Authority on a three-day visit to Sicily as part of the EU-funded PRISMA project that promotes Integrated Relational Tourism (IRT) in Malta and Sicily.

IRT is a departure from traditional tourism that sells buildings in a location and encourages interpersonal and environmental relations. A way of life is offered to the tourist who is invited to immerse and taste the local culture and traditions in the particular setting without upsetting the local way of life. Through the integration of small and micro enterprises and the use of advanced technology, it aims to be a sustainable and alternative form of tourism.

During the visit the Maltese delegation and their Sicilian counterparts discussed the drafting of a marketing plan that will be finalised in the coming months and that will launch IRT initiatives in both islands. The meeting was hosted by ARCES University College of Palermo, which is the project leader.

The Institute of Tourism Studies, as the Maltese partner, presented a policy document that sets the rationale behind IRT in Malta and proposes various pilot projects such as in wine making, traditional boat-building, and performing arts as attractions for this new form of tourism. This document was presented at the meeting in Palermo and will form the basis of the first marketing initiatives to be undertaken in both islands.

The programme of the visit included visits to different localities in Sicily that have the potential to offer IRT.

PRISMA falls under the Community Initiative INTERREG IIIA Italy-Malta Cross-Border Cooperation Programme and the partners are the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) from Malta and ARCES University College of Palermo, which is the project leader, the Assonautica Palermo, the Department of Public Works - Regione Siciliana, and Val D’Anapo Local Action Group from Italy.