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Could salt be the next driver for sustainable tourism?
Ramona Depares discovers how BirdLife Malta is
bringing an old harvesting tradition to life, from the
salt pans to restaurant tables.
In a quiet corner of northern Malta, 33 salt pans shimmer under the summer sun. They’re part of the Salina Nature Reserve, a site now managed by BirdLife Malta and protected under the Natura 2000 network. Designated as a Special Area of Conservation, it’s home to rare salt-marsh plants and a vital resting point for migratory birds.
Come summer, attention shifts from birds to brine.
This is also where one of Malta’s oldest food traditions still plays out. At Salina, salt is still gathered the old way, by hand, and under the full glare of the summer sun. It’s a slow process, led by weather and tradition, where workers use simple tools to coax out something that’s remained unchanged for centuries.
For those working in the tourism or hospitality sector, this is more than just a throwback. It’s a chance to tap into something authentic, and an opportunity to deliver on the promises of sustainability that many have pledged.
Restaurateurs worth their salt, if you’ll pardon the pun, don’t view local producers as a trend, but as a practical way to offer something distinctive. Guests often know what they want before they’ve even looked at a menu, and the origin of the ingredients can tip the scales.
More people are asking where their food comes from, who’s behind it, and why it deserves a place on the plate. Trust today matters more than labels.
The salt gathered at Salina is the result of a strictly seasonal, manual process. Mark Gauci, Head of Land Management at BirdLife Malta, explains how production starts with brine flowing through weathered stone channels, just as it has for generations.
The sun does a lot of the work, slowly drawing out the moisture until the crystals can be gathered by hand and left to dry.
It’s a simple, time-honoured method, and the result is more than just seasoning. It’s the kind of ingredient that invites a story.
“This summer’s harvest continues building on a legacy stretching back to the Knights of St John.
The pans were built in the years following the Great Siege of 1565 and have been restored over time, most recently through a €7 million project that was part-funded by the EU,” Mark explains. “Today, the site also includes a museum, visitor centre and nature reserve, all under BirdLife Malta’s care.”
Joining the global conversation
This initiative mirrors a global movement where salt pans are once again drawing attention. In towns like Guérande in France and Aveiro in Portugal, salt harvesting is more than tradition.
Entire families have worked the pans for generations, and while the methods haven’t changed much, the context has.
Today, the salt they produce often ends up in high-end jars on boutique shelves or on tasting menus with regional pride attached. Visitors walk the flats, meet the producers, and leave with something that feels personal.
Slovenia’s Sečovlje Salt Pans offer something quieter, but no less intriguing. Tucked into a coastal nature reserve, the site draws birdwatchers, walkers, and anyone curious to see how salt can be made without rushing the process.
And in Spain’s Añana Salt Valley, Roman-era pans have been revived for gourmet production and spa experiences, offering guests saltwater foot baths alongside industrial heritage trails.
What links these places is the idea that salt is more than seasoning. It can be part of the experience, rooted in history, place, and method.
Malta’s offering at Salina holds its own in this company, combining tradition, sustainability and genuine educational value. And it’s not just for show.
“All the salt has been food-tested and certified, with packaging ready to go in 250g, 500g and 1kg sizes. Whether it ends up on a plate in a high-end hotel or as a thoughtful touch in a guest’s welcome basket, this is the kind of ingredient that pulls double duty - it seasons, and it tells a story,” Mark concludes.
Local chefs and hotels who want to be part of this story can contact BirdLife Malta on info@birdlifemalta.org.
The pans were built in the years following the Great Siege of 1565 and have been restored over time, most recently through a €7 million project that was part-funded by the EU,” Mark explains. “Today, the site also includes a museum, visitor centre and nature reserve, all under BirdLife Malta’s care.”
Joining the global conversation
This initiative mirrors a global movement where salt pans are once again drawing attention. In towns like Guérande in France and Aveiro in Portugal, salt harvesting is more than tradition.
Entire families have worked the pans for generations, and while the methods haven’t changed much, the context has.
Today, the salt they produce often ends up in high-end jars on boutique shelves or on tasting menus with regional pride attached. Visitors walk the flats, meet the producers, and leave with something that feels personal.
Slovenia’s Sečovlje Salt Pans offer something quieter, but no less intriguing. Tucked into a coastal nature reserve, the site draws birdwatchers, walkers, and anyone curious to see how salt can be made without rushing the process.
And in Spain’s Añana Salt Valley, Roman-era pans have been revived for gourmet production and spa experiences, offering guests saltwater foot baths alongside industrial heritage trails.
What links these places is the idea that salt is more than seasoning. It can be part of the experience, rooted in history, place, and method.
Malta’s offering at Salina holds its own in this company, combining tradition, sustainability and genuine educational value. And it’s not just for show.
“All the salt has been food-tested and certified, with packaging ready to go in 250g, 500g and 1kg sizes. Whether it ends up on a plate in a high-end hotel or as a thoughtful touch in a guest’s welcome basket, this is the kind of ingredient that pulls double duty - it seasons, and it tells a story,” Mark concludes.
Local chefs and hotels who want to be part of this story can contact BirdLife Malta on info@birdlifemalta.org.
