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Experience the “Most Magical Time of the Year” in Malta with Festivals, Fireworks and Culinary Delights

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Festivals, Fireworks and Culinary Delights

As the Holiday season approaches, one of the best things about spending time in Malta and its sister island of Gozo is being able to observe and experience some of the excitement of the Maltese national traditions as well as the culinary delights. Malta, the archipelago in the Mediterranean, with its year-round mild weather, offers visitors a perfect place to end the year and ring in a new one. 

Maltese Christmas Markets

  • Villa Rundle – December 1st – 23rd visitors can explore the beautifully decorated stalls offering seasonal artisan treats. 
  • Christmas Village at Valletta Waterfront– Dec 1st-27th enjoy Valletta as it turns into a picture-perfect Christmas Village. Visitors can indulge in free activities along the promenade, including; bands, choirs, cribs, food and a myriad of activities for younger Maltese visitors. 
  • Natalis Notabilis– December 11th- 15th visitors can enjoy Rabat which is transformed into a  winter wonderland with over 80 stalls and historic buildings will also be hosting Christmas related activities to enjoy during the 5-day event.

Visiting Cribs 

When visiting Malta during the Christmas season visitors will see nativity scenes or cribs on every street corner. Cribs are an important and popular part of the Maltese tradition during Christmas. Presepju or cribs in Malta differ from traditional nativity scenes. Maltese cribs include Mary, Joseph, and Jesus with a landscape that portrays Malta often rocky stones, Maltese flour, windmills, and ancient ruins.  

Bethlehem f’Ghajnsielem – December 2nd – Jan 5th visitors can explore the customs and folklore at this Maltese crib. 

Festive Light

Visitors of the capital city of Valletta, the 2018 European Capital of Culture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can admire the unique, colorful and spectacular Christmas lights. Republic Street and adjacent side streets are given a festive makeover with colorful light designs. The festive lights are switched on during a ceremony by the Minister of Culture.

The Malta International Christmas Choir Festival

Visitors can hear the angelic sounds of the holiday season at the Malta International Christmas Choir Festival which takes place between December 5th-9th. Guests will enjoy a number of choirs participating in the festival, ranging from male, female, youth, and gospel to folk choirs.

Manoel Theatre Pantomime 

Every year, a spectacular pantomime is staged at the marvelous Manoel Theatre in Valletta. This year, visitors can enjoy The Little Mermaid, from December 22nd to January 5th, a holiday tradition for Maltese adults and children. 

St.John’s Co-Cathedral

The iconic St. John’s C0-Cathedral in Valletta is worth visiting at any time of year. However, during the Christmas season is an especially exciting time to visit. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the church hosts a series of candlelit carol concerts and processions which are guaranteed to get visitors in the festive spirit.

Maltese Traditional Holiday Food 

With Malta celebrating 2020 being the year of gastronomy. Food plays a big part in the holiday season in Malta. Today the traditional Maltese Christmas menu includes turkey/pork, potatoes, vegetables, cakes, puddings, and mince pies. 

A real specialty is the Maltese Christmas Log, a lovely combination of crushed biscuits, condensed milk and a number of different festive ingredients.

New Year’s Eve Malta Style – Fireworks!

Valletta Waterfront

Visitors can end the year in style and welcome in the New Year at the Valletta Waterfront. Valletta itself, Malta’s Capital and the 2018 European Capital of Culture, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Valletta’s romantic waterfront lined by restaurants with exquisite cuisine is the place to welcome the New Year with a glass of champagne in hand.  Travelers can ring in 2020 with a myriad of New Year’s Eve festivities featuring live bands, children’s entertainment and fireworks and confetti display at the stroke of midnight. Visitors can experience all of this with the breathtaking view of the Grand Harbour as the backdrop. Once the New Year begins a DJ will lead the festivities with various classics and popular hits.

