The Phoenicia Malta has helped strengthen ties between Malta and the Chinese luxury travel market by hosting 2025 Leading Experience China, the island’s inaugural China luxury travel event in collaboration with The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW).
A proud LHW member, The Phoenicia Malta led the exclusive event that brought together China’s most influential luxury travel professionals, world-class hoteliers and influential travel decision-makers.
Their five-day visit included immersive cultural experiences and high-level business discussions, all celebrating the island’s unique fusion of history, culture and modern luxury and showcasing Malta as a destination of choice for Chinese luxury travellers.
A Mandarin-speaking guide led the visiting delegation around Valletta’s historic and cultural landmarks – on an unusually rainy day, the water a symbol of good fortune in Chinese culture. They also sampled Maltese cuisine in gastronomic experiences, with sponsors including DMC2020. Hosted and sponsored by The Malta Tourism Authority and Heritage Malta, the Taste History cultural dinner – a unique culinary experience where guests explore Maltese history through food – was themed around local feasts, with a brass band walking guests to the Maritime Museum and traditional ‘festa’ decorations within the venue.
A lavish Gala Dinner held on Friday evening at The Phoenicia Malta featured distinguished guests and speakers, fireworks and music from the LUMOS quartet – a band the five-star hotel helped to form. Following a champagne reception in the hotel’s Gazebo, guests took in a fashion installation by renowned Maltese designer Luke Azzopardi, launching his latest collection in collaboration with The Phoenicia Malta and reaffirming the hotel’s commitment to spotlighting Maltese art and fashion on the world stage.
At the Gala Dinner, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Dr Ian Borg thanked The Phoenicia Malta and LHW for hosting the event. “Malta is actively investing in initiatives that promote our country as an exclusive and high-quality destination,” he said in his speech. “Our strategic approach is focused on enhancing luxury tourism by offering authentic, premium experiences that reflect our cultural heritage, exceptional gastronomy and unique landscapes. We look forward to further strengthening Malta’s relationship with China’s luxury travel sector and other similar markets, and to continue working closely with all stakeholders in shaping the future of tourism in Malta and Gozo.”
Held across two days, the 2025 Leading Experience China Marketplace also underscored The Phoenicia Malta as the ultimate luxury accommodation choice in the Mediterranean for Chinese clientele. The Marketplace offered hoteliers from around the world the opportunity to present their properties and engage directly with Chinese buyers in one-on-one discussions. The weekend concluded with a trip to Sicily for the Chinese guests, for additional European luxury shopping and sightseeing.
“We are very proud that LHW China chose The Phoenicia Malta to present both Malta and our hotel to these key decision-makers from the luxury sector in China. Not only did we work hard to create a programme whereby they were able to experience the hotel, but also to offer this unique opportunity to partners to collaborate in showcasing Malta. The feedback has been very positive and, based on discussions I had with various agents, I am confident tangible business results will follow,” added The Phoenicia Malta owner, Mark Shaw.
Fiza Han Hui, Director of LHW Greater China, also reflected on the event’s success and praised the seamless execution and hospitality of the event: “Malta has been an unforgettable experience,” she commented during her stay. “This is my second visit to Malta, but the first time I’ve been able to fully appreciate all the island offers, thanks to The Phoenicia Malta. We have been so impressed by the seamless service, the lovely people and the attention to detail – it’s been ten out of ten! We have 40 hotels from around the world represented as part of 2025 Leading Experience China, building a bridge between Europe and Chinese luxury travellers and communicating how we can collaborate in the future. I truly see the beauty of hospitality in Malta.”
Discover more about The Phoenicia Malta at www.phoeniciamalta.com.
