Property Malta Foundation recently hosted a well-appointed Malta pavilion at MIPIM, one of the most sought after global real estate conference and exhibition in the world. Held annually in Cannes, it attracts around 25,000 international property professionals. Sandro Chetcuti, the chairperson of Property Malta Foundation, led a delegation to participate in it for the first time.
How important are events like this in the overall strategy of the Property Malta Foundation?
Nothing quite compares to MIPIM, the largest property event in the world. We participated for the first time because it gives Maltese real estate operators myriad opportunities for networking with thousands of professionals from 90 countries - trade, investments, product and talent sourcing, and much more. In the past we led similar delegations to London, Munich and Dubai and all were successful in different ways. MIPIM is more B2B oriented and attracts larger investors, offering unique benefits.
Property Malta is very active online, with ongoing digital media campaigns targeting different audience profiles in different countries. We pilot ongoing research projects to support our industry and strengthen our real estate offering. These are the three main pillars of our activity, each having unique importance in our overall operations plan.
Malta pavilion at MIPIM.You organise trips like this every year. How are the events and participants chosen?
Our research indicates the markets from where most investors are already coming and where there could be higher potential to generate more interest. As a Board we regularly discuss, consult and decide on the calendar of international events. We then issue a public call and participants are free to join if they have an interest and fit the criteria of the call. Through our excellent relations with estate agencies, property developers and legal and financial services companies, we have always managed to get the right mix which makes our operations and networking on the floor more effective. As Property Malta Foundation we co-ordinate all the logistics and subsidise the set-up costs and participants pay their share as well as their flights and accommodation.
Our purpose is to get Malta on the radar of top international real estate investors
Who were the Maltese companies participating at MIPIM 2024?
Our MIPIM presence was made up of 26 professionals - property developers, estate agencies, financial services providers and legal consultants. The pavilion showcased two mixed-use developments - The Verdala Terraces in north/central Malta and Shoreline in the south of the island, wider investment opportunities from Hili Properties and Zanzi Homes. The delegation was supported by service providers DF Advocates, Endevio and Fenech & Fenech.
In addition, the MTA and Malta Enterprise enabled us to present a more holistic view of Malta. Working closely with these two entities on one unified platform has proven successful to deliver win-win results to all participants.
What was the involvement of Hon. Omar Farrugia MP in your delegation?
Because of its scale and global importance, MIPIM has a strong and positive political dimension. The opening keynote speech was delivered by the Former Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin, who also participated in the Political Leaders’ Summit at MIPIM. The Parliamentary Secretary for Public Works, the Hon. Omar Farrugia MP, chaired a round table discussion entitled “Making city housing more affordable”. This high-level meeting brought together city leaders from across Europe and beyond, sharing perspectives and addressing problems together. The discussion chaired by the Hon. Farrugia touched on the worldwide energy and cost of living crisis, new formats, designs, tenures and choices for housing, as well as the ways in which regional leaders can optimise housing regulation, investment and institutional reform.
Apart from the networking opportunities, how do these events yield tangible results?
Our purpose is to get Malta on the radar of top international real estate investors and that’s precisely what events like this achieve. For instance, our participants from the real estate sector have reported keen investor interest in properties above 10 million euro. Obviously, none of these are a done deal. Having set this, MIPIM was a unique opportunity to present proposals to such investors face to face. Service providers from the legal and financial sectors were also very positive, making some solid contacts with very significant potential. It is now down to the participants themselves to continue negotiating and fostering new relationships on MIPIM’s online networking platform for the next twelve months.
Sandro Chetcuti is chairman of Property Malta Foundation, a public-private initiative set up with the main aim of promoting Malta’s lifestyle identity and to position the country as a leading destination of choice for those interested in purchasing property. More information may be found at propertymalta.org.