The ThreeT project partners and their stakeholders will be meeting in Malta between the 3rd and 5th December 2019. The study visit is hosted jointly by the Malta Planning Authority (Partner 4) and the Malta Tourism Authority (the main Maltese stakeholder).
During the study visit the partners and stakeholders will visit and experience the good practices identified in Malta with particular focus on thematic trails, improving the accessibility and visibility of these trails through innovative and eco-friendly mobility solutions and adopting a holistic approach to sustainable tourism.
During the first day of the study visit the partners and stakeholders will visit two good practices. In the morning they will experience the Coordinated Access to Valletta through Marine Transport, by catching the ferry services from Sliema to Valletta, taking the lift down to the port and crossing the Harbour to Cottonera on traditional boats (Daghjjes tal-Pass). Once in Birgu the participants will also go on a Rolling Geeks Tour and experience another soft mobility solution. Through this experience, the participants will learn how this good practice has reduced traffic and dependence on private cars, increased quality of transit, reduced travel times, increased access to the Three Cities and contributed to the regeneration of the Cottenera.
In the afternoon the partners will visit the Pembroke Heritage Project which offers a 2.5km long continuous walking/cycling trail. This good practice highlights heritage elements mainly connected to the British Military presence in the area, as well as the beauty of Malta’s natural coastline garrigue and rocky shorelines (part of the site is a designated Natura 2000 area). Through this experience, the participants will learn how new uses have been found to existing old pathways and how the project has increased the popularity of this destination for both locals and tourist.
The partners and stakeholders will visit another two good practices during the second day. In the morning the participants will visit the Majjistral Nature and History Park, which is Malta’s first natural national park and includes a stretch of 6km of protected coast designated as part of a larger Special Area of Conservation of International Importance within the Natura 2000 network of sites. Through this visit, the participants will learn how various stakeholders contribute to the overall management of the park, and the various educational and entertaining activities that are carried out within the park.
In the afternoon the partners will visit the Dingli Heritage Trail. The first stop will be at The Cliffs interpretation centre, which will be followed by a tour of the trail itself. Here participants can either go on a guided walking tour or on the Segway Tour to sample an alternative soft mobility solution. Through this visit, participants will learn how the trail reinforces the emphasis on the less known historic assets and rural heritage elements.
During the final day of the study visit, the participants will meet to discuss the good practices visited in the previous days, and will have a chance to network and learn more from the stakeholder’s and facility operators. They will then split into working groups to discuss how these good practices can be further improved, as well as their applicability and transferability to each partner’s context.
Following the success of the previous study visits, this promises to be another opportunity for the project partners and stakeholders, to learn more from each other, assess how the lessons learned can be transferred into each’s partner’s respective action plan and share the knowledge learned!