At a glance …
The Mediterranean Conference Centre isn ’ t just the large Sacra Infermeria hall but is a cluster of other facilities under one roof offering various options ….
Republic hall 728 sq m - 1,400 seated / theatre style
Michel ’ Ang hall 360 sq m - 450 seated / theatre
Temi Zammit hall 180 sq m – 230 seated / theatre
Vassalli hall 154 sq m – 150 seated / theatre
David Bruce hall 108 sq m – 90 seated / theatre
La Cassiere 78 sq m – 60 seated / theatre
Sacra Infermeria hall 1705 sq m – 1920 seated / theatre
La Valette hall 1500 sq m – 1440 seated / theatre
VIP Lounge 52 sq m – 45 seated / theatre
Perellos Suite 41 sq m – 25 seated / theatre
Syndicate Rooms ( x 5 ) – 16 to 37 sq m – 12 to 32 seated / theatre .
Conference Centre is because of the remarkable impression that the building leaves on visitors and clients alike - they are simply mesmerised . And of the companies which do not actually choose our conference centre services , they will nonetheless choose our event and venue services , as for their gala dinners , for example ” he mused , clearly indicating the versatility of their services . Adding that as of last year , the large Sacra Infermeria hall was also fully air-conditioned to increase its attraction while the Republic Hall also offers the option of being the largest theatre on the Islands , able to seat 1,400 persons .
Mr Fenech also added that one must not think that the choice of the MCC to stage major events of great international importance to the Government of Malta is an automatic one . Nor is it one which the Government decides on alone . In many cases , there are overseas delegations and other organisations which are the deciding factors and the onus lies a lot on what the MCC really has to offer and how it will be able to cope with the circumstances of the event proposed . ” We have to compete all the time !” he added .
It is clear that Pierre Fenech is the key contributor to the high efficiency of the Mediterranean Conference Centre and to the high exposure of the quality services it offers .
“ My previous experience has helped this magnificent building to sell even more . Indeed , the usage of the place has increased tremendously over the past two years .” He himself has become a core competence of the MCC itself which has benefited B2B client who have found here someone who literally understands them and speaks their language .
However , he is also quick to explain that despite the fact that the MCC is owned by the Maltese Government , there is no bureaucratic structure , because this is an entity that is run purely on a commercial basis . It has to rely on being highly operationally-efficient as it does not receive subventions from the Government , apart from a small subvention that is mainly for cultural purposes ( which is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the MCC ) and a minimal financing for restoration and upkeep of the facility . “ Taking care of a 450-year old building that is on UNESCO ’ s heritage list as a Grade 1 building is an important and significant part of the financial side of the functioning process ” he adds .
DIFFERENTIATING FACTORS
The CEO shared with us the fact that “ the style and the history of the place are something that can ’ t be recreated or replaced , and our
HOSPITALITY MALTA SEPTEMBER | 2017
25