Maltese Ambassador inaugurates Malta Days in Hungary

On the 26^th March 1998, Malta's Ambassador to Hungary, HE Mr Maurice Abela, opened the Malta Days in Hungary at the Corinthia Aquincum Hotel, Budapest. The event is organised on the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and theEnvironment with the collaboration of METCO, the National Tourism Organisation and Air Malta. The activity is also being supported by the Corinthia Group of Companies which owns the Aquincum Hotel in Budapest and by the Honorary Consulate General of Malta in Hungary.

The Malta Days in Hungary, designed to project a multifaceted image of Malta, comes as a result of contacts established last year by a delegation composed of officials from the Foreign Ministry and the private sector, led by Mr Albert Friggieri, which visited Hungary last year. When this visit was reciprocated by a similar Hungarian delegation to Malta last October, it was decided to hold the Malta Days in Budapest.

Over thirty Maltese companies in the tourism, manufacturing and services sectors are participating in the Malta Days. Participants include METCO, the National Tourism Organisation, Air Malta, Malta Development Corporation, Malta Drydocks, Malta Freeport Corporation, Malta Maritime Authority and a considerable number of private businesses in the manufacturing, services and tourism industries. An invitation to Maltese entrepreneurs to take part in this event was published in the Press some weeks ago.

Besides a three day exhibition of Maltese products and services set up by METCO, the event comprises an evening of Maltese cuisine enlivened by the performance of the Daphne Lungaro Mifsud Maltese dance group. Over one hundred and fifty members of the Hungarian tourist trade are invited to a reception during which Maltese tour operators will have the opportunity of meeting them to explore opportunities in the tourism industry.

About 6000 Hungarian tourists visit Malta every year and Air Malta is establishing a scheduled flight from Malta to Budapest and vice versa.