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All About
Malta & Gozo July 2012
Your one-stop guide to all the latest news and developments in Malta & Gozo
Produced by
www.travelbulletin.co.uk
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MALTA & GOZO Prestige Holidays offer a range of 4 and 5 star hotels in Malta and Gozo, from traditional elegant hotels to the more modern beachfront hotels, something to suit every client. Ask about all our latest offers to Malta including free nights and free room upgrades. Prices from £667 at a 5 star hotel for a week in October. We offer flexibility using scheduled flights, so can offer long stays or short breaks for your clients. Don’t forget you will receive Love to Shop vouchers for each booking made.
Prestige Holidays on 01425 480400 or www.prestigeholidays.co.uk/malta
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Malta & Gozo
O
nce the Mediterranean’s best kept secret, Malta is now renowned as the gem of the Mediterranean. We hope that what you read in these pages inspires you and that you also come away with a new knowledge and understanding of Malta and everything it offers – from its proximity to the UK to its year-round sunshine, array of outdoor activities, history and culture, award-winning restaurants and vibrant nightlife. Just a three hour flight from the UK, Malta is warm and sunny throughout the year, with hot dry summers and balmy winters. The shoulder seasons of spring and autumn are a particularly lovely time to visit with temperatures well into the 20s, warm seas and verdant landscapes. All this sunshine makes the Maltese Islands perfect for outdoor pursuits, with Malta and her sister islands of Gozo and Camino particularly well-known for water sports, especially sailing and diving – with some of the clearest and calmest waters in the Mediterranean. On dry land, walking, trekking, rock climbing, cycling and horse riding are also popular activities, especially on the greener island of Gozo. Culture vultures can explore the UNESCO World Heritage City of Valletta, which is set to be Europe’s capital of culture in 2018 and is packed with historic houses built at the time of the Knights of St John and the infamous St John’s Cathedral – home to a treasure of priceless artworks, including one of the most famous Caravaggio paintings in the world or head north and explore the oldest examples of free-standing monolithic temples anywhere in the world. After a hard day’s activity or sightseeing, Malta’s many spa and boutique hotels, five-star resorts and converted farmhouses offer a real hide-away in which to relax and rejuvenate. Alternatively, our Mediterranean culture creates a great social atmosphere in the evenings from award-winning restaurants and café bars, to clubs and bars in which to dance away the night. Malta is also host to a number of world-famous annual festivals including the Isle of MTV festival that is headlined this June by Will.I.Am, the colourful Malta International Fireworks Festival, the Historic and Classic Car Grand Prix, the cultural Festival Mediterranea and BirguFest, also, for the first time ever, the Valletta International Baroque Festival will be happening in January 2013. Malta is now extremely well serviced out of the UK with direct routes from regional airports across the country with the island’s national carrier Air Malta as well as a number of low cost airlines, making it incredibly easy to reach Malta’s glistening shores. We look forward to welcoming you here soon. Alex Incorvaja, Director UK and Ireland, Malta Tourism Authority
CONTENTS What’s new - 4
Culture club - 7
Family holidays - 11
Niche holidays - 16
Get the lowdown - 19 Published by
Lower Ground Floor, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX Tel: 020-7834 6661 Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe Written and researched by: Angela Cronin Email: angelacronin2003@yahoo.co.uk Design/Layout: Genaro Santos Printed by: Wyndeham Grange Limited Cover Picture: Malta Tourist Authority ISSN: 0956-2419
3 All about Malta & Gozo
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Always popular with the UK market due to its strong historical connections, these days Malta is appealing to a wide range of holidaymakers – from the younger, short-break market to families and the more maturer market
What’s new T
he appeal of Malta, Gozo and Comino has gone from strength to strength over recent years, and its success has to be put down to the efforts by the Malta Tourist Authority to diversify its offering to holidaying Brits. For many years, Malta had established a reputation as a two-week, fly-and-flop destination, but as the market has started to mature and holidaymakers have begun to seek out different experiences – and durations – from their holidays, Malta has grown to accommodate these different demands. While it is still popular as a beach destination, festivals, such as the MTV Isle of Malta, have made it an appealing short-break destination to the younger market. Sunspot Tours national sales manager Richard Greenaway said bookings through agents to Malta and Gozo continue to grow and this summer and next winter the bookings to the islands are currently running 15% ahead of last year. “This destination seems to have experienced a real resurgence of popularity among consumers and a much better understanding of the product with agents. “Malta and Gozo has certainly come back into fashion and the islands have undergone a transformation with major improvements in infrastructure, the establishment of fantastic new hotels and a general improvement and upgrading of many of the islands’ tourism facilities,” he said. “There is definitely a buzz about the place and most of the travel agents who visited Malta recently on the Advantage Conference were impressed and surprised
that Malta is so welcoming and offers customers the opportunity to discover a truly exciting holiday destination. “The great news is that any negative perceptions are slowly changing and we are finding that many agents are keen to learn more about the product and enthusiastic to sell after undertaking some training either through the MTA website, or from in-store training sessions that we are providing,” he adds. Online travel agents On the Beach has witnessed a massive increase in sales of holidays to Malta of more than 270% year on year, outperforming many popular destinations across the Mediterranean, including Cyprus and Bulgaria. In particular the all-inclusive bookings are up 111% year on year. Prestige Holidays chairman and managing director John Dixon says the choice of flights from the major UK airports as well as the regional ones have played a big part in making the island more appealing to Britons. "There is a good choice of flights to Malta both from the London and regional airports. Once you are there, the whole of the island is extremely accessible and is well worth exploring. The historic city of Valletta, Malta's capital is a delight. “I would also recommend clients travel down to Marsaxlokk and Marsascala in the South on public transport to experience the lovely traditional towns en route. Malta also offers excellent value for money, even in high season, visitors can enjoy a week's stay in a five-star hotel from around £700. The year-round sunshine is also a bonus.”
