The marketing agreement signed between the Malta Tourism Authority and the Giro D’Italia is costing the country €230,000, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said on Monday.
Answering a question by PL MP Cressida Galea, the minister said that the Giro d'Italia, which takes place throughout Italy, is considered one of the most important competitions in the cycling sector and that “It is good to point out that Italy is a major source market for tourism in our country.”
The Malta Independent has been sending questions to the Tourism Ministry since 9 May with regards to this partnership, with a Freedom of Information request submitted just last week, being the last in a series of information requests.
The Ministry never answered any of the questions, however the Tourism Minister saw fit to answer a parliamentary question from one of his colleagues in Parliament on Monday.
In explaining what the package entails, Bartolo said that the VisitMalta brand is getting extensive promotion during all the stages of the Giro, which are:
“A VisitMalta advertisement in the form of an arch at the 35Km point of the race; vertical banners with the VisitMalta advertisement at the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th km of the race; 90 metres of advertising banners along the race; 24 meters of fixed signage near the finish line of the race; Gazebo 4m x 4m at the beginning and at the end of each race from where merchandise and other promotional material of Malta is distributed.”
He added that the stops are being broadcast live by the Italian RAI television and Eurosport, as well as being live streamed to around 200 other television stations around the world.
He added that this coverage is estimated to reach an audience of around 65 million people, during the 112 hours of transmission.
Apart from this, digital promotion is also carried out on various social media platforms including Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram, the Giro website, Gazzetta dello Sport and Tutto Bici.
VisitMalta will also be promoted on print media including the prominent magazines Bell'Italia and Sportweek, he said.
The total cost of this package is of €230,000.
It is not the only sporting partnership which the MTA has embarked upon: the MTA is also partnered with footballing giants Manchester United.
The Tourism Ministry has consistently refused to answer media questions, parliamentary questions and Freedom of Information requests which ask how much the agreement is costing the government.