Tomino to open second casino

St Julian's, 28/06/06 - Three years after it was announced in Island Travel Trader, Tomino Ltd - operators of the Oracle Casino in Qawra - will open a casino at the Portomaso Business Tower, next door to the Hilton Malta in St Julian’s. The new Lm2 million gaming facility will open today.

This will be the fourth casino in Malta and the second in St Julian's.

Private sector consultative group appointed

Mosta, 28/06/06 - As part of the Malta Tourism Authority's restructuring, the private sector consultative group has been established and is led by George Arrigo, representing the Federated Association of Travel and Tourism Agents (FATTA).

Members of the group also include Michael Camilleri Kamsky for the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), John Dimech for the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations Malta (FELTOM) and Mark Busuttil representing the Gozo Tourism Association (GTA).

The private sector consultative group is an industry-driven committee that oversees progress of the various segment teams that make up the MTA's marketing operations.

The group will shortly be meeting the various segments to discuss priorities and recommendations. The private sector consultative group will then meet with the inter-ministerial committee for tourism.

'Set ambitious targets' says PM as he inaugurates Le Méridien St Julians

St Julian's, 27/06/06 - "We have to be ambitious with the targets we set ourselves", premier Lawrence Gonzi said today as he officially opened the Méridien St Julians in Balluta Bay.

The remark was directed at hoteliers who, last week, questioned tourism arrival targets set by the Ministry for Tourism and Culture during an MHRA meeting held, coincidentally, in the same hotel (see Hotelier calls for official accountability as Q1 results disappoint).

"I can assure you that we are focussed on increasing the number of tourists in the winter months", added Gonzi.

On attracting low cost carriers to operate to the islands, the prime minister said the right formula had still to be found. "People" he said, "forget that we are unique...we only have one airport...and we cannot be compared to any other destination".

The five star, 276 room Le Méridien St Julians, meantime, soft opened on 1 March but today's visit by Gonzi and his wife marked the official opening of the property. The first Méridien to be opened since Starwood Hotels & Resorts bought the brand last year.

The Gonzis were welcomed on their arrival by recently-appointed general manager Michael Shannon and were shown the hotel and its amenities.

A highlight of the tour was the Lotus Spa & Health which comprises a lagoon pool, several holistic treatment rooms, saunas and steam rooms, gym and fitness facilities. The tour included guest rooms, the executive floor and suites. The Gonzis also visited the roof top pool and kitchen. The prime minister and Mrs Gonzi later had lunch with the hotel's owners at the Villa Brasserie.

Le Méridien St Julians is the second hotel operated by the brand in Malta and is owned by Bajja Investments.

Air Malta announces loss-making year

Luqa, 27/06/06 - In Q1 of 2006 Air Malta carried almost 30,000 fewer passengers on its network than in the first three months of 2005. The seat factor on its scheduled services was 62 per cent, slightly lower than the previous year.

Traffic on its scheduled network to and from Malta reached 233,000, a decrease of 8,000 passengers, while charter passengers were halved to 14,000 compared to the same quarter last year. There was a marginal decrease in passenger traffic on intra-European routes and on the airline's UK base charter operation.

During this period Air Malta flew 1,600 flights on its network. The airline provided 377,000 seats on its scheduled operations, representing an increase of 1,000 on the corresponding period the previous year. The airline also increased by two points its punctuality reaching 80 per cent.

Air Malta's financial year is April to March; so the Q1 results are the final set of data to complete the financial year 2005/06. Air Malta reported that during the financial year it carried a total of 1.86 million passengers, a decrease of 46,000 passengers (-2.4 per cent) when compared to the previous year. Scheduled services lost 9,000 passengers while charter traffic on the Malta based routes decreased by 75,000. This was partially compensated by an increase of 8,500 passengers on intra-European flights and 30,000 passengers on the UK based charter operations. Intra-European services became possible for Air Malta when Malta acceded to the EU in May 2004.

During this financial year the Maltese airline flew 9,000 flights on its whole network. It provided 2.1 million seats on its scheduled operations representing an increase of 43,000 on the corresponding period the previous year. Air Malta has also increased its punctuality by four percentage points, which reached 76 per cent.

Commenting on these results KM chairman Lawrence Zammit said: "It was a tough year with fuel costs soaring up at unprecedented levels whilst traffic was stagnant. Competition on the Malta route was ferocious with an over abundance of seats and very aggressive pricing. The end result is expected to see another loss making year in spite of drastic cuts in the airline's non-fuel cost base".

The airline maintained that the efficiencies and improvements in its cost base committed during the "rescue plan" have all been maintained with the exception of fuel. The bill for this commodity has shot up to Lm21.6 million from Lm16.5 million the previous year.

"Had it not been for our diligent fuel hedging policies the cost of fuel would have been significantly higher than this. Unfortunately all the attractive fuel-hedging transactions have now expired and those we have in place are not as attractive as those we previously enjoyed.  Our concern is that if during the current financial year the price of crude remains at the present levels our fuel bill will be close to Lm29 million".