4 All about Malta & Gozo
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Fishing boats in Marsaxlokk Malta
So we catch up with the major operators to the island to find out what they are doing with their Malta programmes for 2012/13. Belleair Holidays The Malta and Gozo specialist is offering free children’s places to families booking a holiday before 31 October 2012. As part of the deal, one child goes free for every two or more full-paying adults on selected flights and hotels. Children must be under 12 at time of travel. Belleair has also launched its early-bird winter 2012/13 programme, available online, on viewdata and on the phone. The programme features the operator’s most popular properties with a number of special deals and value-added offers. Early bookers can take advantage of savings of up to £402 when booking a stay of more than 34 nights, at the Djar Ta Menza farmhouses, a saving of £945 per couple. National sales manager Emma Yorke says flexibility is key to its early-bird programme. “We offer flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Belfast, Liverpool and Newcastle with Air Malta and EasyJet and thanks to the frequency of the flights, we are able to match our offering with your client’s requirements.” Prices lead in at £289 per person for seven nights’ bed and accommodation at the Maritim Antonine including flights and entrance to a Malta attraction. Sunspot Tours The Malta specialist has launched its new Malta brochure, which contains 66
handpicked hotels and no single supplements on many of the hotels featured. Also included in some of the packages booked in the new programme is free executive lounge passes at UK airports that feature this facility. The latest additions to the programme are the Sliema Chalet, Bay Street Hotel, Qawra Point Hotel, Porto Azzuro, and Sunflower Hotel in Malta and the San Andrea in Gozo. The Sunspot Malta flight schedule now features flights from 17 regional and national airports, which is designed to offer the flexibility when it comes to booking holidays of any duration. All holidays are price match-protected and if agents are able to buy the same holiday cheaper elsewhere, then Sunspot pledges to match that price and give each customer on the booking a £10 discount. Air Malta Flag carrier Air Malta is offering a lead-in price of £59 including taxes on flights from the UK to Valletta. The airline operates up to 26 scheduled services a week from London and Manchester, with summer weekly charter flights operating from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Norwich and Newcastle. Air Malta chief commercial officer Philip Saunders said having a choice of airports is vital to the airline as it increases accessibility to the islands. “This summer we are again offering a varied choice of charter services from regional UK airports. These services, which offer travellers the
opportunity to reduce travelling time and costs, were made possible following the support received from the respective airports as well as from tour operators and travel trade partners in the area.” Saunders also said its agent partners play a key role in promoting the airline. “Travel agents and tour operators are a very important group in our distribution network. They contribute up to 30% of our sales. We have been working closely with our UK Travel Agents and Tour Operators and, in our new Air Malta Commercial Organisation, we have introduced a new Key Accounts section to specifically take care of their needs.” Air Malta is developing a restructuring plan that contains 160 projects – and many of them are aimed at bringing improved products and services to customers and business partners. Classic Collection Holidays The luxury specialist has seen an increase in late bookings for Malta for this summer, with sales up 18% on the previous year. Vanda Bauer, head of marketing and PR, said the most popular properties are the Phoenicia, Hilton Malta, Le Meridien St Julian’s and The Westin Dragonara Resort on Malta with Ta Cenc and Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz selling well on Gozo. “We are delighted with these increased sales to Malta. The Malta Tourist Board is one of the most proactive – constantly in contact with us looking for ways to promote the historical and cultural delights of Malta. The island itself offers a lot, especially to the British who feel very ‘at 5
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What’s new with the Malta tourist board to grow our product portfolio and promote Malta as a beautiful destination to visit,” she added. “The five star Hilton Malta is a popular option for our customers and is well-known for its fantastic location, beside the Portomaso waterfront in the smart fishing village of St Julian’s and only 15 minutes from the capital Valletta.”
