Malta Tourism Authority supports XTERRA off-road sporting event

During a press conference held yesterday, XTERRA MALTA announced a series of off-road sporting challenges that will be held in Malta, Gozo and Comino over the coming months.

The first events are scheduled to take place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September.

On the Saturday, there will be the main Triathlon around Golden Bay, whilst a 6K trail and XTERRA kids event will take place on the Sunday. A trail running race around Gozo will be held on the 31st October, where athletes can opt to run around the whole island (55 km) or go for shorter distances of 21 km or 11 km. The last event of the season is the SwimRun which is organised on the Island of Comino and will take place at the beginning of November.

Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Julia Farrugia Portelli applauded this international sporting event taking place in Malta, Gozo and Comino. “This is a wonderful opportunity to promote another niche in tourism, Sports Tourism, which we are seeking to promote while further improving our tourism product,” said Farrugia Portelli. Minister Farrugia

Portelli wished the best of luck to all athletes taking part.

Speaking during the conference, the Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority Dr Gavin Gulia stated: “In the past years, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Ministry for Tourism have driven a strategy of further tourism product diversification to improve the seasonal mix and flow of tourism throughout the year. One area that has seen consistent growth is that of Sports Tourism, where several events with an international appeal have become well established in the annual events calendar. XTERRA is one such event.”

Dr Gulia continued: “These events generate important tourism traffic, especially in the winter and shoulder months of the year. Competitors are often accompanied by friends and family who extend their stay beyond the event, to enjoy a holiday on our Islands. For this reason, MTA is proud to be supporting this event which has the potential to continue growing in the years to come.”