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