Cruise Liner in Harbour
home’ on the island. We book a lot of repeat business back to the island and, of course, the favoured Phoenicia enjoys the highest repeat rate,” she added. Prices for The Phoenicia Hotel lead in at £892 per person at the end of August. Cosmos Cosmos Holidays and Avro Flights have teamed up with Air Malta to increase its range of regional departures for summer 2012. From 3 July to 23 October, new services have been introduced from Cardiff, Norwich, Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol and Exeter. The range of flights are available for seven and 14-night durations on both packages and flight-only. Product manager Jody Clapham said: “We are making our Malta programme more flexible and introducing flights to offer the convenience of flying from customers’ local airports. From winter 2012/13, we will be offering daily flying from both Gatwick and Manchester.” She added that the operator’s higher graded, all-inclusive units continue to be the best performers and the Seabank Resort in Mellieha is Cosmos’s best-selling property.t Olympic Holidays The Mediterranean specialist has expanded its Malta programme over the last five years on the back of the island diversifying its offering to appeal to different markets. According to Olympic Holidays commercial director Photis Lambrianides, the operator's programme now features
winter, as well as summer holidays as the destination offers a spread of holidays to a wide cross-section of the market. "In the last 10 years, Malta has cleverly cultivated its product so that it now appeals to all types of holidaymaker – weekend breakers, families heading out for a week in the sun or the grey market escaping from the British winter," he says. "It's an excellent year-round destination that's as well suited to a short break or a longer stay in winter as it is to a seven or 14-night sunshine package in the summer.” For its summer and winter Malta programme, Olympic uses scheduled Air Malta and EasyJet flights, so clients are not tied into the one and two-week holidays of the charter destinations. “The strength of Malta's offer is that it delivers a whole lot more than sun and sea. Once they've been, clients know that Malta means great value and they keep going back year after year." Kuoni The long-haul specialist has identified Malta as a growth destination, and is planning to expand its programme to the islands. A spokesman for Kuoni said: “While Malta is a niche destination for us as we only offer three hotels in Malta and two in Gozo. Having said that, Malta continues to sell well for us and we do see this destination as a growth area, with a consistently good performance over the last few years. We’re also working closely
Prestige Holidays The upmarket specialist has seen an increase in bookings for Malta after a slow start to the year, according to chairman and managing director John Dixon. “We get a lot repeat visitors to the destination, particularly to the Corinthia Palace because of its central location and excellent staff,” he said. The operator has a number of money saving and added value offers available this summer including: children stay and eat free at the Hilton Malta. Prestige Holidays is offering seven nights’ half-board departing in September staying at Hilton Malta with flights from £1,159 per adult and £249 for a child under 12 years sharing a room.
Cruise news Malta is starting to make an impression in the world of cruising as more cruiselines add the island as a port of call on their Mediterranean itineraries. Hapag-Lloyd’s new ship Europa 2, which comes into service in May 2013, will include Malta as its port for passenger turnarounds, as part of its seven-day combinable Med cruises next year. The ship is calling into Malta altogether 6 times in 2013. Prices lead in at £3,362 per person for a seven-night Med cruise from Monte Carlo to Malta with stops in Corsica, Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo in Sardinia, Civitavecchia (for Rome) in Italy and Catania in Sicily. Silversea's Silver Cloud sets sail on 23rd September 2012 for a 12-day voyage from Venice to Barcelona, calling in at, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Siracusa, Valletta, Tunis, Trapani, Cagliari and Majorca with prices from £4,999. Valletta will also feature in Silver Wind’s nine-day voyage from Rome to Venice, departing on 30 May 2013.
6 All about Malta & Gozo
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Sign of the times Vittoriosa Waterfront
With temples that predate the Pyramids of Giza, it’s easy to see why Malta and its sister islands are popular with travellers looking for a history lesson or two
H
eritage and culture can mean different things to many people, but whatever you are looking for when it comes to an enlightening experience, a holiday in Malta is certain to deliver. From its rich and eventful history that stretches back more than 7,000 years to the modern-day 21st century cultural experience that is the Isle of MTV festival, there are many varied sides to the Malta experience that are guaranteed to appeal to all types of visitors. The islands’ history is very well preserved from its golden Neolithic period through to the Phoenicians, the Romans, the Byzantines and the Arabs, which have all left their traces on the islands that are still evident today. Architecture through its varied forms throughout the ages plays a bit part in telling the story of the islands. Malta was an extension of Moorish and Norman Sicily until 1530, when the Order of the Knights of St John settled on the islands, making it a key player in the cultural arena of 17th and 18th-century Europe. Malta came under English rule in the 1800s, and only became independent in 1964, hence the strong connection between the two countries. Whether your clients are looking for a short burst of Maltese culture over a weekend, or want to explore the island’s history while they are on a sun, sea and sand break, here are some suggestions on must-see places to visit and experiences to have.
Valletta The many cafes and restaurants dotted around its cobbled streets and pretty harbour make Valletta, the capital of Malta, the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by. Valletta is also a UNESCO World Heritage City thanks to its impressive ring of walls and bastions and its spectacular examples of Baroque architecture that make the city so unique. The city was built by the Knights of St John after the Great Siege of 1565 and was named after their victorious Grand Master, Jean Parisot de la Valette. The centre of Valletta is Republic Street, from where the city’s many sights, shops and side streets can be explored. The Grand Master’s Palace, former residence of the Grand Masters of the Order of the Knights of St John, is filled with opulent paintings, tapestries and armoury from the islands’ history. The nearby St John’s Co-Cathedral contains tapestries by Rubens and Poussin and paintings by Caravaggio. Mdina The old capital of Malta, Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island. Known as the Silent City, the town is perched on a hill and has barely changed since its conception, thought to be over 4,000 years when the Phoenicians realised the strategic importance of the site and fortified part of the town around 1000BC. Untouched by the advances of time, 7
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Culture Club the only prehistoric underground temple in the world, hewn from rock around 3600BC. Years later, the Hypogeum was expanded by tunnels that went even deeper into the rock. Today a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is an archaeological wonder, filled with stunning chambers.
