Visit Malta, the Tourism Authority’s marketing arm, has entered into a four-year strategic marketing partnership with Caroline Springs George Cross Football Club of Melbourne to promote Malta tourism in Australia.
The club was founded by Maltese migrants and was recently promoted to the National Premier League in Victoria, Australia.
“The collaboration leverages elite football as a powerful platform to promote Malta as a premier tourism destination within the Australian market, while further strengthening the long-standing cultural ties between Malta and its diaspora community abroad,” Visit Malta said.
In terms of the agreement, Visit Malta will serve as the club’s main jersey partner, with the Visit Malta logo prominently displayed on both the home and away kits worn across all 33 George Cross FC squads, including the senior men’s team competing in the National Premier League.
Visit Malta branding and promotional content will feature across the club’s digital and media platforms, including social media channels and official match livestreams, as well as through physical visibility at the club’s stadium and training facilities.
Commenting on the agreement, Carlo Micallef, Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Tourism Authority, said:
“As Malta’s tourism strategy is shifting focus to attract higher-yielding tourism from long-haul markets, Australia is definitely a key long-haul source market for Malta, presenting strong opportunities to engage both the Maltese community and the broader travel audience, with significant potential for high-value tourism. This partnership with Caroline Springs George Cross FC, the Maltese team in the National Football League, is an important initiative in our ongoing efforts to position Malta as a premier, high-quality tourism destination on the global stage. Initiatives such as this enable us to inspire the Maltese diaspora and Australians to explore Malta, fostering deeper engagement with our destination.”
Mark Sultana, President of Caroline Springs George Cross FC, welcomed the partnership, stating:
“This partnership is particularly meaningful to me, given the strong Maltese heritage embedded within George Cross. Our identity is reflected in our name, badge, and colours, and this collaboration with Visit Malta aligns naturally with who we are as a club. It enables us to continue investing in the development and quality of football while also promoting Maltese culture throughout our junior pathways.