The conference and incentive segment is growing and is expected to leave positive results in the tourism sector, Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said during the inauguration of the 10,000-place Lm2 million Convention Centre at Ta’ Qali.

The Tourism Minister said the sector depends heavily on five-star hotels and a good communications infrastructure that facilitates the organisation of conferences. He added that the centre fills the void in the facilities the country could offer as there is no other place that matches the centre’s capacity.

Dr Zammit Dimech said the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre Limited (MFCC) has shown that there are great opportunities for their facility as it succeeded in attracting a Thomas Cook conference for 2,000 delegates. He congratulated MFCC for setting up the structure in a short span of time and succeeded in attracting important events such as the Andrea Bocelli concert which will be attended by 7,500 spectators.

The conference and incentive sector during 2005 brought to Malta 63,500 tourists, who spent Lm32.2 million, and during the first nine months of this year the figures have improved, said the minister. He added that during the next three years, the private sector is geared on investing Lm80 million in 35 projects, including the building of new hotels and the extension of present ones.