As we prepare for this year’s showcase SHOWERS event on August 29th at Café del Mar, we sat down for 5 minutes to speak with one of our long term local suppliers. The team at Malta Wristbands have been supplying us with identity solution products such as wristbands and lanyards for our events including iGaming Idol and various other shows. We have been working with Daniel and Chris for as long as we can remember and we caught up with them to hear their thoughts on the entertainment industry in these challenging times and how event organisers are needing to change.
Tell us about a normal day at Wristbands HQ
Well, most of our days are spent either printing wristbands or talking to customers about their orders and if we can meet their deadlines. In the age of instant gratification, people are used to receiving things almost straight away and we have developed a same day wristband printing service to cater to these expectations. There are not many companies in Europe who have the capability to produce over 50,000 bands in a day and we are massively proud that our operation can do that and more. Our design gurus are always working on visual proofs for customers before moving ahead with production and the website team focus on uploading new products and prices on a regular basis. In between all of that we manage to answer a few emails and phone calls before heading home for a rest!
When are your busiest times of the year?
Without a doubt the summer months are the busiest period for us – and indeed most of our clients. With Malta focussing on its tourism offering there is a huge peak of activity in the summer months which we would say runs from June through to October. As many of our clients are hotels and event organisers we see a huge surge in orders covering that period. From open-air nightclubs, to pool lidos, to boat trips and even zoos we supply a wide range of companies with custom printed wristbands in Malta that they use to control entrance or access. The winter months are quieter but thankfully Malta is developing its shoulder month strategy to attract more visitors during the offseason. One such idea that has grown substantially in the last few years is conferences in Malta which benefit the local economy massively. We noticed this development a while back and started to offer the organisers personalized lanyards and ID card holders which many guests wear throughout the duration of the conference.
What types of wristband are the most popular?
When we started off the company back in 2012 we offered only one product – plain and printed Tyvek wristbands. To this day it remains our most popular product as it is the cheapest and also fully waterproof. This makes it ideal for short term use such as day guests at hotels or at parties where they will be worn only for a few hours. Customized Tyvek wristbands in Malta make up about 80% of our orders with the rest being a mix of other types of bands. The second most popular product is one that will be given to each and every SHOWERS guest this year at Café del Mar – a fabric wristband. This type of band is also known as a festival wristband as it is synonymous with festivals such as Glastonbury or Rock Werchter. They can be worn for weeks or even months and in fact, many people continue to wear the wristband as a badge of honour long after the event takes place. We also offer silicone charity wristbands and plastic vinyl wristbands which are ideal for use in certain situations.
How do you see the events industry changing?
Well, I do not think anyone saw the coronavirus coming – and if they did well we should ask them for the next winning lottery numbers! It was a game-changer for the whole world and in fact, it still seems to be disrupting the ‘normal’ way of life 6 months after Wuhan was locked down. In Malta, I think we have handled it extremely well and everyone hopes that we will continue to do so. Nobody knows what the new normal will look like in terms of online conferences, zoom meetings, working from home and general social distancing. But I imagine that event promoters and organisers will make the necessary adjustments to their offerings and come up with safe and unique ways of bringing people together. All stakeholders will need to come together to ensure that events can take place as there is a whole ecosystem built into the ever-growing industry. Venues continue to make improvements and raise the bar in terms of facilities and this is only a good thing for both locals and tourists in Malta.