I’d like to extend a huge thank you to each and every one of you who attended ITIC Global this year. More than 1,000 attendees descended upon the sunny island of Malta and it was fantastic to see so many faces, both old and new. Malta proved to be an excellent venue, with sea, sand and historical architecture, as well as the convenience of having everything on your doorstep. I sincerely hope that it was a productive and enjoyable conference for all.

Across the five days, a plethora of panel sessions, workshops and forums spanning some of the most pertinent developments and challenges in travel insurance sought to captivate attendees and spark discussion. A vast exhibition space and countless networking opportunities – including an evening of karaoke! – provided the perfect blend of professionalism and fun, affording attendees the opportunity to mingle and forge new connections in a relaxed environment.

And, of course, the event concluded with the annual ITIJ Awards – and what a great night it was! This year’s Halloween theme encompassed many spooky (but nice) surprises. Well done to all of this year’s awards finalists and huge congratulations to our winners. It was a pleasure to be among industry peers and celebrate some of the year’s big achievements.

Please enjoy our write-up of the event, and we hope to see you all next year in Madrid for ITIC Global 2020!

Ian Cameron

ITIC Chairman & ITIJ Editor in Chief

New Attendees Welcome Reception

Sponsored by ITIJ, the New Attendees Welcome Reception – which took place at Hugo’s Terrace & Rooftop overlooking the tranquil harbour of St George’s Bay – provided a great introduction to the week’s activities for new attendees of ITIC Global.

Extending a warm welcome to first-time ITIC goers, James Miller, Head of Sales at ITIJ, detailed the history of the magazine, explaining that it had originally been launched as a means to keep attendees of the then-annual ITIC conference updated on industry news and events in between conferences. Now it its 20th year, ITIJ has come a long way since those early days!

The evening was a great chance for those new to ITIC Global to meet the conference committee and ITIJ team in relaxed surroundings and learn how to make the most of their time at ITIC Global from regular attendees

NFG Welcome reception

Pulling out all the stops for this year’s ITIC Global official Welcome Reception, New Frontier Group greeted conference attendees at the breathtaking medieval banqueting hall of the 16th Century Mediterranean Conference Centre. Complete with an impressive fanfare of trumpeters and drummers in traditional dress, delegates were coaxed into the former – and fitting – Knights’ Hospital for an evening of drinks, canapés, and networking.

“ITIC has done a phenomenal job and it’s truly an honour for us to sponsor this event,” said Gitte Bach, President & CEO of New Frontier Group, during her opening speech of the evening. “What could be more appropriate then recognising that the Knights of Malta made it their mission to take care of those who needed help.”

It certainly was a fitting tribute and the ITIC team would like to thank New Frontier Group for a truly memorable start to ITIC Malta 2019.

Running Club

Uniting business and wellness, ITIC Global brought back its hugely popular Running Club for the third year. Sponsored by EMA Global and Life Flight International, the relaxed 5k-run each morning was the perfect way to commence busy days of networking and conference sessions.

Karaoke

Karaoke provided the perfect opportunity for delegates to let their hair down and channel their inner Madonna. Hidden talents emerged as delegates took to the mic to belt out their favourite songs. The night, hosted by Commercial Medical Escorts (CME), afforded delegates a great opportunity to network in a relaxed and fun environment.

Blake Yturralde, CEO of CME, said of the event: “Many of us attend these conferences for networking opportunities and what a better way to get the attendees together than a fun night of karaoke, singing, laughs, dancing, drinks and still exchanging business cards. Thanks so much to the ITIC team for assisting us in making this event a success. We look forward to many more years of singing together with our friends from the industry.”