For further information on the Holiday season and destination Malta, please see visitmalta.com 

About Malta

The sunny islands of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, are home to a most remarkable concentration of intact built heritage, including the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in any nation-state anywhere. Valletta built by the proud Knights of St. John is one of the UNESCO sites and was the European Capital of Culture for 2018. Malta’s patrimony in stone ranges from the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, to one of the British Empire’s most formidable defensive systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious and military architecture from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. With superbly sunny weather, attractive beaches, a thriving nightlife and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do.

Experience the “Most Magical Time of the Year” in Malta
Live Christmas crib
Experience the “Most Magical Time of the Year” in Malta
New Year’s Eve fireworks in Grand Harbour

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Malta Tourism Authority North America

Michelle Buttigieg

Tel: (212) 213-0944

E-mail: [email protected]

MTA US Editorial Contact

The Bradford Group

Amanda Benedetto/ Gabriela Reyes

Tel: (212) 447-0027

Fax: (212) 725 8253

E-mail: [email protected]

Enjoy a Magical Winter Wonderland at Sands Resorts Macao

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Seasonal fun with inverted Christmas tree and festive decorations, attractive accommodation and shopping offers, dining, entertainment and leisure

Warm things up at Sands Resorts Macao this winter with a wide range of celebrations, entertainment, accommodation and shopping offers plus dining for visitors to enjoy from Nov. 14, 2019 – Jan. 10, 2020. With a stunning inverted Christmas tree, and attractive shopping and room offers, Sands Resorts Macao is the perfect destination for a magical Winter Wonderland getaway.

Winter Wonderland in Venice and Paris

At The Venetian® Macao, visitors will be enchanted by dazzling Winter Wonderland decorations throughout the lagoon area from Nov. 15, 2019 – Jan. 2, 2020, including a magnificent 48-foot Christmas tree and Christmas train featuring Santa and his grotto ready to welcome visitors.

Sands Resorts Macao will also welcome back its signature 3D light and sound spectacular, projecting festive themed images including a tribute to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region onto The Venetian Macao’s 43,000-square-feet façade. The state-of-the-art animated show will run every 30 minutes nightly from Nov. 14, 2019 – Jan. 2, 2020, 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Guests can also send Christmas greetings from the ‘Venice Post’ corner by the lagoon and take photos with Santa at The Venetian Macao from Nov. 15 – Dec. 25 (Santa not available Mondays).

Meanwhile at The Parisian Macao, visitors can enjoy a snowy wonderland and interactive decorations with a light show and dazzling colour scheme. There will be magnificent lighting all around The Parisian Forecourt, with all-new outdoor decorations throughout the gardens and Eiffel Tower offering perfect photo opportunities. The centrepiece will be an amazing inverted 50-foot Christmas tree at the rotunda lobby.

The Eiffel Tower’s Grand Illumination Show Christmas Edition will run over the festive season from Nov. 14, 2019 – Jan. 2, 2020, 6:15 p.m.-midnight. Another highlight of the winter celebration will be a dazzling 3D light and sound spectacular – La Magie De Noël – which will delight audiences by projecting beautiful festive images on the sky ceiling of the Place Vendôme at Shoppes at Parisian between Nov. 14, 2019 ­– Jan. 2, 2020, every hour from 12-9 p.m.

New Year’s Eve Countdowns

Guests and visitors can celebrate New Year’s Eve at Sands Resorts Macao with the biggest free countdown celebrations along the Cotai Strip. Taking place at The Venetian Macao’s lagoon area and The Parisian Macao’s Le Jardin, the evening will include live music, festive food and drink, giveaways and more. There will also be a spectacular countdown concert at Cotai Arena on New Year’s Eve.

Winter Shopping Rewards – Earn More by Spending More

The largest luxury duty free shopping experience in Macao with over 850 fashion and lifestyle outlets, Sands Shoppes Macao’s exclusive Winter Shopping Rewards offers shoppers an unbeatable deal. Spend at two different stores and redeem up to a maximum of MOP 10,000 worth of shopping vouchers to use at all participating outlets at Sands Shoppes.

