The perceptions of the Italian market towards Malta as a holiday destination

Abstract

The importance of having a clear image of a destination is important when creating a good perception within the tourists. The image of a destination is communicated through social media, word of mouth, nation’s government decisions, policies, cultural activities, and the people of the country. The Italian visitors are the second largest group to visit Malta. The research aims at identifying the perception of the Italian market towards Malta as a holiday destination. Firstly, this study will determine the images and characteristics in general, as well as of the Italian population about Malta as a holiday destination. The research will then analyse the perceptions of the Italian market towards the Maltese Islands and examine to what extent does Malta meet the travel requirements of the Italian population. Lastly, the research will identify how Malta could be appealing as a destination for Italian tourists. In doing so, the experiences and perception of Italian tourists will be analysed. It will be identified through quantitative means of research. Primary research was conducted by going to Florence in the region of Tuscany distributing questionnaires and through web-based surveys. The outcome of the primary research collected indicated that the perception is generally positive, with an increase in tourists staying for a longer period. This paper showcases how perception is dynamic and easily affected by cognitive and demographic characteristics. Thus, meaning that, even though the perception is dependent on various factors, the common perception affects the process of choosing a destination over another.