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Malta is integrating artificial intelligence into its travel advisor training program, reflecting a broader shift in how tourism destinations engage travel professionals and compete for international visitors.
VisitMalta has introduced an AI-powered assistant to help North American travel advisors better understand, promote, and sell the Mediterranean destination. Developed in partnership with TravPRO Mobile, the new TA SmartAssist feature is integrated into the Malta Experts Sales Companion, combining destination training with instant access to tourism information, marketing materials, and itinerary-building tools.
The initiative reflects a growing trend among tourism boards to move beyond traditional destination certification programs toward practical digital tools that support travel advisors throughout the booking process.
From Destination Training to AI-Assisted Selling
The Malta Experts program already offers destination certification, multimedia training, and promotional resources. Its new AI component allows advisors to ask questions about Malta and receive answers based on destination-approved information rather than unrestricted internet searches.
Advisors can also generate suggested itineraries, client communications, presentations, and other sales materials.
Michelle Buttigieg, VisitMalta Representative North America, said the initiative aims to help advisors deepen their destination knowledge while showcasing Malta’s luxury tourism offerings and curated travel experiences.
For Malta, the investment is particularly relevant in the competitive North American outbound travel market, where smaller Mediterranean destinations must compete for attention against more established European tourism brands.
What Does This Mean for Tourism Destinations?
The development raises a broader question for destination marketing organizations: Could AI-powered travel advisor support become as important as traditional familiarization trips, webinars, and destination certification?
By making destination information easier to access during conversations with prospective travelers, tourism boards may strengthen their relationships with travel advisors and improve the visibility of lesser-known experiences.
However, the effectiveness of such systems will depend on the accuracy of their information, how frequently content is updated, and whether AI-generated recommendations genuinely help advisors serve travelers rather than simply promote a destination.
VisitMalta’s initiative offers an early example of how destination marketing is evolving from information distribution toward AI-assisted travel planning and sales support.
The Malta Experts platform is available through MaltaExperts.com and mobile applications.
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