Meon Villas took 10 agents to Gozo on a three-night educational. They stayed in two converted farmhouses near the village of Ghasri and were shown the diversity of Malta’s small sister island. The agents visited the Citadel in Victoria, and the ancient Ggantija temple complex. They also went on a boat trip around the island of Comino. On one evening, the party had first-hand experience of self-catering, preparing their own dinner with produce from the local grocery store.
Before: It was my first visit to either Malta or Gozo. I hadn’t sold any holidays to Gozo, but at the time of the trip, I had only been in travel for two months. I wanted to visit Malta, and Gozo in particular, as I’d heard it was so pretty – I expected a tiny island with not too much to see and lots of churches.
After: Gozo is a beautiful island, very green with lovely bays, nice countryside and great restaurants. It’s very historical and the churches are just superb. The beaches are very small, but people staying in villas don’t really need beaches. Our villa held four and was excellent quality. Gozo people were so friendly. I hope that Gozo stays as it is now and doesn’t become commercialised.
Amanda Pratley, Thornton’s Travel Service, Clifton, Bristol, Age: 27
Before: Though I’ve worked in both business and retail travel, I’d never been to Malta and nobody in our agency had visited Gozo. Some relatives of mine have enjoyed visiting the churches on Malta and I wanted to find out what else there was to do there. I didn’t know what to expect of Gozo – I felt the island might be rather dead.
After: Gozo is really interesting, with a lot of heritage sites. The villages are pretty and there are some beautiful coves, with nobody around. There are no high-rise buildings and it’s not in any way commercial – the busiest places are just large villages. It’s a good place for relaxation, but I wouldn’t spend more than a week on Gozo – a two-centre holiday with Malta would be a good idea.
Jennifer Wright, Reigate Travel, Reigate, Surrey, Age: 36
Before: It was my first visit and I knew very little about Gozo before I went. I was keen to go on the educational as nobody in the agency had been either. I’d sold very few holidays to Gozo, but can recommend it now – in particular to young families wanting a relaxing holiday and also to the older market.
After: Gozo was a lot different to what I’d expected; much greener and with a lot more history than I’d realised. The island has some very nice scenery and is ideal for walking, but there are few beaches. Some of the villas are really out of this world and are great for total relaxation, but they are down tracks and you do need car hire. Gozo is a unique island – there are few similarities with other destinations.
Helen Nunn, ABC World Travel, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent, Age: 27