Malta has just become the newest home of a China-Europe Tourism and Gastronomy Cultural Exchange Centre, launched in collaboration between the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) and the Shanghai Institute of Tourism (SIT).

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Unveiled through a three-day series of events at ITS’s Luqa campus, the centre aims to deepen cross-cultural collaboration between China and Europe by blending food, tourism, and education.

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The event featured culinary demonstrations, academic panels, community cooking sessions, and the launch of a digital platform to keep the exchange ongoing. Over 800 participants, including chefs, students, and senior staff from both institutions, took part.

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“This inauguration marks another important milestone in the excellent institutional collaboration between Malta and China,” said ITS CEO Pierre Fenech. “It reflects our joint commitment to cultural and educational collaboration.”

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SIT President Prof. Kang Nian echoed this, calling the centre a major step forward in SIT’s four decades of culinary education. “It will serve as a platform for regular exchanges between China and Europe, fostering culinary skill-sharing, academic collaboration, and cultural exhibitions,” he said.

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The opening also included the launch of the Culinary Cultural Inheritance & Creativity Base – a long-term effort to preserve culinary heritage through innovation.

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Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg, who also holds the tourism portfolio, called the centre a “milestone in fostering cross-cultural collaboration” that would shape the next generation of tourism and gastronomy professionals.

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Malta and China already enjoy strong ties in vocational education and tourism. This centre adds a fresh, food-first dimension to that relationship – one that’s likely to keep simmering for years to come.

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