As Malta positions itself as a luxury travel destination, Robyn Pratt, general manager of The Phoenicia Malta, reflects on hosting the 2025 Leading Experience China – a landmark event that introduced some of China’s most influential luxury travel professionals to the best of Maltese culture, cuisine and hospitality.

The luxury travel industry is changing, and with it, so are the expectations of today’s most discerning travellers.

Where once luxury travel simply meant opulence, now these travellers seek unique, meaningful and personalised experiences.

Their wish list demands privacy, comfort and immersion into the local culture, with extraordinary attention to detail, high-end brands and a focus on transformative wellness and sustainability.

Nowhere is this shift clearer than in China, where a new wave of travellers is looking beyond traditional destinations, in search of something new.

That’s why 2025 Leading Experience China, Malta’s first event of this kind in collaboration with The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), was such a landmark moment. This was a rare and significant opportunity to present Malta as a premier destination and showcase our island’s heritage, culture and hospitality to some of the most influential players and decision-makers in China’s luxury travel sector.

Robyn Pratt

The Phoenicia Malta wasn’t simply ‘hosting’ this event – LHW Greater China chose us as its European venue, and, as a proud LHW member, we were delighted to partner with them to bring it to Malta.

The hotel has long been committed to elevating the island’s standing in the global luxury landscape. As China’s travel market is one of the fastest-growing in the world – with an estimated 130 million outbound tourists in 2024, according to ITB China’s Travel Trends Report – we feel it is important to actively promote what the island can offer at an international level.

Malta, with its UNESCO-listed capital, unique culture and Mediterranean charm, has all the makings of an ideal luxury destination for the Chinese market – but awareness is key. It’s time to put the country firmly on the world’s luxury travel map as an untapped destination of choice, brimming with potential.

True to form, the team at The Phoenicia Malta planned this event in intricate detail, creating a programme that featured history, culture, cuisine, fashion and the best of Maltese hospitality.

A Mandarin-speaking tour guide led the delegation around the architectural and cultural treasures of Valletta. As luck would have it, that day produced a deluge of rain, but this didn’t wet the spirits of any of our visitors – in fact, as they pointed out later, Chinese culture holds water as a symbol of good fortune.

I share their view that the weather was an auspicious sign for the future of China’s luxury travel market in Malta.

I hope the relationships we have forged will soon translate into long-term partnerships

As unparalleled as our language and culture, Maltese cuisine also featured heavily on our programme.

The variety of memorable and mouth-watering gastronomic experiences even included a ‘Taste History’ cultural dinner, hosted and sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority and Heritage Malta. Our guests were delighted and intrigued by the dinner’s ‘festa’ theme, whereby a brass band led them to a beautifully decorated Maritime Museum for the occasion.

Members of the LHW China delegation during their visit.

We even concluded with a day-trip to Sicily, highlighting just how close Malta is to that beautiful island – and how easy it is to visit, when choosing Malta as a destination.

Another milestone was the gala dinner on Friday evening, which featured a stunning fashion installation in collaboration with renowned Maltese designer Luke Azzopardi.

At The Phoenicia Malta, we firmly believe that luxury hospitality is about more than just five-star service – it’s about storytelling and heart.  And, as Malta’s oldest and most prestigious five-star hotel, our connection and commitment to the island runs deep, taking every opportunity to spotlight Malta’s creative talent on an international stage.

Partnering with Azzopardi at this momentous event was a natural fit – as was featuring LUMOS, a band that The Phoenicia Malta helped to form. Hearing the appreciation of our guests for the artistry of the evening reaffirmed our belief that Malta has so much more to offer beyond our wonderful climate.

I am so proud of what The Phoenicia Malta achieved at 2025 Leading Experience China. We wanted the Chinese delegation to leave Malta with confidence in recommending the country as a ‘new’ destination to their luxury clients and a sense of ‘I want more’. I believe they did.

Indeed, I hope the relationships we have forged  will soon translate into long-term partnerships both for our hotel and the island – laying the foundation for Malta’s future not only in China’s luxury travel market, but the world’s.

Discover The Phoenicia Malta at www.phoeniciamalta.com.