly responsible for the promotion of the various tourism segments, have been appointed.

They will be reporting to the authority’s director of marketing and sales, Jeffrey Cutajar, and ultimately to the executive chairman, Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud.

Joe Galea has been appointed segment leader for the summer and winter sun leisure segment, while Suzanne Cassar Dimech will lead the meetings incentives conference and events segment team.

Alexandra Abela and Naomi Attard will lead the English language learning and the Gozo-based holidays segment teams, respectively. Dominic Micallef has been appointed segment leader for history and culture, Carlo Micallef will be heading the growth and other markets segment team, while the sports tourism segment will be headed Michael Piscopo.

“This has been a completely transparent and extremely responsible exercise and I am fully confident of the capability of this team in achieving the targets set within each individual segment,” said Mr Lungaro-Mifsud.

“In turn, all segment leaders will now have their own team and will collectively pool their efforts and resources towards the promotion of the tourism industry of the Maltese Islands, through a fully dedicated and segment-focused marketing effort.”

Furthermore, the segment leaders and their teams will be working closely with the segment advisory groups, which will shortly be appointed from within the industry, to represent each respective segment.

This is an innovative strategy towards the marketing of the Maltese Islands resulting from the realisation that a “specialised” approach needs to be adopted towards each targeted segment, to be able to retain and gain market share, despite the ever-increasing competition. In this respect the segment leaders are themselves well experienced in the particular area within which they have been appointed to operate.