Merill brings together a number of farmers, breeders, and artisans. Through this network, tourists and locals have the opportunity to experience the Maltese Islands' beautiful rural areas and consume genuine local products.

Our mission is to nurture alternative experiences for locals and tourists, which contribute directly towards the conservation of the environment and empowerment of the rural communities.

'Eco, 'Rural, 'Green'... Are they just buzzwords??

In today's world, it is very easy to abuse of certain terms and use them purely for marketing purposes. 'Eco-friendly', 'organic', 'rural', 'sustainable', 'bio', 'natural', 'green' - these are all nice words to read about but, in reality, most of the times they are thrown around quite haphazardly and irresponsibly.

In 2010 we set out to create what was to be the first ecotourism venture in the Maltese Islands, and one of our primary tasks was to look into the definitions of such concepts. We also set to identify individuals, NGOs and companies that upheld similar principles. We had a hard time finding any, but we knew of three local entrepreneurs who had been exploring agritourism services in the Maltese Islands and, at first, we worked closely with all of them.

Back then, the term ecotourism was rarely mentioned in the local context so, during our formation years, we looked outwards at other nations and gradually formed our own opinion on what Rural Tourism in Malta (watch video) should be all about. We realised quite quickly that in order to conserve the environment, we had to work closely with the main actors - namely the small-scale farmers and their families. It is our belief that the Maltese environment is kept alive mostly thanks to local farmers who, together with other stakeholders, work tirelessly in order to keep our countryside green.

Along the years, the Merill Rural Network was established. The network now operates as a social enterprise and its main aim is to increase awareness about local agriculture, revive traditions, and empower the rural community to diversify their income in a sustainable manner. The two main pillars of the network are Rural Tourism and Local Products. In both cases, we strive to add value to the farmers and artisans' venues and products, and bridge the gap between producer and consumer - this way we hope to assist the rural community to make their products and services more accessible to both tourists and locals, while helping farmers and artisans to continue investing in their daily endeavors.