Ggantija Temples
access by car is restricted to the Mdina, so it’s possible to roam around the narrow, cobbled streets without a care in the world, taking in the town’s medieval and baroque architecture, religious sights and quaint cafés and restaurants. The Three Cities Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua are a set of three harbour towns intimately linked by the massive line of fortification created by the Knights of St John, called the Cottonera Lines. They are situated on the other side of the Grand Harbour from Valletta and they actually predate the Maltese capital and
were the first home of the Knights of St John. Despite being heavily bombed during World War II, this historical area still retains the architectural charms of times gone by. Visitors should head here during holy days and feast days, which are celebrated with great vigour, particularly the Easter processions when large statues of the ‘Risen Christ’ run through crowd filled streets. Hypogeum Discovered by accident in 1902 by builders working on a new housing development, the Hypogeum, which means ‘underground’ in Greek, is thought to be
Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Ħaġar Qim is a megalithic temple complex that dates back to 3600-3200BC and is believed to be one of the most religious sites in the world. Standing on a hilltop overlooking the sea and the islet of Fifla just outside the village of Qrendi, Ħaġar Qim was excavated for the first time in 1839 and a number of important artefacts were found, notably a decorated pillar altar and two table-altars. The other historical site of great significance is Mnajdra. Tucked in a hollow in the cliffs on Malta’s southern coast overlooking the isle of Fifla, Mnajdra has three temples overlooking an oval forecourt. The first and oldest temple is a three-apsed building and dates to the Ġgantija phase (3600-3200 BC). The small rubble walls are a modern reconstruction, while the most impressive of the Mnajdra temples is the third, with its largely intact façade and bench constructed in the early Tarxien phase.
Cultural festival line-up While Valletta is busy bidding to be named European Capital of Culture 2018, here is just a snapshot of the major cultural events the islands host throughout the year. ● Every year for a week in June, the islands host Malta Music Week (www.maltamusicweek.com,), which includes the annual Isle of MTV. Over the years, this day-long festival has hosted a star-studded line-up of international artists such as Will.i.am and Nelly Furtado and is fast establishing itself as one of the top music festivals in the Mediterranean. ● The annual Malta International Jazz Festival, which takes place in July, offers a line-up of top international and Maltese artists that present an eclectic mix of jazz styles from the contemporary musical scene. ● World-renowned soprano Maria Guleghina will be performing at the Gozo Opera Season in October in the title role in Puccini's final three-act masterpiece Turandot at Teatru tal-Opra Aurora. Other performances will include Italian soprano Daniela Dessi in Giacomo Puccini's
Madama Butterfly. Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Teatru Astra Opera Chorus and other international singers will also be taking centre stage during Gozo’s Opera Season. ● October's BirguFest offers a varied programme of entertainment and events emphasising the historic value of the city of Birgu. ● The Festival Mediterranea in Gozo offers visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the mellow world of Gozo's autumn, and explore and live the cultural tradition of its 7000 years of history. ● Malta is also due to host the first edition of the Valletta International Baroque Festival from 9-26 January 2013 at Valletta's Teatru Manoel Theatre. The festival is designed to promote and enhance public appreciation of the baroque culture and will include performances by some of the most prestigious international and local Baroque artists. ● May 2013 will see Malta host an exhibition on Calabrian Mattia Preti (1613-1699) at Heritage Malta's National Museum of Fine Arts.
8 All about Malta & Gozo
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Culture Club Gozo Just a short ferry ride or seaplane flight from Malta, Gozo is suited to travellers, who are keen to discover a more authentic way of life. While the island’s dramatic landscape makes it a popular haunt with active traveller types, the island also has a lot to offer the culture vultures. The island’s main town of Victoria – nicknamed by locals as Rabat – is a fortress town known as the Citadel. It is the site of the island’s Baroque Cathedral and a number of museums and is well worth a visit. Perhaps one of the most impressive of claims to archaelogical fame are the Ggantija Temples. One of the oldest freestanding structures in the world, the Ggantija Temples predate the Pyramids of Egypt by 1,000 years and offer a rare insight into how life on the islands was some 3,500 years ago.
Mnajdra Temple
Sample product Escorted tours specialist Shearings offers an eight-day Malta’s Mediterranean Splendour tour from £789. This Grand Tourer holiday stays in St Julian’s, the coastal heartland of historic Malta. Two sightseeing excursions are
included, visiting the Blue Grotto, Marsaxlokk Market and a Three Cities tour of Vittoriosa, Corpicua and Senglea. Also included in the price are seven nights half board accommodation in a four-star hotel, return flights and transfers.