Looking at the current financial year Air Malta's chairman expressed a more optimistic note. "We believe that in spite of the adversities we are looking at a more positive year mainly driven by higher revenues and passenger load factors. We are now very focused on this aspect. We have filled the vacuum created by some airlines who decided to withdraw from the Malta route and we are confident that our commitment to Malta as a holiday destination will end up in a more positive result".

Corinthia San Gorg completes refurbishment programme

Floriana, 27/06/06 - The €5 million (LM 2.1mn) refurbishment programme of the five star Corinthia San Gorg Hotel in St George's Bay is complete.

The refurbishment began last November and included the complete renovation of all 250 rooms and suites, lobby and corridors and the introduction of cutting-edge information technology such as fast speed Internet, WIFI, integrated PMS system with express check-in and interactive TV.

The Corinthia San Gorg Hotel opened in July 1996, the first hotel in what has now become known as the Golden Mile.

Hotelier calls for official accountability as Q1 results disappoint

St Julian's, 22/06/06 - Hoteliers still want to know what the government plans to do about the worsening tourism situation. "Where is the accountability? Who will be held responsible for the current situation", demanded Winston Zahra Jr at this morning's MHRA meeting, called to hear results of the quarterly accommodation survey.

Zahra said tourism minister Francis Zammit Dimech and Malta Tourism Authority executive chairman Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud had "predicted" an increase of 70,000 tourist arrivals this year, but on present performance and projections this seems unlikely to be achieved.

"If we do not meet targets, will they resign", asked Zahra.

Meanwhile, at the end of May Lungaro-Mifsud told Island Travel Trader Online that, "all being equal", he expects an increase of 3.5 per cent in arrivals this year. That means an additional 40,971 tourists over 2005's figure of 1,170,610 visitors (see MTA expects 41,000 more tourists in 2006).

Hoteliers were also unanimous in their anger over what they see as delays in the branding of Malta by the MTA and, more importantly in their opinion, the green lighting of low cost carrier operations to the islands - specifically by Ryanair and EasyJet.

The trigger for their anger was the accommodation results for the first quarter of the year, covering January, February and March.

The MHRA survey - presented at the newly-opened, five star Le Méridien St Julians - showed that in Q1, as was widely expected, occupancy levels were down with the sharpest decline occurring in the three star sector (18 per cent lower), a widespread decline in the four star sector (six per cent down) and the five star sector being the most resilient (0.6 per cent higher).

However all categories registered an increase in average achieved room rates (AARR) due to changes in business mix and higher prices were possible to offset higher costs. Total revenue per room in the five star sector was 15 per cent up, but fell in the rest of the hotel industry and the decline amounted to 22 per cent in the three star sector.

Because of higher costs, gross operating profit margins worsened considerably in the four and three star sectors. Whilst all categories traded at a loss during Q1, in the four star and three star sectors the loss per room increased over last year, whilst in the five star sector it reduced slightly.

Deloitte's Nick Captur said: "Although Easter falling in April is an obvious explanation for part of the trend, if Q1 for 2006 is compared to other years when Easter was late the comparison is still negative, so the performance of the four star and three star sectors is not good. It would appear that within relatively static overall annual trends, winter is getting weaker and summer is getting stronger, but there is only so much more additional business that can be squeezed into summer to make up for winter losses".

The MHRA hotel survey, sponsored by the Bank of Valletta and carried out by Deloitte, is open to all hotels in Malta and Gozo and not just MHRA members. It is compiled independently by Deloitte and is the only survey to analyse trends in detail all the way from income to operating profit. Fifty hotels participated in this edition. The Q1 edition covered 9,229 rooms and Lm12.4 million in revenue.

BA pulling out of Malta - untrue

Mosta, 22/06/06 - "It's a load of rubbish", says British Airways's Malta manager James Stagno Navarra, in response to a letter that appeared in toady's Times (of Malta) by John Barnes of Clacton-on-Sea in the UK.

Under the title Tourism slipping away, Barnes claims he has "confirmation from British Airways that from April 2007" the UK carrier will be withdrawing direct flights to Malta,

"It's untrue and a load of rubbish", Stagno Navarra told Island Travel Trader Online. The airline, he added, will shortly issue a statement commenting on Barnes' claim.

20% increase in cruise line passengers in May

Valletta, 22/06/06 - In May the number of cruise liner passengers arriving in Malta went up by 6,941 - an increase of 19.2 per cent over May 2005 - to 43,033, the National Statistics Office reports.

Compared to May last year the major increases in cruise passengers were British, Spanish and French by 2,936, 2,503 and 2,300 respectively.

On the other hand there were 3,902 cruise line passengers from the United States - 1,091 less than a year ago.

In May 43 cruise liners docked in Grand Harbour, four more than in May 2005.

