Vacations travel

Visitor numbers have been in decline on the Mediterranean island of Malta
but the hope is that 2007 will see new life breathed into her hotel and holidays industry.

The Malta hotels and holiday industry are major players in the island's economy
and with unemployment already high
a further drop in the number of visitors next year could have a negative impact not just in tourism but for Malta as a whole.

Throughout the year the monthly statistics for the number of tourists visiting Malta have made depressing reading for the Malta hotels
and the next twelve months will be pivotal as to whether the island can stay in the mainstream of holiday destinations
or be relegated to niche travel status.

The island was rife with rumours earlier in the year that a UK tour operator was going to withdraw the island from their 2007 brochures
and a survey in the island's biggest market showed that Malta would be more expensive for British tourists than the Canary and Balearic Islands for equivalent holidays next year.

But more recent news has brought hope to the Malta holidays market that 2007 will see an arrest in the decline of visitor numbers seen this year
with MyTravel surprising the holidays in Malta market by announcing an increase in the number of winter visitors it will be taking from the UK to Malta.

But the most positive news has come from low cost carrier RyanAir
who have started flights to Malta from London and Dublin.

Between announcing the Dublin and London routes and the maiden flight to Malta
Ryanair sold 30
0
tickets. And the new competition has spurred Air Malta
the island's national airline
to make offers of its own. A successful campaign saw two tickets a minute being sold recently.

'This is all good news
' say Malta hotels and holidays guide http://www.yourmalta.com
'Earlier in the year it looked like there was only one way that the visitor figures for Malta were going for the future
and that was in a continuing downward spiral.'

At one stage earlier in the year there were real doubts cast upon whether the Malta Government would approve the new low cost flights at all. Air Malta is a major employer and some in the tourist sector felt that too much of a protectionist attitude was being taken at the expense of a possible upswing in new visitors.

'Unfortunately
' continue YourMalta
'The Malta Tourist Authority and The Malta government seem to to make life as difficult as possible for the island's hotel owners and those involved in the holiday industry. A privately run company like Ryanair will achieve more and bring more money on to the island than the Tourist Authority can ever dream of. And Ryanair will probably make a profit out of it while the Tourist Authority is using taxpayers money. We're just waiting for the first set of figures where tourism has risen
and for the Malta Tourist Authority to claim part or all of the credit. In reality if tourist figures do rise it's despite the Tourist Authority
and not because of it'.

Travel To Malta

Speaking on a visit to Malta recently
Ryanair's Chief Executive Michael O'Leary declared himself pleased with their new Luton route
and predicted that their Dublin route
due to start operating in February
would be even more successful. He believes that Ryanair could take some 85
0
visitors to the island in 2007.

'If Ryanair do deliver 85
0
visitors to Malta in 2007 it will stop the perpetual decline in overall tourist numbers
' say YourMalta
'It depends of course on whether a large number will be new visitors or simply those who would have visited Malta anyway. We believe the likelihood is that a good deal of the 85
0
will be new visitors who hadn't considered a Malta holiday before. With Air Malta fighting back and having successful promotions too there is every reason to feel confident that 2007 will prove to be a good year for Malta tourism. Hopefully it will prove to be a turning point and not a delay in the downward spiral of the last few years'.

The real estate industry in Malta also produces a good deal of inward investment for the Malta economy
and increased visitor numbers often correlate to an increase in Malta property prices.

According to Tribune Properties
a UK based company who specialise in Malta properties for sale
property inflation could be in double digits next year.

'Malta property buyers from overseas start as tourists
and with new tourists arriving next year in increased numbers we do expect this to have some impact on the market overall. The Malta weather is always a plus point when potential buyers are considering where to buy a holiday home. But ease of access is a critical factor
and with the new flights at reduced prices it makes spending a few long weekends on Malta as well as the traditional week and fortnight holiday a realistic possibility for more people.'

Travel guide YourMalta do offer a cautionary note
urging the Malta authorities to invest in better roads and other infrastructure.

'It's important that holidaymakers want to return to the island in future years
and not just visit once - never to look at a holiday brochure and a map of Malta with good memories and return. The Malta hotels are on a par with the rest of Europe
but if they step outside to dangerous pavements
unclean beaches and a timeshare tout around every corner ready with a high pressure sales pitch they won't return. Hopefully the Malta Tourist Authority will be doing as much as they can ensure a pleasant Malta holiday experience'.

1
Have a family meeting to decide where you will go. Try to pick a destination which offers something for everyone from Dad who only wants to lie in a hammock and drink something alcoholic while listening to the games of his favorite sports team; to the teenagers who want to be any where except where their parents are; to the toddlers who are more interested in the ground level attractions like insects and discarded chewing gum
than they are in any sort of scenery.

2
When you realize no such destination exists
draw straws. Shortest straw gets to spin the family globe while blindfolded and point to a destination. If it’s in the middle of an ocean
the nearest land mass will do.

3
No matter how unlikely the selected destination is
come together in a family spirit of “making the best of it.” Being a family
after all
means growing together as a family and a bit of planning will help overcome whatever challenges lie ahead.

4
If your fated destination decrees that you will be vacationing near relatives
insist on a visit to let the kids know where they came from. If the relatives happen to be considerably older
with a home full of treasured mementos from years gone by
even better. The toddlers will have plenty with which to entertain themselves
and the teens will have plenty to ask their elders about!

5
If your fated destination decrees that you all end up in a totally foreign part of the world
insist to the kids that it will be an educational experience they’ll treasure for the rest of their lives. That is sure to have them dizzy with anticipation as they throw themselves into the task of planning what to see and do.

6
Plan each day’s itinerary down to the second
because you don’t want the kids to miss a minute their once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience. To make sure they are enjoying themselves to the fullest
see that the family stays together at all times
and thoroughly discusses the importance of what they’ve learned each evening.

7
Teach the kids to be savvy travelers by packing a minimum of clothes which they can wash as needed the hotel bathroom sink
or if you’ve managed to track down those distant relatives
wait until you get to their house and ask your hostess to do a batch of laundry.

8
If your family trip requires you to travel by car
let Dad set the pace. When he announces that everyone had better eat hearty and do his or her personal business before leaving home
because there will be no food or relief stops
explain to the children that the real family fun won’t begin until you get to your destination. That’s why Dad is in such a hurry.

9
Leave the cell phones at home
so that the teenagers won’t spend all their time running up roaming charges talking to friends who aren’t sharing their horizon-broadening vacation. It should be no problem figuring out what to do if the hotel phone service gets shut off for climactic or political reasons.

10
If the only camera your family has is a camera cell phone
bring it along
but keep it out of sight by restricting yourself to shooting photos either when none of your family is looking
or when all of them are asleep. Catching them in their unguarded moments is sure to make them love you forever.