subject: Bringing The Brits Back To Malta [print this page] After losing some of the British tourism trade in recent years, Malta has been successfully reversing the trend.
The Mediterranean nation state has been a holiday destination for tourists from Germany, Italy, France, Holland and the UK for many years.
In the past British tourists have always composed a high percentage of the overall tourist trade. But as coverage of Malta as a holiday destination dropped off in the British press, so did tourism.
The Malta tourist board began taking aggressive steps. These steps included awarding airport slots to some of the low priced airlines, like Ryanair. In addition the official airline of Malta (Malta Air) began lowering its own fares and working with hotels to offer great package deals.
Because Malta is not just a vacation retreat, there is always something to do or see. Tourists who are familiar with Malta know that it is impossible to see and do everything in a week or even a month. With the multitude of sporting events and sports to participate in, the nightlife, movies, historical and cultural performances, concerts, sailing, rock climbing and hiking, the choices can be overwhelming.
Malta also boasts some of the most stunning beaches and scenery in all the Mediterranean. There is a lot to be said for spending lazy days on sandy beaches where the most strenuous activity may be choosing the right restaurant for dinner. Malta features local and international cuisines throughout the island.
Vacationers are not at all bound by the area in which they are staying. The inland transportation system is excellent and very inexpensive. You will quickly find that you can traverse the island in less than an hour. If that intriguing sounding restaurant is not exactly just around the corner, it's still very accessible.
Planning a holiday very often does not include consideration of communication issues. The official language of Malta is Maltese, which most tourists probably do not know.
Luckily for tourists, especially British tourists, Malta's second language is English. Everyone speaks English. It may seem inconsequential, but anyone who has experienced difficulty in communicating knows how frustrating it can be.
British tourism seemed to be returning to Malta in 2007 to 2008. The world economic crisis threatened to wreck the progress as potential tourists all over the world had to rethink what was possible.
American tourists used to traveling abroad began to look closer to home or even stay home. Like the Maltese tourist industry, resorts and hotels began to offer incredible package deals in order to fill rooms.
In Southern California some of the most sought after vacation venues are currently offering deals that make it hard to say no. First rate hotels and resorts in Monterey Bay, Carmel, Santa Cruz and San Diego are discounting their rates by as much as 50 percent.
In addition to the luxurious accommodations, tourists are a relatively short drive from places like Sea World, Disneyland, the Big Sur, Pebble Beach, Hearst Castle and even San Francisco.
The approach is not very different from the deals offered to bring British tourism back to Malta. Smart marketing and going the extra mile to bring tourists back goes a long way even in a severe recession.
