| The Mediterranean island of Malta is hoping | | | | for the first set of figures where tourism |
| that 2007 will see new life breathed into her | | | | has risen, and for the Malta Tourist |
| hotel and holidays industry following years | | | | Authority to claim part or all of the credit. |
| of declining visitor numbers. | | | | In reality if tourist figures do rise it's |
| | | | despite the Tourist Authority, and not |
| The Malta hotels and holiday industry are | | | | because of it'. |
| major players in the island's economy, and | | | | |
| with unemployment already high, a further | | | | New Visitors |
| drop in the number of visitors next year | | | | |
| could have a negative impact not just in | | | | Speaking on a visit to Malta recently, |
| tourism but for Malta as a whole. | | | | Ryanair's Chief Executive Michael O'Leary |
| | | | declared himself pleased with their new Luton |
| Throughout the year the monthly statistics | | | | route, and predicted that their Dublin route, |
| for the number of tourists visiting Malta | | | | due to start operating in February, would be |
| have made depressing reading for the hotels | | | | even more successful. He believes that |
| in Malta, and the next twelve months will be | | | | Ryanair could take some 85,000 visitors to |
| pivotal as to whether the island can stay in | | | | the island in 2007. |
| the mainstream of holiday destinations, or be | | | | |
| relegated to niche travel status. | | | | 'If Ryanair do deliver 85,000 visitors to |
| | | | Malta in 2007 it will stop the perpetual |
| The island was rife with rumours earlier in | | | | decline in overall tourist numbers,' say the |
| the year that a UK tour operator was going to | | | | travel guide, 'It depends of course on |
| withdraw the island from their 2007 | | | | whether a large number will be new visitors |
| brochures, and a survey in the island's | | | | or simply those who would have visited Malta |
| biggest market showed that Malta would be | | | | anyway. We believe the likelihood is that a |
| more expensive for British tourists than the | | | | good deal of the 85,000 will be new visitors |
| Canary and Balearic Islands for equivalent | | | | who hadn't considered a Malta holiday before. |
| holidays next year. | | | | With Air Malta fighting back and having |
| | | | successful promotions too there is every |
| But more recent news has brought hope to the | | | | reason to feel confident that 2007 will prove |
| Malta holidays market that 2007 will see an | | | | to be a good year for Malta tourism. |
| arrest in the decline of visitor numbers seen | | | | Hopefully it will prove to be a turning point |
| this year, with MyTravel surprising the Malta | | | | and not a delay in the downward spiral of the |
| holidays market by announcing an increase in | | | | last few years'. |
| the number of winter visitors it will be | | | | |
| taking from the UK to Malta. | | | | The real estate industry in Malta also |
| | | | produces a good deal of inward investment for |
| But the most positive news has come from low | | | | the Malta economy, and increased visitor |
| cost carrier RyanAir, who have started | | | | numbers often correlate to an increase in |
| flights to Malta from London and Dublin. | | | | Malta property prices. |
| | | | |
| Between announcing the Dublin and London | | | | According to a UK based company who |
| routes and the maiden flight to Malta, | | | | specialise in Malta property for sale, |
| Ryanair sold 30,000 tickets. And the new | | | | property inflation could be in double digits |
| competition has spurred Air Malta, the | | | | next year. |
| island's national airline, to make offers of | | | | |
| its own. A successful campaign saw two | | | | 'Malta property buyers from overseas start as |
| tickets a minute being sold in recent weeks. | | | | tourists, and with new tourists arriving next |
| | | | year in increased numbers we do expect this |
| 'This is all good news,' say one Malta hotels | | | | to have some impact on the market overall. |
| and holidays guide, 'Earlier in the year it | | | | The Malta weather is always a plus point when |
| looked like there was only one way that the | | | | potential buyers are considering where to buy |
| visitor figures for Malta were going for the | | | | a holiday home. But ease of access is a |
| future, and that was in a continuing downward | | | | critical factor, and with the new flights at |
| spiral.' | | | | reduced prices it makes spending a few long |
| | | | weekends on Malta as well as the traditional |
| At one stage earlier in the year there were | | | | week and fortnight holiday a realistic |
| real doubts cast upon whether the Malta | | | | possibility for more people.' |
| Government would approve the new low cost | | | | |
| flights at all. Air Malta is a major employer | | | | The travel guide do offer a cautionary note, |
| and some in the tourist sector felt that too | | | | urging the Malta authorities to invest in |
| much of a protectionist attitude was being | | | | better roads and other infrastructure. |
| taken at the expense of a possible upswing in | | | | |
| new visitors. | | | | 'It's important that holidaymakers want to |
| | | | return to the island in future years, and not |
| 'Unfortunately,' continue the guide, 'The | | | | just visit once - never to look at a holiday |
| Malta Tourist Authority and The Malta | | | | brochure and a map of Malta with good |
| government seem to to make life as difficult | | | | memories and return. The Malta hotels are on |
| as possible for the island's hotel owners and | | | | a par with the rest of Europe, but if they |
| those involved in the holiday industry. A | | | | step outside to dangerous pavements, unclean |
| privately run company like Ryanair will | | | | beaches and a timeshare tout around every |
| achieve more and bring more money on to the | | | | corner ready with a high pressure sales pitch |
| island than the Tourist Authority can ever | | | | they won't return. Hopefully The Malta |
| dream of. And Ryanair will probably make a | | | | Tourist Authority will be doing as much as |
| profit out of it while the Tourist Authority | | | | they can ensure a pleasant Malta holiday |
| is using taxpayers money. We're just waiting | | | | experience'. |