Malta
Gozo & Comino 7 Night Holidays from £289pp
Late summer sun in Malta! Up to £250pp off late summer deals! Free child places and child reductions • More choice, More flexibility & Lower prices • 13 UK Airports • Winter 12/13 on sale • Coach tour itinerary from £659
NEW Routes! Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow & Liverpool
• Excursions choices • Early Booking Discounts up to £378 per couple! • Flights now with Air Malta, easyJet,Thomson, Thomas Cook & bmibaby • Up to £160pp off charter flights Reservations 0208 785 3266 or go online www.belleair.co.uk/agents Order brochures at www.trade-gate.co.uk
ABTA No.V5323
Find us on facebook - www.facebook.com/belleairagents
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Street festivals run throughout the summer season and are guaranteed to keep the kids entertained
Family values When it comes to a short-haul destination with the family factor, Malta hits the spot every time
Military re-enactments of historical parades take place every Sunday
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andy beaches, all-year-round warm climate, family-friendly hotels and lots of attractions and activities for the kids. These are all high up on the agenda of most parents when it comes to finding the perfect holiday destination for all the family. Just a short, direct flight from the UK, with a plethora of flights from a number of airlines offering a great deal of flexibility when it comes to regional departures and durations, Malta can tick all those boxes, and offer something else that many destinations can’t. Oh, yes, would you believe that in September last year, Malta was officially recognised as being “the safest place on earth” by the United Nations’ University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). In its World Risk Report, Malta is listed as number one alongside Qatar, having been surveyed along a variety of criteria including natural disasters, social vulnerability, climate change and the countries’ coping capabilities to deal with disasters and crises. And if this isn’t enough to convince your clients that Malta is the ideal destination for themselves and their
children, then don’t forget to mention that traditional family values form the foundations of Maltese society. There is a wide range of family accommodation too; from hotels with kids’ clubs and facilities to spacious farmhouses and villas. So let’s find out how Malta makes child’s play of making sure the kids are alright. Beaches While Malta isn’t well known for its miles and miles of golden sandy beaches like some of its Mediterranean counterparts, it does have a number of beaches with shallow waters that are perfect for families. On Malta, Mellieha Bay is one of the island’s best sandy beaches with shallow waters, while over on Gozo, both Ramla Bay and Marsalforn are ideal, with the latter being the island’s largest resort with good restaurants and cafes nearby. The Blue Lagoon on the island of Comino is a popular day trip for families, with its shallow, crystalline waters, smooth rocks and mysterious caves making it an exciting experience for the entire family. 11
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Family Holidays Sample product Prestige Holidays offers seven nights' bed and breakfast departing in September 12 staying at The Westin Dragonara Resort with flights and transfers. Prices start at £996 per adult and £322 per child based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing. Belleair Holidays features seven nights' B&B at the Qawra Palace from £2296 per family based on two adults and two children. Flights and transfers are included. Sunspot Tours offers seven nights' half-board at the Paradise Bay Hotel for £1,840 for two adults and two children, departing on August 6. Prices include flights and transfers.
Mediterraneo Water Park Guaranteed to be a hit with the kids, the park in Bahar ic-Cagha has two sea lion shows and two dolphin shows every day. There is also a parrot display and a reptile house, and for those who want to get up close with the dolphins and the sea lions, there is a daily interactive programme. Splash and Fun Park Next door to the Mediterraneo Marine Park, the Park features four water chutes, including a superbowl slide, and a high-tide wave pool. There’s also a lazy river and a children’s splash land, as well as a play park that features model dinosaurs, bouncy castle, carousels, children’s train, roller coaster and bumper cars. The Popeye Village Set in Anchor Bay, Mellieha, the Popeye Village is the original film set from Robin Williams’s 1980 Popeye movie with an
entire village of wooden houses, some converted into shops, bars and attractions. The Village also features a lido, water trampolines, glassblowing workshops, summer boat trips and a Popeye-themed winery. Museums For a change of scenery when you want to escape the heat, check out the Valletta Toy Museum. Opened in 1998, the Toy Museum houses a private collection accumulated over 30 years, which is displayed over three floors. The wide range of toys come from many countries, dating from 1950 onwards and are made from a variety of materials. The collection includes dolls, farmyard animals, trains, cars, model planes and boats and exhibits are generally displayed in glass cabinets. Over on the island of Gozo, there is a smaller toy museum in the village of Xaghra. Other museums of interest include the Museum of Archaeology in Valletta and the Natural History Museum in Vilhena Palace in Mdina. In Guardia! and Alarme! Re-enactments Guaranteed to be a hit with children are the historical military parades at Fort St Elmo in Valletta. Every Sunday, throughout the year, the Malta Tourism Authority stages the re-enactment of the military parades in period costume with featured military drills and cannon shots. In Guardia! brings to life the military parades of the times of the Knights of St John while Alarme! is a re-enactment of garrison life and battles between the French Napoleonic troops and the Maltese insurgents in the two-year Maltese uprising of 1798-1800.
