Anyone looking to visit Malta will know that there’s a reason it has become one of Europe’s leading destinations for both city breaks and sun lounging. However, some might not be aware of the fact that it also plays host to big business with regular conferences and meets.

So whether you’re the director of a start-up looking to mingle with like-minded business folk or a woman in industry networking, you’ll find every sort of conference here in Malta. So what are some of the hottest tickets in town when it comes to international conferences?

Polyglot Conference Valletta 2024

Titkellem bil-Malti? If you speak more than one language, much like many of the inhabitants of this country, you might be interested in the Polyglot Conference. In many ways, Valletta is the perfect place for this sort of meet-up, because of the cultural mishmash that the islands have always been.

This conference gives language lovers the chance to connect, discuss, and share. With speeches and networking events aplenty, it’s ideal for those with lots of different languages under their belt and those dipping their toes into adding to their mother tongue. It takes place on the 7th and 8th of November in 2024.

EU-Startups Summit

The EU-Startups Summit is coming to Valletta in May of 2024, bringing with it the creme de la creme of entrepreneurs in Europe. It's giving startup businesses and their members a chance to network, chat, and trade ideas to help build the continent’s ever-growing tech industry.

There will be keynote speakers and exhibition opportunities for those looking to get eyeballs on their growing businesses, and expects to see 2,500 attendees, 8,500 meetings, and 350 investors, showing that Malta is a home for international business.

SIGMA

When it comes to industry in Malta, there’s one in particular that dominates. In recent years, it has quickly become the home for the iGaming industry - that is, online casinos and sportsbooks. Looking at the bestonlinecasinosmalta.com: best online casinos in Malta breakdown, you can see that there’s a long list of international operators licensed here.

It should be no surprise then that you can also find iGaming conferences and summits in the country. The 2024 edition of SiGMA is being hosted in Valletta, along with a poker tour coming to St Julian’s the following November, and it’s expected that there will be more than 500 speakers at this industry event.

Mediterranean Tourism Forum

It’s probably not news to you that Malta is one of Europe’s top tourist destinations. Few could turn down the beauty of the coastlines and centuries-old architecture of the cities. It is kind of fitting, then, that the Mediterranean Tourism Forum hits the islands.

According to IEMED.org Mediterranean tourism data, the area is now the world’s leading destination. The forum, hosted at the Hilton Valletta between the 25th and 27th of November 2024, looks to address all the potential issues that growing tourism can bring, including sustainability and the protection of local communities, as well as the promotion of the region’s businesses.

ITU's Global Innovation Forum

Malta isn’t just becoming a key player in the EU and wider European market – it has also cemented its place as a truly global nation, and its influence vastly outstrips the small size of the islands. Nothing will make that more evident than the Global Innovation Forum making its way to Valletta, which is taking place between 28th and 30th October this year.

The president of Malta, Myriam Spiteri Debono, will take to the stage alongside delegates and ministers from nations as far-flung as Japan, Bahrain and Barbados, in an effort to promote global cooperation between governments and citizens. It aims to uplift and inspire nations through digital innovation, placing this little corner of Europe at the centre of the world stage.

Sustainability Live

We all know that being sustainable is becoming increasingly important. It has been the focus globally for years now as we collectively look to reduce our effect on the planet and its resources. Sustainability Live is a conference looking to tackle those difficult conversations around what it means to be sustainable.

It will be held in Valletta’s Mediterranean Conference Centre in February 2025, and the MCC is a fitting venue for this event. The centre has won awards for the restoration of the 16th-century building, as well as a continued commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

International Conference on Future Communications and Networks

As has been shown by all the other conferences Malta plays host to, the nation sits very much at the centre of modern industry. In terms of the future of internet technology, there are few countries in Europe that can claim to have such an influence.

That’s why the International Conference on Future Communications and Networks will be held in St Julian’s between the 18th and 22nd November. Expect to hear about potential innovations, current developments, and the challenges that face businesses and citizens as the world grapples with AI and social media.

Which of these conferences piques your interest?