From the Knights to Caravaggio: Malta Tells Its Story for Tourism 2027

by Redazione 01/11/2026

Italian visitors are increasingly looking for vacations that are worthwhile year-round: Malta is placing its historical and cultural heritage at the center of its promotional efforts, from UNESCO sites to Victoria, the European Capital of Culture in 2031.

Malta looks to the future of tourism with confidence. According to the archipelago’s tourism board, which we met in Rimini during the TTG Travel Experience tourism fair, the outlook for the destination is positive. The trend the board highlights most prominently concerns the Italian market, from which a steady flow of visitors is shifting interest from just the summer season to year-round travel. This shift, the board explains, is driven by the archipelago’s historical and cultural beauty.

The heritage upon which the destination builds its offerings is extensive. There are millennia-old stories rooted in archaeology, as well as the legacy of the Knights of Malta, including St. John the Baptist Cathedral and the Caravaggio painting housed within it. Medina, the ancient capital, is also mentioned, along with the villages and traditions that form the roots of the archipelago’s history.

Caravaggio, The Beheading of John the Baptist (1608; oil on canvas, 361 x 520 cm; Valletta, Co-Cathedral of St. John) — Caravaggio, *The Beheading of St. John the Baptist* (1608; oil on canvas, 361 x 520 cm; Valletta, Co-Cathedral of St. John)

For Malta, knowledge and awareness of its entire historical and cultural heritage—including the UNESCO sites located throughout the territory—represent one of the added values that the destination aims to offer to tourists. In this context, the organization highlights a milestone concerning the island of Gozo: in 2031, Victoria will be the European Capital of Culture.

The historical and cultural aspects will thus become central to Visit Malta’s promotional strategy, in a context where visits to the archipelago are no longer limited to the summer season.

From the Knights to Caravaggio: Malta Tells Its Story for Tourism 2027

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