On tour
The islands of Gozo and Comino have perfect clear water for a bit of snorkelling
Theme parks and attractions specialist Attraction World currently has 16 tours in Malta. Its top five sellers are: 1. North Island Hop on/off bus tour (£15 adult, £9 child) 2. Harbour Cruise (£17 adult, £14 child) 3. Day Trip to Gozo (£59 adult, £22 child) 4. Blue Grotto and Marsaxlokk (£28 adult, £13 child) 5. Day Trip to Fernandesl, Gozo and Comino £54 adult, £31 child)
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Family Holidays Top tips for selling attractions by Gail Dunwoodie, head of product and marketing, Attraction World
1. Alway remember to ask the question – no matter where your customer is going: “What Festas A highlight of the summer calendar are the family-friendly festas that are held throughout the season in every town and village commemorating their patron saint. The religious and secular festivities are spread over five days and culminate on the weekend with brass band marches in the streets of the town/village and fireworks displays. The streets are decorated with life-size statues and flags. Stalls selling nougat tour all the festas, setting up their stall in the main streets of the village.
are you going to do when you get there?� 2. Booking attractions and excursions in the UK can literally saving hundreds of pounds off gate rates for a family of four in some instances. 3. Avoid disappointment – many attractions around the
world have limited availability, so if your customers don’t book in advance, the chances are they will miss out as they will not be able to book in resort. Allows your customers to budget and avoid exchange rate risks. They can secure their booking with a small deposit per person – the balance not
being due for payment until shortly before the holiday. The attractions are often more costly than the actual holiday and the commission to be earnt can be substantial! So not only do you improve your bottom line profit, but you also improve your customer service – it's a win/win situation.
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ULFK PDULQH OLIH FU\VWDO FOHDU Gozo and Comino A visit to Malta isn’t complete without hopping on a boat to discover the islands by sea; whether that’s a 30-minute boat ride to the Blue Grotto, a system of stunning caves, or a half or day’s cruise to to the smaller Maltese islands of Gozo and Comino to experience a taste of the laid-back lifestyle. The clear waters around Gozo and Comino make the islands the perfect spot for a bit of snorkelling. Also, the islands’ spectacular landscapes are well suited to families who like to explore on foot or by bicycle. Suggest clients look up Captain Morgan Cruises. The company operates a fleet of 21 vessels offering a full programme of cruises around the Maltese Islands ranging from the classic Harbour Cruise to the Underwater Safaris using purpose-built boats with underwater observation keels.
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Time to get active From rock climbing during the day to fine dining in the evening, Malta has something for every type of visitor
O
ver recent years, the Malta Tourist Authority has put a lot of effort into diversifying the product offering of the islands, which has broadened its appeal to the short-break market. Its location in the Mediterranean and its landscape make it a popular destination for people who love the great outdoors, while its nightlife, spas and high-end restaurants have turned the island into a must-visit place for holidaymakers who love a bit of luxury. Here is a round-up of some of the activities visitors can get up to on the island. Diving From absolute beginners to accomplished divers, Malta packs a punch when it comes to the underwater world. There are a number of diving schools on the island, and there are a plethora of diving sites to explore. From shallow reef dive sites to wreck dives and some newly scuttled boats, there’s diving and snorkelling sites for people of all abilities. Diving is becoming such a popular activity for visitors to the island that the Malta Tourism Authority has recently become a British Sub Aqua Club travel partner, offering BSAC members exclusive deals on diving holidays to the
Maltese Islands. Walking/cycling The landscape and terrain of Malta, Gozo and Comino have proved popular with visitors who are enthusiastic hikers and cyclists. While all three islands offer a wide range of itineraries, the rocky coastline of Gozo, in particular, provides an interesting landscape for hikers with its hidden creeks, coves and tiny beaches. While inland, walking paths take hikers through terraced and stone-walled fields along narrow gorge-like valleys, which provide the backdrop for the island’s ancient hilltop villages. Gozo is also a bit of a cyclist’s paradise as it’s small enough to cycle in a day, the island offers different routes for all levels and it’s a great way to explore hidden bays, archaeological sites and take in the island’s cliff scenery. Deep-water soloing When it comes to extreme sports, deepwater soloing has to be high up in the sector’s top 10. Deep-water soloing is effectively rock climbing just wearing a swimsuit and climbing shoes on. After a hard climb to the top of the cliff, the deep-water soloists then dive into the cool turquoise water below. According to the current Malta rock
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Niche holidays climbing guidebook, there are 21 areas on the islands of Malta and Gozo, with 70% on Malta and 30% on Gozo.
