SISU Tours has emerged as one of Malta’s fastest-growing travel operators – an unlikely success story built in Gozo and fuelled by a simple idea: treat travellers as guests, not tourists. What began over a decade ago as a small side project by educator Lawrence Sciberras has since evolved into a structured, ambitious and award-winning company co-led with business partner Tonio Schembri. Together, they have transformed SISU Tours into Gozo’s most active outgoing tour operator, running around 100 group trips in 2025 alone.

From the outset, SISU Tours positioned itself differently from traditional outbound operators. Its hallmark is a highly personal, guest-centred approach built around community, transparency and genuine hospitality. All itineraries are organised on a half-board basis, encouraging shared meals, regional cuisine and the kind of conversations that turn group travellers into long-term friends. It’s a formula that has resonated: the company has grown consistently at roughly 20% year on year.

SISU’s rapid rise is even more notable given its roots on Gozo, where scale is often a limiting factor for businesses. Yet the company has expanded its footprint well beyond Italy – its core destination – to now include France’s Riviera, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary and Germany. This year’s slate of nearly 100 tours marks a milestone not just for the business, but for the island’s growing profile in Malta’s travel industry.

Behind the expansion is a growing team of six full-time employees and a larger network of tour leaders, each selected for their passion for travel and ability to care for guests. Every group is assigned two tour leaders – an uncommon practice in the industry that gives SISU Tours its distinctive mix of safety, smooth logistics and constant personal attention. This structure also allows the company to cater to travellers with specific needs, from dietary restrictions such as gluten intolerance to families travelling with small children.

Consistent five-star reviews on Google and Facebook reflect the impact of this approach, often highlighting the company’s fairness, transparency and thoughtful planning. Travellers praise the curated itineraries, the lack of hidden fees, and the emphasis on authentic culture, food and local experiences. For SISU Tours, the educational element is essential: every destination is an opportunity to deepen curiosity about history, culture and everyday life.

This commitment to service has not gone unnoticed. SISU Tours is the only Gozitan business to place second twice and win twice at the national Premju Servizz bi Tbissima awards – securing top honours in both 2023 and 2024 and establishing itself as one of Malta’s most trusted travel providers.

As demand increases, SISU Tours is preparing for its next phase of growth. The company plans to recruit additional tour leaders to ensure quality keeps pace with scale and is already developing new European routes to complement its existing portfolio. It has recently become a licensed Tied Insurance Intermediary with Atlas Insurance, allowing it to offer tailored insurance solutions and strengthen customer care from booking to return.

The team is also exploring loyalty programmes, local partnerships and additional value-driven initiatives for guests. In the long term, SISU Tours intends to broaden its horizons beyond outbound travel and build an incoming tourism arm showcasing Gozo and Malta through the same guest-first philosophy that shaped the company’s success.

For a business built on a small island, SISU Tours now operates on a European scale – but its core values remain grounded in Gozo: warmth, fairness, community and the conviction that great travel is about connection as much as it is about destinations.