The Gharb Local Council, together with the Malta Tourism Society, The Maltese Italian Chamber of Commerce, The Council of Sciacca and the Council of Castelvetrano in Sicily is currently participating in the OBIMED Project (Out of the Blue isles in the Mediterranean).
OBIMED aims at increasing cross border collaboration between Malta, Gozo and Sicily leading to a sustainable increase in economic activity for tourism operators present in the respective territories. This objective will be achieved by improving the accessibility to several tourist attractions present within the territories and by the development of a common product offer aimed at countering the seasonal element negatively affecting operators in the tourism sector.
Co-ordination between territorial stakeholders and innovative technological tools such as Iphone, Ipad and Android applications, WIFI Areas, Information Kiosks equipped with booking systems as well as marketing media such as websites and promotional videos will lead to targeted marketing campaigns and the dissemination of information about the product offer available in the different territories and thus increase tourism inflows during the low season. This project is co-financed under the Operational Programme Italy-Malta 2007 – 2013.
In order to fulfil all project objectives all project partners believe that it is necessary to embark in a collective effort and secure the collaboration of all concerned actors present in each territory.
The project aims at developing constructive operative synergies between Italian, Maltese and Gozitan touristic operators, territorial socio-economic actors and the local Italian and Maltese Entities responsible for promoting and administering the touristic heritage of the interested areas: Western Sicily and the Islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino.
Therefore the Gharb Local Council is inviting Tourism Operators based in Malta and Gozo to participate in the OBIMED Project. Interested operators will be given the opportunity to market their services via the platform being developed by the project.
Fully aware of the potential of European Funding, Gharb Local Council said that it has always sought to exploit such funding opportunities to carry out projects in its locality for the benefit of the Gharb residents and the community at large.
This project, in line with the council’s strategy to promote Gharb as a distinct tourist destination will complement other projects which have already been implemented by the Local Council, including the EU Funded rehabilitation project of ‘Wied il-Mielah.’
Further information about the project can be obtained by visiting the OBIMED website, www.obimed.eu [1].