There are a number of ship wrecks around the seas of Malta that make the island a popular destination with divers of all abilities
Climbing The rocky coastline of the Maltese islands make the Mediterranean holiday spot a popular destination with rock climbers as its crags are easily accessible and uncrowded, and the weather conditions lend themselves well to this pastime. The islands boast more than 1,300 established rock climbing routes as well as plenty of virgin rock. Abseiling So there’s rock-climbing, deep-water soloing and just sedate old walking but a destination such as Malta with its rocky coastline is a big hit with abseilers. With its long stretches of cliffs – some falling more than 100m into the sea – the islands are a great choice for those with an interest in this activity, which is growing in popularity. Golf It’s not a destination that many travelling golf enthusiasts would necessarily consider, but the Royal Malta Golf Club’s 18-hole course in the centre of the island is the perfect place to enjoy a round or two. The clubhouse oozes British charm and tradition, and boasts HRH Prince Philip as a member. The Royal Malta Golf Club was founded in 1888 by Lieutenant-General Sir Henry D’Oyley Torrens from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who was stationed there. Health and wellbeing With the demands of modern-day life putting increasing pressure on people, many Britons are looking for a bit more than just welldeserved R&R on holiday. Destinations that have five-star hotels with spas that specialise in health and wellbeing treatments for the mind, body and soul are often high on the checklist for many holidaymakers, and Malta has this in abundance. Malta has 12 luxury hotels in Malta and two on the island of Gozo – Hotel Ta’Cenc and Kempinski Hotel, San Lawrenz – that offer state-of-the-art spas, offering visitors special all-inclusive packages. The Kempinski Hotel, San Lawrenz has an ayurvedic and marine care centre, which specialises in recommendations for lifestyle and nutrition. It also has a day spa that offers all the health and beauty treatments from manicures and pedicures to full-body massages. The other spas at the luxury hotels offer a wide range of treatments including the latest state-of-the-art therapeutic bath, dermalife hydrofusion skin and body care system, algae body wraps, balneo baths and peelings with marine products, Vichy showers and massages in the hydrojet tub. Unique classical and holistically-based therapies such as Thalasso therapies, the OKKAIDO (herbal steam bath), Reiki, music and art therapy and stress and group management are also available. Malta has also dipped its toe into the world of medical tourism with its state-of-the-art facilities catering for 50,000
medical tourists annually. Treatments range from cosmetic surgery to dentistry, orthopaedic surgery, eye surgery, physiotherapy and rehab. Sailing Malta's location at the heart of the Mediterranean also makes it the ultimate yachting hub, with a number of harbours able to accommodate anything from small yachts to the biggest super yachts in the Mediterranean. Yacht chartering is easy and The Malta Sailing Academy and the Royal Malta Yacht Club also offer advice and information on sailing in Maltese waters. Yachts of all sizes are available, from 29ft to 64ft and more, and prices start from £204, including fuel. The island also features highly on the sailing world’s annual calendar of events, with the the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October starting and ending in Malta. Gastronomy Malta’s small size means the islands do not lend themselves to mass production of food, so foodies can be rest assured that the ingredients in most of the restaurants are home-grown and of good quality. The fine dining restaurants on the island, of which there are many, specialise in Mediterranean dishes that receive a Maltese
Hot deals The five-star Grand Hotel Excelsior in Valletta has rolled out a summer 2012 offer for visitors to the island. The Luxury Malta package starts at £111 per night and is based on stays of seven nights and includes bed and breakfast and a chauffeur-driven tour of the north of Malta, taking in Mosta, Mdina and St Paul’s Catacombs, free use of pools, Whirlpool and gym. The Luxury Malta Package can be booked online at excelsior.com.mt/specialoffers/luxury-malta-breaks. Phoenicia Hotel in Valletta is offering winter rates from less than £50 per person for advance internet bookings. The offer is based on the City Breaks Advance Purchase for a minimum three-night stay in November. 17
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Niche holidays at twist. The cuisine is also strongly influenced by neighbouring Italy, Sicily, Lebanon and North Africa. Specialities include excellent olive oil, honey and cheese and an array of Mediterranean vegetables, meats and fish doused in the delicious oil and the local cheese is akin to a religion. The islanders also produce their own wine, with two indigenous grapes and five wineries producing a variety of wines to complement the Maltese dishes. A good time to sample Malta’s delicious wines is at the Delicata Wine Festival, held in August and September, in Valletta and Gozo. World-renowned chefs such as Kevin Bonello, the executive chef at the awardwinning De Mondion restaurant, Joe Vella from The Hilton and George Borg, chef at Il-Kartell Restaurant in Gozo, have all influenced Malta’s fine dining scene, setting a standard that compares well with any of the top European restaurants and offering a serious attraction for foodies to Malta. The national dish is fenek, a rabbit dish, while seafood is always popular, along with pastizz, a savoury puff pastry filled with ricotta cheese. Ecotourism Responsible tourism is becoming an increasingly important concept to travellers as one of the many things to consider when booking their holiday. Malta has demonstrated its commitment to ecotourism with the unveiling of its Eco-Gozo concept, which is a vision for the future of the island of Gozo. The target for the future is to make Gozo a sustainable tourism destination by 2020. Eco-Gozo is an initiative with a clear
