Fresh ideas for social events within your company

We spend a lot of time where we work, and our workplaces all have an ecological footprint. Moreover, some of our 'social' activities still revolve around the workplace when we organise incentives for the employees, get-togethers and other events. 

At Merill Eco Tours we are continuously developing fresh ideas which offer CSR Committees and Organisers a balanced solution for 'fun' yet 'responsible' events. Most of our team-building experiences and excursions can be customised and adapted according to the needs of the organisation, including its aims & objectives and group size. 

The Maltese Islands have a lot to offer even for the locals, and by taking into consideration the Ecotourism Principles, our firm strives to make the best out of each experience - for everyone involved.  

Tours for CSR Committees

For more information email us on info@merillecotours.com or visit our website www.merillecotours.com

Ecotourism in Practice

The Farmers Market - a showcase of culinary richnesses

This term has been around for quite some time but still, it hasn't grown its roots here in Malta. Statistics and other related information about what happens in Malta are limited. Before starting off Merill Eco Tours, I read many books about this topic and accessed a lot of views and methods through social media. Travellers want to have a say before and after their trip. This is positive to us since we are very much focussed to create experiences rather than tours!  

So how can we put Ecotourism into practice? First of all, we need to understand the real meaning of Ecotourism. Its principles are clear and well spelt out. Minimizing the impact on the environment is on top of the list. Malta is a small island with limited resources. Conservation of our few natural resources such as land (including soil), water and biodiversity should be on top of the agenda of all tourism operators. Then comes the aspect of awareness. I meet many people who are sceptical about Malta and Gozo's potential for eco and agri-tourism acitivities. Wake  up people...we are in the middle of the Mediterranean, surrounded by beautiful beaches, our eco-cultural landscape is varied, local people are charming...the "only" thing we need is to build sustainable bridges amongst industries. Let's say, if a restaurant chooses to purchase local foods, then catering industry is embracing the agriculture industry thus supporting rural life and biodiversity. Who will take care of the fields, and thus the landscape, if all the farmers are gone, or all Malta is built up!?

Another example is that of having nature being featured on images representing Malta. Eco is now a buzz word that many use, but how much eco is there in photos of Malta? If one Googles Malta, many images of Valletta, Comino and beaches show up. This is fine, but we have much more to offer. I met a couple of Gozitans last week who were really disappointed when Dwejra is the only place mentioned in many brochures promoting tourism in Gozo. Gozo is still very rural and can showcase farming, nature and village life style.

"What to see" and "what to do" in Malta, Gozo and Comino needs to be changed in order have a more sustainable tourism industry. Having thousands of people visiting Valletta and Mdina is fine. The historical aspect in these locations are fantastic. Shifting some of the activities to rural areas can reduce the pressures onto historical sites, beaches and other popular areas. There again, let's all be careful as not to invade the quite rural areas, and respect the local people. Noise and traffic can disturb rural villages so it needs to be slow and controlled. 

What is Ecotourism? - Alternative and sustainable Tourism

Tourism and Social Media - Showing the Beauty of Malta, Gozo and Comino

I strongly believe that by sharing information on social media is excellent to disseminate environmental information, while create awareness amongst locals and foreigners.

Like our fan page on Facebook :) Merill Eco Tours Fan Page