A Delicious World of International Dining

Celebrate Macao’s UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy status with superb dining at over 150 international dining options at Sands Resorts Macao this winter. The festive season offers the perfect opportunity to explore a Black Pearl-awarded and Michelin-starred array of great restaurants, including special festive menus at Portofino, Chiado and Brasserie, as well as celebration buffets at Le Buffet, Grand Orbit and Bambu.

Enjoy a Taste of the Suite Life

Guests can maximise their stay at one of Sands Resorts Macao’s seven world-class hotels by relaxing in the luxury of an indulgent suite. Families will love the Famille Rooms at The Parisian Macao and Family Suite at Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, couples will adore the beautiful Champagne Suites at The Parisian Macao while The Venetian Macao’s Premio Suites are perfect for everyone! 

The Ambassador Suite at Four Seasons Hotel Macao features hardwood floors, plush carpets and eye-catching art. Enjoy panoramic views from floor-to-ceiling windows, customisable beds with your choice of mattress toppers and bathroom amenities by Bulgari.

Stay Longer and Save

Enjoy year-end savings on a luxurious stay at The Parisian Macao and The Venetian Macao. Stay two nights and save 25% off our best available rates, with rooms starting at HKD/MOP 899 a night. Stay three nights or more and enjoy even larger savings, with rooms starting at only HKD/MOP 798 a night. Book today and stay between now and January 5, 2020.

Stay Two Nights and Receive 25% Discount

Booking period:     Now until Jan. 5, 2020

Stay Period:          Now until Jan. 5, 2020

Length of stay:      Two nights maximum

Rate:                     From HKD/MOP 899* at The Parisian Macao /   HKD/MOP 1,124* at The Venetian Macao

Stay More, Save More

Booking period:     Now until Jan. 5, 2020

Stay Period:          Now until Jan. 5, 2020

Length of stay:      Three nights minimum

Rate:                     From HKD/MOP 798* at The Parisian Macao / HKD/MOP 998* at The Venetian Macao

Room Reservation Hotline

International call:                  +853 2882 8878

China toll free:                      4001 208 873

Hong Kong toll free:            800 906 309

India toll free:                        000 800 050 8006

To discover an exciting world of enjoyment at Sands Resorts Macao, as well as further promotions and offers, please go to https://SandsResortsMacao.com/WhatsOn 

About Sands Resorts Macao – Sands China’s Integrated Resort City

Sands China Ltd. is the leading developer, owner and operator of integrated resorts in Macao. Sands Resorts Macao, in the glittering heart of Taipa’s Cotai Strip, is an integrated resort city and international hub providing an industry-leading array of experiences for business and leisure travellers. Pulsating with life, both day and night, Sands Resorts Macao features an expansive offering of affordable luxury available nowhere else in Macao. This includes around 12,500 hotel rooms and suites, top international entertainment, duty free shopping with approximately 850 retailers and a huge range of name brands, meeting and exhibition space for Asia’s leading conferences and exhibitions, transportation offerings and well over 150 dining options, with Michelin-starred restaurants, bars and lounges. Sands Resorts Macao is a must-visit destination providing every guest with an unforgettable experience and unparalleled excitement.

Comprised of The Venetian® Macao; The Parisian Macao; The Plaza™ Macao (featuring Four Seasons Hotel Macao); and Sands® Cotai Central (incorporating the world’s largest Conrad, Sheraton and Holiday Inn hotels as well as The St. Regis Macao), Sands Resorts Macao is Asia’s ultimate destination for both work and play. The Londoner® Macao, the British-themed reimagining of Sands Cotai Central, will open progressively over 2020 and 2021.

For more information about Sands Resorts Macao, please visit https://en.sandsresortsmacao.com.

Enjoy a Magical Winter Wonderland at Sands Resorts Macao
Enjoy a Magical Winter Wonderland at Sands Resorts Macao
Enjoy a Magical Winter Wonderland at Sands Resorts Macao
Enjoy a Magical Winter Wonderland at Sands Resorts Macao
Enjoy a Magical Winter Wonderland at Sands Resorts Macao
Enjoy a Magical Winter Wonderland at Sands Resorts Macao
Enjoy a Magical Winter Wonderland at Sands Resorts Macao

Media contacts:

Glodow Nead Communications

[email protected]

415-394-6500

* Subject to 10% service charge and 5% government tax. Terms and Conditions apply.

