Malta has missed out on the chance to increase its tourist arrivals after low cost flights operating from the UK appear to have slipped by for the summer season. Official figures show that the number of tourists for 2006 visiting Malta could be lower than those of 2005, while Air Malta a drop of over 2% in the number of passengers it carried in the year from March 2005 to March 2006.
newswire Today! reported how Maltese travel guide YourMalta.com said that “potentially millions in lost revenue will be lost this year because of delays in agreeing to allow the low cost airlines to fly into Malta.”
The travel guide added that in today's world Malta has to compete with new destinations in Europe as well as Spain and her islands. It insisted that cheap Malta flights aren't in themselves enough to sustain tourism at reasonable levels anymore, and that the trick of sustained tourism is to have repeat business. “Unless Malta attracts new first time visitors then repeat business is an impossibility,” continued the travel guide.
Real estate business could also be affected by the drop in the number of tourists. According to Tribune Properties Managing Director Michael Johnson, many Malta property buyers do so after visiting the island on holiday, and liking it so much they want to move to the island full time.
In turn, others opt to buy a property they can use for their holidays in Malta. The Managing Director Michael Johnson explained that with less people taking holidays in Malta, the number of potential buyers will fall too.
Earlier this week the Government issued a call for proposals from low cost airlines to operate new and underserved routes to Malta.
See also:
Proposals call for low-cost airlines
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 20, 2006, 16:20 CET
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