On 10 January 2012, Ambassador Martin Valentino attended the opening ceremony of the Dutch Tourism Expo 2012 held in Utrecht. The 2012 Dutch Tourism Expo is an opportunity for the representatives from the tourism business sector from both the Netherlands and abroad to foster new contacts with tourism business partners and the press. This Expo is considered as one of the world’s major events for the international travel and tourism industry with the participation of some 800 exhibitors. During this event, B2B meetings within the tourism sector were held which are important for keeping abreast of developments within the sector and in promoting the tourism product in each country.
 
Ambassador Valentino was welcomed at the Malta Tourism Authority stand by Mr. Carlo Micallef, Group Head Marketing Directorate Head Office, MTA and by Ms. Marianne Hoogeveen, MTA Representative, who is based at the MTA Office in Brussels. Ms. Hoogeveen is responsible for the Benelux countries. Ambassador Valentino had the opportunity to discuss matters on cooperation with the Embassy on tourism promotion between Malta and the Netherlands. Ambassador Valentino underlined that there is room for promoting further the Maltese islands with events in the Netherlands that could be sponsored and organized by MTA itself, in collaboration with the Embassy and the private sector.
 
During 2011 tourist arrivals to Malta from the Netherlands registered a substantial increase over the previous years. In 2010 there were 33,426 persons that travelled from the Netherlands to Malta and between January and November 2011 there were 37,746 with total expenditure reaching €34,357,000 in Jan-Nov 2011 compared to €31,199,000 in 2010. The Embassy of Malta in The Hague is regularly replying to requests for information on Malta, especially by providing tourism promotional material to both Dutch and foreign individuals, companies and associations planning to visit Malta for business and leisure purposes.