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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 MARCH 2025 7 COMMERCIAL The Phoenicia Malta hosts landmark LHW China luxury travel event THE Phoenicia Malta has helped strengthen ties between Malta and the Chinese luxury travel market by hosting 2025 Leading Experience China, the island's inaugural China luxu- ry travel event in collaboration with The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW). A proud LHW member, The Phoenicia Malta led the exclu- sive event that brought together China's most influential luxury travel professionals, world- class hoteliers and influential travel decision-makers. Their five-day visit included immersive cultural experienc- es and high-level business dis- cussions, all celebrating the is- land's unique fusion of history, culture and modern luxury and showcasing Malta as a destina- tion of choice for Chinese luxu- ry travellers. A Mandarin-speaking guide led the visiting delegation around Valletta's historic and cultural landmarks – on an un- usually rainy day, the water a symbol of good fortune in Chi- nese culture. They also sampled Maltese cuisine in gastronomic experiences, with sponsors in- cluding DMC2020. Hosted and sponsored by The Malta Tour- ism Authority and Heritage Malta, the Taste History cul- tural dinner – a unique culinary experience where guests ex- plore Maltese history through food – was themed around local feasts, with a brass band walking guests to the Maritime Museum and traditional 'festa' decorations within the venue. A lavish Gala Dinner held on Friday evening at The Phoenicia Malta featured distinguished guests and speakers, fireworks and music from the LUMOS quartet – a band the five-star hotel helped to form. Follow- ing a champagne reception in the hotel's Gazebo, guests took in a fashion installation by re- nowned Maltese designer Luke Azzopardi, launching his lat- est collection in collaboration with The Phoenicia Malta and reaffirming the hotel's commit- ment to spotlighting Maltese art and fashion on the world stage. At the Gala Dinner, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tour- ism Dr Ian Borg thanked The Phoenicia Malta and LHW for hosting the event. "Malta is actively investing in initiatives that promote our country as an exclusive and high-quality des- tination," he said in his speech. "Our strategic approach is fo- cused on enhancing luxury tourism by offering authen- tic, premium experiences that reflect our cultural heritage, exceptional gastronomy and unique landscapes. We look forward to further strengthen- ing Malta's relationship with China's luxury travel sector and other similar markets, and to continue working closely with all stakeholders in shaping the future of tourism in Malta and Gozo." Held across two days, the 2025 Leading Experience China Marketplace also underscored The Phoenicia Malta as the ul- timate luxury accommodation choice in the Mediterranean for Chinese clientele. The Mar- ketplace offered hoteliers from around the world the oppor- tunity to present their proper- ties and engage directly with Chinese buyers in one-on-one discussions. The weekend con- cluded with a trip to Sicily for the Chinese guests, for addi- tional European luxury shop- ping and sightseeing. "We are very proud that LHW China chose The Phoenicia Malta to present both Malta and our hotel to these key de- cision-makers from the luxury sector in China. Not only did we work hard to create a pro- gramme whereby they were able to experience the hotel, but also to offer this unique op- portunity to partners to collab- orate in showcasing Malta. The feedback has been very positive and, based on discussions I had with various agents, I am con- fident tangible business results will follow," added The Phoe- nicia Malta owner, Mark Shaw. Fiza Han Hui, Director of LHW Greater China, also re- flected on the event's success and praised the seamless execu- tion and hospitality of the event: "Malta has been an unforgetta- ble experience," she comment- ed during her stay. "This is my second visit to Malta, but the first time I've been able to fully appreciate all the island offers, thanks to The Phoenicia Malta. We have been so impressed by the seamless service, the lovely people and the attention to de- tail – it's been ten out of ten! We have 40 hotels from around the world represented as part of 2025 Leading Experience Chi- na, building a bridge between Europe and Chinese luxury travellers and communicating how we can collaborate in the future. I truly see the beauty of hospitality in Malta." Discover more about The Phoenicia Malta at www.phoe- niciamalta.com. BOV tap & win card promotion returns for carnival weekend BANK of Valletta is relaunching the popular Tap & Win Card Campaign, just in time for the Carnival weekend. As thou- sands of Maltese head over to Gozo to celebrate carnival, BOV cardholders who pay their travel fare via a digital wallet will au- tomatically have the chance to win €50 credited to their card account. The promotion is open to all BOV cardholders who travel to or from Gozo during the pro- motion period between 28th February and 5th March 2025, and who pay their travel fare on either the Gozo Channel Ferry or the Gozo Highspeed through a digital wallet such as Google Wallet, Apple Pay or Garmin Pay. The BOV Tap & Win Card Campaign is a great incentive for BOV customers to shift their payment behaviour from cash and physical cards to digital pay- ment solutions that offer acces- sibility, ease of use and security, all in the palm of their hands. The winners will be randomly drawn on the 13th of March, and the winners will be subsequent- ly contacted and credited with the prize in their respective ac- counts by the end of the month. Additional information about the promotion, together with the benefits linked to the BOV cards and digital wallets and full terms and conditions of the Tap & Win campaign can be found at https://www.bov.com/carni- val-promotion-tcs.