Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1532230
4 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 7 FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS CAROLINE Veranneman, a shift leader at HOG cafeteria, won the Gozo Tourism Worker of the Year Award 2024. The Gozo Tourism Association organised the fifteenth edition of the Gozo Tourism Awards last week. The awards bestowed were the Gozo Tourism Worker of the Year, the Gozo Tourism Investment and Entrepreneur- ship Award, the Gozo Business Niche Tourism Achievement Award and the Gozo Cultural Niche Tourism Achievement Award. The main objectives of these awards are to acknowledge, commend, encourage and thank all the workers, entrepreneurs and entities who distinguish themselves in the performance of their duties and activities in the vital touristic industry in Gozo. Veranneman has 29 years of experience in the Food and Beverage industry and has been working at House and Gourmet (HOG) in Rabat, Gozo for eight years. This year's Gozo Tourism En- trepreneurship Award 2024 was won by Alda Bugeja of Gozo Weaving and Creations. The Gozo Business Niche Achieve- ment Tourism Award 2024 was awarded to Leanne Meilak of Taste of Gozo, whilst the Gozo Cultural Niche Achievement Award 2024 was won by the Au- rora International Folk Festival of the Leone Philharmonic So- ciety. The winners were officially an- nounced by Dr. Alfred Grech, Chairman of the adjudicat- ing board which also included Naomi Macdonald, Peter De- Courcy and Godfrey Swain. The Gozo Tourism Associa- tion Council also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in Tourism to the late Frank Magro of the Mariblu Guest House and Barbarossa Excursions for his investment and achievements in the tourism sector along the years, which contributed to- wards job creation and econom- ic growth on Gozo. The Special Recognition Award in Tourism was awarded to Amand Veranneman, whilst the Gozo Tourism Commitment Award this year was conferred to the Directorate for Tourism and Economic Development within the Ministry for Gozo and Plan- ning. The awards were presented to the respective winners by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg, Clint Camilleri, Minister for Gozo and Planning, Carlo Micallef, CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, and GTA chairman Paul Scicluna. Borg commended the GTA for organising the Awards, an op- portunity to highlight the efforts of individuals and companies to make Gozo a world-class tour- ism destination. He noted that the latest statis- tics show that in recent years, international visitors to Gozo increased by 28.6%. Internation- al tourist bed nights also surged by 20%. "Gozo is rapidly establishing itself as a prime destination for quality tourism, where visitors are drawn by the authentic expe- riences it offers. The upward tra- jectory in expenditure per capita and per night among both inter- national and domestic tourists is a clear indicator of this shift to- ward quality tourism," Borg said. "The government is deter- mined to spearhead this transi- tion. We are working to support the industry in refining Malta and Gozo's tourism product. Together, we can achieve more. Together we can foster a more resilient, more sustainable in- dustry, one that can truly benefit all stakeholders." Gozo minister Clint Camilleri noted the resilience of the tour- ism sector, which, despite glob- al challenges, has continued to grow and evolve. He said that: "Gozo's success is due to strategic investments and efforts by the Government, the Ministry and stakeholders to po- sition the island as a year-round destination, with 2023 achieving record-breaking visitor numbers and remarkable growth across typically quieter months." Camilleri highlighted that Gozo's enhanced connectivity played a major role in achieving these numbers and emphasised that further improvements are planned for the future. He underscored the impor- tance of collaboration and in- novation in sustaining this momentum, expressing his commitment to further support- ing the industry alongside key stakeholders such as the Gozo Tourism Association, the Malta Tourism Authority, and the Di- rectorate of Tourism and Eco- nomic Development. He praised the industry's ad- aptability and the efforts of oper- ators and workers in exceeding tourist expectations. MTA CEO Carlo Micallef ex- plained that the Authority is continuing to augment its in- vestment in promoting Gozo as a unique experience for visitors, as part of its commitment to po- sition the Maltese Islands as a destination for authenticity, cul- ture and adventure. Gozo also features prominently in targeted marketing efforts to strengthen several niche mar- kets, including diving, destina- tion weddings, outdoor adven- ture, sports, gastronomy, nature, wellness and culture. Caroline Veranneman, a shift leader at HOG cafeteria (top), won the Gozo Tourism Worker of the Year Award 2024 during a ceremony addressed by tourism minister Ian Borg (above left) and Gozo minister Clint Camilleri (above right) Workers awarded for their commitment to Gozo tourism