Malta

With daily flights from major European cities at less than 3 hours flight time, English being widely spoken and the official business language, and an ever-growing, excellent standard of infrastructure, Malta makes for an ideal destination for a short incentive getaway. Throw in factors such as 300 days of sunshine making it a year round option and exceptional value for money, it really does tick all the boxes not just from an event planner viewpoint, but from a client one too. For such a small island it packs a mighty punch – steeped in 7,000 years of history and transfer times averaging at 20 minutes between most points on the island, it’s easy to fill a three night itinerary with plenty to please all audiences. Upon arrival guests can be transferred to their hotel in a variety of fun and unique ways; my favourite being by the original old yellow buses which makes for a fantastic surprise welcome for groups when they arrive, and gives a true sense of the destination. In terms of hotels there is something for all demographics and budgets – the newly refurbed Hilton in St Julians is definitely up there as one of the best; a prime location in arguably the buzziest area of town amidst the Portomaso Yacht Marina, stunning outdoor pool overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean ocean and home to the award winning Blue Elephant Thai restaurant - a destination in its own right. Activities on the Rock (as affectionately known by its inhabitants) come in abundance, from mountain biking, hiking and kayaking for the active, quad biking across the rocky terrain of Gozo for the adrenaline junkies, to private catamaran cruises for the sun worshippers, during which you will take in the spectacular crystal clear waters of neighbouring islands Comino, the Blue Lagoon or beat the crowds at the lesser known but still equally stunning Crystal Lagoon. For local culture, absolutely not to be missed is the Capital of Culture 2018, Valletta, the beautiful capital city where old meets new, and of course the old capital city Mdina, where its narrow streets and traditional boutiques will make you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time. To do as the locals do, make a quick pit stop at the Crystal Palace bakery just outside the city walls for a Pastizzi, the most traditional of Maltese delicacies and without doubt the best on the island!