Minister Bartlett: J$16 million in contracts earned from 2018 staging of Christmas in July

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Tourism Minister Hon, Edmund Bartlett says that his Ministry’s Christmas in July tradeshow has been a resounding success for local manufacturers, noting that last year at least 30 participants collectively received contracts valued at over J$16 million.

Last year the event, which is hosted by the Tourism Linkages Network and partners, attracted 118 suppliers and 550 buyers. A participants’ perception survey indicated that 50% of respondents received contracts worth $100,000 or less, 43% received contracts of over $100,000 to $500,000 while 7% received contracts worth over $1 million.

Minister Bartlett however stated that the Christmas in July exhibitors, while reaping the benefits of the exposure and contracts from the event, were unwilling to share information on the contracts they received, which limited the Ministry’s ability gauge the true success of this linkages initiative.

Speaking at Christmas in July, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel last week, Minister Bartlett lamented, “It is a pity that we did not receive information from all participants. I hope that this year exhibitors will be more willing to share information on their successes, so we too can see the return on our investment.”

Richard Pandohie, President of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (JMEA), also stressed the importance of data sharing during his address at the event.

“Companies, business support organizations and governments across the world can analyze a variety of information which can provide new insights to make better and faster decisions and decide where to allocate scarce resources, but we can’t have data analytics if less than three per cent of the data is coming in,” he noted.

Christmas in July is an annual tradeshow, which gives local producers of authentic Jamaican gift and souvenir items the opportunity to display their products and network with corporate entities and various industry players.

It is hosted in partnership with the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA), Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), and seeks to provide Jamaican producers of corporate gifts and souvenirs with the opportunity to access an alternative market segment while adding uniqueness and creativity to product offerings.

“Our linkages initiatives are challenging the private sector to do business differently, they are increasing the consumption of local goods, they are creating employment, and they are generating and facilitating the infusion of tourism spending into the local economy.

I am positive that this year’s staging will be equally fruitful for all participants, if not better. We have pumped some $10 million into this event,” said Minister Bartlett.

This year, some 120 local producers of authentic Jamaican gift and souvenir items displayed their products to corporate entities and various industry players at the event’s fifth staging.

Activities for this year’s staging included a “Style Jamaica Pop Up Fashion Show” – which featured jewelry, bags and accessories made by local artisans.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith (left), tests her artistic skills, with guidance from renowned artist Lennox Coke at the fifth Staging of Christmas in July at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on July 18, 2019.

It is also included a mini Artisan Village, where patrons were able to see products being made from start to finish. This is a preview of the Tourism Enhancement Fund-led artisan village that is being constructed at Hampden Wharf in Trelawny, slated to be ready by the end of the year, to coincide with the start of the traditional winter tourist season in December.

All products on display had to be made with materials sourced locally, proven to be at least 70 per cent locally manufactured or assembled highlighting strong Jamaican cultural influences and themes.

An online catalogue featuring all exhibitors will available in October 2019 for people to view products and place orders.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

Ministers Bartlett and Green to address participants at 5th staging of Christmas in July Tradeshow

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green, MP, will address participants at the 5th staging of the Christmas in July Tradeshow, which provides an opportunity for local producers of corporate gifts and souvenirs to promote their products to alternate market segments.

The event is a collaborative initiative of the Tourism Linkages Network, a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA).

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

The perplexing search for purplicious luggage and the perils of windmills

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April is Stress Awareness Month, but it is also National Humor Month, so I thought I’d go out on a limb and talk about something that stresses a travel bargain’s aficionado. I have Scandinavian blood, so just like the Vikings, I have a natural inclination to go out and explore the world. But I’m part Scottish, so I don’t want to pay for it.

