The Malta Tourism Authority and Manchester United have renewed their partnership agreement which sees the club promoting the destination to its 1.1 billion followers worldwide.
The club said it has “deep and enduring ties” with the destination, and the Maltese Supporters’ Club – one of the oldest of all the team’s official supporters’ clubs – recently celebrated its 60th anniversary.
Through this partnership agreement, the VisitMalta brand will benefit from strong exposure during home matches and via marketing channels and social media.
The renewal was at the club’s ground, Old Trafford in Manchester.
Maltese tourism minister Clayton Bartolo said: “Reaffirming VisitMalta as the Official Destination Partner of Manchester United will lead to an increase in visibility and marketing coordination on an unprecedented level for the Maltese Islands not just in Europe but in other long-haul markets such as America, Asia and the Middle East.
“I am optimistic that this partnership agreement will cement Malta’s prospects in establishing itself as a central hub for sports tourism excellence in the years to come.”
Carlo Micallef, chief executive of the Malta Tourism Authority, added: “During the months of the pandemic, the MTA had to think out of the box to maximise the potential of this partnership, in a time when sport worldwide was at a standstill.
“This was done through various initiatives, of a digital nature, aimed at giving visibility, engagement and exposure to the beauty of the Maltese Islands across Manchester United’s fanbase around the world.
“As we go into the next five years of this partnership agreement, we look forward to exploring previously-untapped opportunities to continue maximising on this international partnership.”
Pictured: Former United stars Bryan Robson (left) and Denis Irwin have been involved in promoting Malta as a tourist destination. Photo credits: VisitMalta/Ministry for Tourism/Manchester United.