Joséf Bonello appointed wine ambassador for Malta and Gozo
The MTA is pleased to announce the appointment of Joséf Bonello as the first ambassador for the promotion of the Maltese Islands’ wines. In this new role, Bonello shall be aiming to raise the profile and knowledge of Maltese wines, both locally and more importantly internationally. The Malta Tourism Authority is confident that Bonello will succeed in his mission to establish a brand identity for The Maltese Islands’ wines and also Mediterranean wines through his great experience and love of the wine sector.
Bonello’s own wine journey began more than 30 years ago when a local winery presented him with an opportunity to market its range of Maltese wines. Throughout his career, he gained valuable experience with local winemakers and wine importers who gave him the opportunity to represent wines from around the world. In the meantime, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust provided him with the academic foundations that fuelled his infectious enthusiasm for wine.
Over the last 40 years, the Maltese wine scene has experienced a tremendous growth as more and more wine drinkers are appreciating Maltese wine for its quality, and understanding how important it is to our culture, our agriculture and our tourism product. Quality tourism is often the result of travellers seeking meaningful and unique experiences at their destination. The combination of wine and gastronomy is a niche that appeals to a wide audience and fortunately the Maltese islands have an exciting story to tell in this niche.
“After successfully achieving the goals of the recovery phase for Malta’s tourism industry, with a record tourism performance in 2023, MTA has now moved into the second phase of the 2021-2030 tourism strategy, which calls for the rethinking of the tourism experience that the islands are to offer to prospective visitors. The wine and gastronomy segment is a strong motivator of quality tourism that seeks a memorable experience, sustainable tourism operations and is also willing to spend more for the right product. I strongly believe that Josef’s extensive knowledge and experience in the wine industry will help us develop this tourism product in cooperation with Malta and Gozo’s wine industry. Our objective is to provide our guests with an unforgettable experience and at the same time establish Malta and Gozo on the international wine scene,” said MTA's CEO, Carlo Micallef.