Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1345126
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 FEBRUARY 2021 13 COMMERCIAL Online seminar for South Africans interested in relocating to Malta OVER 200 South African na- tionals logged into a virtual sem- inar organised by Frank Salt Re- al Estate to find out more about the latest options for foreign nationals considering relocat- ing, investing or taking up res- idence in Malta. Amongst other topics, the seminar covered the latest updates being proposed to the Malta Residence and Visa Programme, as well as the new Citizenship by Direct Invest- ment rules that the government launched earlier this year. Participants were also given an outline of property invest- ment opportunities that the Maltese Islands have to offer. The seminars form part of a global series that Frank Salt Real Estate has planned for the year, covering the 5 continents. Malta has seen a consider- able increase in the number of South African citizens who immigrated to the island, par- ticularly thanks to the attrac- tive opportunities that they can avail of, be it lucrative job openings, real estate invest- ment opportunities, as well as a means to gain ease of access to other EU nations. Malta is often a preferred option also thanks to the Mediterranean lifestyle and healthcare system it offers, economic stability, low criminality and the fact that it is English-speaking. Tourism, hospitality and travel – yesterday, today and tomorrow THE tourism, hospitality and travel sectors are combatting the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, moving further to- wards a continuously challeng- ing new normal. These indus- tries unprecedentedly initiated a complete overhaul of their busi- ness models, but what sort of opportunities could await them in the coming years, possibly months? This was the theme of a we- binar organised by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Asso- ciation (MHRA) in collabora- tion with Bank of Valletta and Deloitte Malta. Key speakers from several industries dis- cussed what happened over the past months and what future prospects may drive these sec- tors to innovate themselves. "Strategies are currently in place to revitalize the tour- ism sector in our country," said Tony Zahra, President of the MHRA. Zahra explained that prudency and contin- gency planning will be key to overcome the lack of vision placed upon us over the past year, while also remarking that the time is now to rejuvenate our economy and our people. "From here onwards, any eco- nomic activity should benefit our people, and we should con- centrate on further developing their skills". Access to affordable and sus- tainable finance was remarked as a pivotal factor for these sec- tors going forward. Albert Frendo, Chief Cred- it Officer at Bank of Valletta claimed that the ideal financ- ing solutions will be attrib- utable to sustainability and innovation. "Throughout the pandemic, Bank of Valletta has been at the forefront of finan- cially supporting customers and businesses," said Frendo. "As the situation evolves, the local business community will have to regenerate the overall offering within a wider nation- al strategic plan. It needs to be cognizant of and adapt to the emerging and evolving trends, acknowledge the need for ac- celerated investment in inno- vation, revamp its marketing efforts, whilst ensuring effec- tive product development and the creation of new niches." Frendo concluded that local entrepreneurs have the agility and flexibility to innovate and seek modern solutions, devel- oped around deep business acumen and sustainable finan- cial support. This webinar was one of a se- ries of webinars organised or co-hosted by Bank of Vallet- ta with the aim of connecting the local business community to the best expertise, practic- es and insights. One can view a recording of this webinar on https://www.bov.com/pjazza/ upcoming-bov-webinars or on the BOV YouTube Channel on https://youtu.be/ueOipafc- FLM. Atlas Insurance renews main sponsorship with Melita FC ATLAS Insurance has renewed its main sponsorship with Mel- ita FC for the forthcoming sea- sons. The sponsorship relation between the insurance company and the football club dates back to 2009. As a result of the renewed agreement, Atlas is the main sponsor of the football club at all levels - from the youth sec- tion to the senior team as well as the coaching team. The company's logo is dis- played prominently on the club's kits and training gear, pitch side hoardings, events as well as on its social media channels. The agreement between both parties allows for joint events in which TeamAtlas employees and their families can utilise Melita's premises in Pembroke for children and adult tourna- ments. A number of Atlas foot- ball festivals for children from various clubs were organised in the past years. During the sign- ing of the sponsorship agree- ment, Matthew von Brock- dorff, Managing Director and CEO of Atlas Insurance, said: "We are proud and honoured to be again supporting Melita FC, a team with a competitive drive, winning mentality and that nurtures its own talent." He added: "On behalf of At- las, I congratulate the club for winning the National Amateur League and the well-deserved promotion to the Challenge League achieved recently, with 12 wins out of 12 matches. players." From left: Andrew Naudi, president of Melita FC and Matthew von Brockdorff, Managing Director and CEO of Atlas Insurance soon after the sponsorship signing agreement