I watch google flights like a hawk – I grab dirt-cheap first-class tickets when I see the price drop to the $500 range from Honolulu to anywhere in the Great Lakes region. First class comes with 2 bags per person, up to 70 pounds per suitcase. I have 400 Aloha-themed Christmas cards I bought for 75 to 90 percent off in January, plus all kinds of other Hawaiiana treasures to take back to the mainland.

My perplexing search for Parisian goods at Scottish prices yielded over 100 possibilities on Facebook Marketplace; however, every single seller I encountered was a scam artist. Everything I looked at was counterfeit Louis Vuitton brought over from Shanghai where the seller probably paid $20 for each piece. The Facebook ads read “Authentic Louis Vuitton,” but upon inspection, it only took 30 seconds to see these were illegal knockoffs. Realistically, what real person buys 10 Louis Vuitton suitcases for $2,700 each, then turns around and sells them for $1,000 each on Marketplace before even using them once? Nobody does that. But people do buy $20 counterfeit Louis Vuitton items in China, then illegally sell them to unsuspecting Facebook buyers in Hawaii – at an obscene mark up.

So I turned to a reputable store, one which is very popular in the American South, called Belk. They specialize in products that Baptist women with really big hair love to purchase. At least that’s what my Baptist aunts with 3-feet tall hair told me. You know, the taller the hair, the closer to God.

I found a great bargain: purple luggage set of 3, regularly $160, on clearance for $19.99. The description says the luggage “is featured in a vibrant purple hue so you never have to worry about your belongings or loosing [sic] your luggage on the baggage claim belt.” What exactly does that imply? Is it such a hideous shade of purple that nobody would caught dead with it? I don’t mind purple – the symbol of Scotland is the purple thistle, so with a few decals and gaudy embellishments they would make the perfect accessory for a red hat lady or a gay Scot.

I know a lot of women who love purple. The last time I bought a suitcase from the Aloha Swap Meet, it was purple, with hibiscus, and had the words “Aloha” and “Hawaii” printed on it. After using it to fly to Detroit, I placed an ad to sell it online – and it sold in under one minute.  So maybe purple suitcases would be something I should carefully reconsider, especially if they are prone to getting brodied by big-haired women.

When I read Belk’s small print for this item I noticed the warning: “This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause Cancer and Reproductive Harm.” Are they referring to pregnant women, or are they referring to my little soldiers under the category of “reproductive harm”?  I have to keep my little soldiers unharmed just in case Dolly Parton asks me to marry her. I know she’s 73 and probably has no plan to reproduce with me, but she’s got big hair and she would really appreciate my Pride of Dixie Belk luggage. And she’s the only woman on the planet who could turn me straight. Well, maybe Jane Seymour could, but I’d need to consult my shrink first. The $64,000 question, or the $19.99 question: are the purple suitcases worth getting cancer?

There has been much buzz about Mr. President’s announcement that windmills cause cancer. I guess that’s why all the people in Holland are dead. He said it had something to do with the spinning motion.  Now, these suitcases are “spinners” meaning you can spin them 360 degrees.

I’m Scottish by culture, but my DNA is Scandinavian. Scandinavians always place a high value on safety, which is why I bought a Volvo C70 convertible. Being both Scandinavian and Scottish led me to a great existential crisis – who am I – a cheap Scot or a safety-conscious Scandinavian? Is the bargain worth the stress of possibly getting cancer?

For a few minutes I pondered the issue. Maybe the cancer was caused by the spinning action. I thought, well, if I spin them backwards, would it cure cancer?

Having lost both grandmothers to cerebral tumors, I have a lot of emotional baggage when it comes to that topic. Except for basal cell carcinoma (a common problem for blue-eyed blond Scandinavians living in Hawaii) I have lived pretty much unscathed by cancer’s evil.

In the end, the Scandinavian “safety first” side of me won out. As much as I love bargains, I might have gotten more than I bargained for from this luggage set. There is always the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet to top off my 280 pound (4 suitcases) first-class checked-baggage allowance.  Any excuse to go to the Swap Meet is a Scot’s delight.

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