| The Malta holiday industry has received
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| | in the introduction of low cost airlines
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| the latest target set by the island's
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| | to Malta and the possibility from that of
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| tourism authority with more than a little
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| | an increase in tourist numbers.
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| sceptism after an announcement that a
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| | With official figures showing worrying
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| target of a million and half visitors a
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| | signs that the number of tourists for
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| year to the island could be achieved in
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| | 2006 visiting Malta could be similar, or
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| three years time.
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| | perhaps even down from 2005, the
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| The Malta Tourist Authority has
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| | opportunity for the island to have low
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| consistently set targets in the past that
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| | cost flights operating from the UK
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| have failed to be met, and early signs
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| | appears to have slipped by for the all
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| for this year indicate a stagnation if
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| | important summer season.
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| not a dip in tourists visiting Malta.
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| | The island's official airline, Air Malta,
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| Part of a new plan to increase tourism in
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| | reported a drop of over two per cent in
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| Malta is to include promoting the
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| | the number of passengers it carried in
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| neighbouring and quieter island of Gozo
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| | the year from March 2005 to March 2006.
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| as a holiday destination and to increase
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| | The hope among hoteliers and others
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| accessibility to Malta.
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| | involved in Malta's tourist trade is that
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| Commenting on the new targets, one
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| | at least one of the low cost airlines
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| independent Malta's travel guide say that
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| | will start operating from the UK and
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| there is nothing new or innovative in the
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| | perhaps other parts of Europe in the near
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| tourist authority's plans that would make
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| | future to boost visitor numbers.
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| an increase in tourism likely to happen
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| | 'With the holiday market vital to the
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| in itself.
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| | Malta economy,' comment the guide,
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| 'Unfortunately the Malta Tourist
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| | 'potentially millions in lost revenue
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| Authority to us sometimes resembles a
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| | will be lost this year because of delays
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| planning office in the old Soviet
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| | in agreeing to allow the low cost
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| bureauracy. Good at producing statistics,
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| | airlines to fly into Malta. In today's
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| excellent at identify problems and what
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| | world Malta has to compete with new
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| the future needs, but failing miserably
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| | destinations in Europe as well as Spain
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| to deliver anything like the targets they
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| | and her islands. Cheap Malta flights
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| set.
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| | aren't in themselves enough to sustain
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| We feel that it is the private rather
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| | tourism at reasonable levels anymore,
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| than the public sector that is more
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| | although this will be welcome, but the
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| likely to increase tourist numbers to
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| | trick of sustained tourism is to have
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| Malta, as they have a direct interest in
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| | repeat business, and unless Malta
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| seeing their plans work, while the
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| | attracts new first time visitors then
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| tourist authority bureaucrats will still
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| | repeat business is an impossibility'.
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| be drawing their salaries and annual
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| | Holidays in Malta and the related tourist
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| leave whether or not the targets they set
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| | sector are a major source of employment
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| are met.'
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| | in Malta, and with unemployment running
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| Malta Holidays
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| | at over 8 per cent any fall in tourists
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| One example the travel guide gives for
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| | could spell long term damage to the
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| poor Malta tourist figures is the delay
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| | island's economy.
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