vision – to transform Gozo and Gozitan society into a sustainable reality – through education, economic development and social progress. The aim of Eco Gozo is to protect the Gozitan lifestyle, the island’s environment, resources, culture and identity, and see that all these play a significant part in attracting more visitors and investors to the island. Gozo was chosen as one of the top ten sustainable destinations in Southern Europe by Quality Coast 2011 – Southern European Top 50 Awards. The village of Gharb in Gozo was the local winner of the fifth edition of the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) Award. The Malta Tourism Authority has teamed up with Responsibletravel.com to launch the Insiders’ Travel Guide to Gozo, a dedicated online responsible tourism travel guide to Gozo. The guide is an online microsite dedicated to green, responsible and rural things to see and do in Gozo. It features 25 detailed pages on Gozo including maps, photos, podcasts, videos and editorial. It also includes travel secrets from local people in the form of podcast interviews. Nightlife The annual Isle of MTV festival has played a big role in raising the profile of
the island as a destination that many young people in the past would not have considered as a place to party. Malta’s nightlife is increasingly attracting a wider crowd from across Europe. The liveliest areas for partying are Paceville and Bugibba which are filled with indoor and outdoor clubs and high-end venues. With Malta’s warm climate, beach parties are also very popular during the hot summer nights. Gianpula, for example, is one of Malta’s most famous and popular openair night clubs and the setting for international DJs from Tiesto to Erick Morillo. Club Numero Uno, located in the middle of Ta’ Qali crafts village is another great outdoor club, with a capacity for more than 4,000 people and boasts idyllic surroundings as well as a large floor area. La Grotta on Gozo is another popular outdoor venue. While some may choose to party on until the early hours, those that choose to call it a day before midnight will be able to get involved in many of the activities on the island during the daytime hours, such as diving, cycling, walking and trekking, rock climbing and a wide range of water sports.
The dramatic landscape of Malta and Gozo make the islands a hit with hikers
Sample product Walking and cycling specialist Headwater Holidays operates two tours to Gozo. The six-night Highlights of Gozo Cycling holiday leads in at £827 per person and includes stays at luxury hotels along the way with gentle, scenic cycling. Meanwhile, the sevennight independent walking Calypso's Isle holiday leads in at £727 and includes accommodation at the fivestar Ta Cenc Hotel. 18 All about Malta & Gozo
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Blue Lagoon, Comino
Get the lowdown
A quick and easy guide to the travel essentials for Malta
Valletta by night
Getting there: There are frequent daily flights to Malta, so Britons keen to visit the Mediterranean island have plenty of choice. Flights are direct from the UK and only take three hours making it a great destination for both weekend breaks and longer stays. Malta International Airport is just 20 minutes from Valletta. Who flies there? Air Malta flies from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Newcastle and Norwich; EasyJet flies from Belfast, Gatwick, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle; Ryanair flies from Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Stansted and Luton; and Bmibaby flies from East Midlands. Time difference: GMT +1. Do I need a visa? Visas are not required by anyone holding a passport from the European Union. What’s the weather like? It’s a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, humid winters. Temperature averages from 15C from November to April, and 33C from May to October. Population: 400,000 Currency: Euro Do I need to tip? The same customs apply in Malta as they do in the UK as regards
Did you know? Some 1.3 million tourists visited Malta in 2010 and 415,120 of those were from the UK. The largest proportion of visitors fall under the 45-64 age bracket (457,760) closely followed by the 25-44 bracket (456,305) in 2010. Visitors from the 0-24 bracket is continuing to be a bigger factor, making up around a fifth of the total visitors The average length of stay was 8.3 nights in 2010. tipping, so if you want to show your appreciation at a hotel or restaurant for good service, then you can give a tip of 10% of the bill. Getting around: The public transport system is cheap, efficient and easy to use, however car hire is also a straightforward options as the Maltese drive on the left. Gozo can be reached by a 25-minute ferry trip from Malta’s northernmost tip or a short flight on the seaplane service from Malta International Airport. Comino can be reached by regular boat service from Marfa Harbour in Malta and Mgarr Harbour in Gozo between mid-March and midNovember
Did you know?
Don’t leave Malta without…
Malta has the second best bathing waters in the European Union, according to a Bathing Water Report published by the European Commission. The report says that 97.7% of Malta’s bathing waters were of “excellent” quality – the best possible quality under the EU’s bathing water directive.
1. Spending a night or two in a rural farmhouse in Gozo to find out what life is like in the slow lane. 2. Strolling around the winding alleys and cobbled streets of the charming Mdina, the ancient capital of Malta 3. Cruising over to the small, but beautiful island of Comino, home to the Blue Lagoon. 4. Following in the footsteps of the Hollywood greats and taking a tour of the many film locations on the island. 5. Dining out at Valletta Harbour during the day and letting your hair down at one of the night spots in St Julian’s. 19
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Live the Grand Life in Malta at the Grand Hotel Excelsior o live a life that is full of grand experiences and grand sensations. To travel, to explore and discover new influences. Set in a tranquil area near the Historical Capital,Valletta and enjoying stunning views of the Marsamxett Harbour, the Grand Hotel Excelsior will fill your senses with the pleasures of fine hospitality. Rates starting from ÂŁ53 per person per night for double room occupancy including breakfast. To experience the Grand life, call us on (+356) 2125 0520 or book directly on www.excelsior.com.mt now.
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