The small but perfectly formed Mediterranean archipelago of Malta has emerged as a hotspot for business meetings and events over the past several years. Global DMC Partners ranked Malta as the top European destination on its 2019 Meeting & Incentive Destination Hot List, and third in the world behind Costa Rica and the Bahamas.

While it’s growing portfolio of luxury hotels and impressive range of historical and unique venues make it ideal for meetings and conferences, the destination also offers a plethora of enticing experiences to suit incentive groups with a range of tastes. Here’s our pick of five of the best….

Gozo experience

When it comes to offering something authentic, Malta’s little sister island of Gozo has it all. DMC ECMeetings will transfer your group from Malta to Gozo via a 30-minute speedboat ride.

Once there, delegates are given the task to prepare their own lunch with a lot of local interaction, from bread baking, to salt picking and also to milking the sheep that gives us the cheese Gozo is renowned for. The island is also a popular and stunning spot for 4×4 jeep safaris for groups looking for something more adventurous.

Maltese wine tasting

Head to Meridiana Wine Estate, one of Malta’s first established wineries, to taste a tipple or two and drink in the stunning scenery. The estate, located scenically below Malta’s ancient, walled capital of Mdina, invites groups to its 19-hectare site for tours and tastings.

A tour of the estate includes a visit to the fermentation-hall and underground cellar, both set within a picturesque Maltese farmhouse, with the highlight being given the opportunity to taste the produce while enjoying views of the vineyards and island beyond from the panoramic terraces.

Gullet Cruise and water sports at Comino island

Comino, the smallest island in the archipelago is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts. The island’s main attraction is the Blue Lagoon, a sheltered inlet of shimmering aquamarine water over white sand.

AGL Alliance, a Global DMC Partner, can organise an exclusive Gullet Cruise to this idyllic spot, including on-board bar and buffer lunch, and a range of activities such as snorkelling, jet skis, Comino Caves discovery by Kayaks and paragliding.

Diving  

Sticking with water-based activities, the Maltese Islands’ clear blue Mediterranean sea is ideal for scuba diving. All three islands offer some unique diving experiences with an abundance of reefs, caves and wrecks that make diving here some of the most interesting in the Mediterranean.

The calmness and clarity of the sea makes for excellent visibility whilst  the risk of encountering dangerous fish is extremely low, creating the ultimate conditions for first time divers and beginners. For the more experienced divers, there are plenty of challenging dives to choose from.

Fine dining in Mdina

Mdina is the old capital of Malta and is also known as the ‘Silent City’. It is a beautiful place full of history and for fans of Game of Thrones the main gate to the city has appeared in scenes as an entrance to Kings Landing. Alpine Sterling DMC can arrange to transport groups in style to Mdina in vintage cars dating from the 1930’s to the 1970’s.

This is a fantastic way of adding a special touch to your events with the car owners themselves at the wheel, sharing the history of how Maltese emigrants brought back vehicles from the UK, USA, Australia and Canada when they returned to the island. Enjoy an atmospheric walk around the streets led by fire torches, followed by dinner at the acclaimed Bacchus restaurant, serving up tempting traditional Mediterranean cuisine with a selection of Malta’s fine wines.