In the first five months of the year, meanwhile, the number of cruise liner passengers who visited Malta went up by 34 per cent to 99,714, an increase of 25,289 excursionists over the corresponding period in 2005.

The major markets for cruise liners were Germany (27,623), Italy (18,450), Spain (12,632) and France (12,159).

And in the first five months of the year, 106 liners called at Malta compared to 95 in the corresponding period last year.

30% more Maltese travel in April

Valletta, 20/06/06 - In April 19,120 Malta residents travelled abroad, according to the National Statistics Office. The majority, 17,209, left the islands by air - an increase of 29.3 per cent compared to the same month last year. The balance, 1,911, left by sea.

Meantime, in the first four months of 2006 a total of 61,333 Malta residents left the islands, a drop of one per cent over the same period a year ago.

As always, the United Kingdom remains the favourite destination for local travellers - between January and April this year 16,797 residents visited the UK, or 27.4 per cent of the total. Second most popular destination was Italy with 15,849 Malta-based travellers.

Most residents, 79.4 per cent or 48,728, travelled to EU countries in the first four months of the year whilst 12,605 or 20.6 per cent went to non-EU countries.

In the first four months of 2006 male travellers significantly exceeded females with the former accounting for 64.4 per cent of the total, according to the NSO.

The greatest proportion of travellers, 46.4 per cent, were aged between 25 and 44 followed by those in the 45 to 64 and 15 to 24 age brackets, at 43.3 and 6.3 per cent respectively.

EU funds for Malta to upgrade visa-issuing capacity

Mosta, 20/06/06 - Malta is to receive €122,000 (Lm52,302) of EU funds for undertaking a project between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Agency for European Integration and Economic Development (AEI) of Austria.

Under this agreement the AEI will provide assistance to strengthen Malta's capacity to issue visas.

New Airbus delivered to Air Malta

Toulouse, 20/06/06 - The countdown to Air Malta's all new fleet continues with the delivery of the tenth new aircraft from Airbus Industrie. The aircraft, an A320 with registration 9H-AEO, was named Isla - Citta' Invicta and has already started operating from the airline's Malta base.

The aircraft has joined the four A320s and five A319s already delivered. The last two A320s are scheduled to be delivered to Air Malta in February and March next year thus completing the airline's fleet replacement project, which will see Air Malta boast one of the youngest fleets in the world, with an average aircraft age of 30 months.

Star Cruises launches 2007 Malta programme

Mosta, 16/06/06 - Malaysia's Star Cruises has just launched its first UK brochure selling cruises from October 2006 to December 2008. On offer are five seven-nights itineraries and one 11-nights cruise from Malta in summer 2007.

Prices for these Mediterranean cruises start at £480 (Lm302) per person inclusive of taxes, handling charges and fuel surcharge for seven nights and £740 (Lm466) for an 11-night voyage aboard the SuperStar Libra. If one books before 31 October seven night trips will cost £380 (Lm239) whilst an 11-nighter is price tagged at £610 (Lm384) per person, these are what Star Cruises calls Early Bird Rates. The lead-in prices are for windowless staterooms on decks 2 and 3 on the Libra.

However, elsewhere in the brochure it says that each passenger must add a £65 (Lm45) handling charge and a £35 (Lm22) fuel surcharge to quoted fares for seven night cruises and £75 (Lm47) and £55 (Lm35) respectively for the 11-nights cruise.

Itineraries offered from Malta next year are identical to this year's cruises. The exceptions are that Mykonos has been added as a port of call on seven nights cruises sold as Aegean Highlights and Grecian Splendour locally; in the UK brochure they are marketed as Oriental Odyssey and Jewels of the Aegean.

The 42,000 gross tonne SuperStar Libra is currently on its first deployment in the Mediterranean and is homeported in Valletta from June to September. It arrived on 6 June and sailed on its inaugural cruise that evening.

"This is a significant milestone for the company as it moves from a purely Asian focus to one which now includes Europe in its scope of operations. It will be a particularly interesting and challenging period for us as we introduce and promote cruise experiences with an Asian touch in a European environment to entirely new markets", said Star Cruises chief operating officer Chong Chee Tut.

"Bookings thus far reflect a multinational passenger mix which provides a very international feel to the cruise experience as well", he added.

Chong told Island Travel Trader Online the SuperStar Libra's target market is the United Kingdom, continental Europe and Malta; moreover Star Cruises wants to market its 2007 Mediterranean programme in the Middle and Far East.

Meantime, Michael Abele, general manager of Valletta-based Mondial Holidays who sell cruises on the Libra, is reported as saying that some 3,000 tickets had already been sold locally for cruises aboard the SuperStar Libra this summer. He expects the number to rise to 5,000.

SMS Travel and Tourism represent Star Cruises in Malta.

See also Star Cruises chooses Malta to homeport in 2007 and Star Cruises to homeport liner in Valletta

Star Cruises chooses Malta to homeport in 2007

Mosta, 03/06/06 - Star Cruises plans to homeport the SuperStar Libra in Malta for a second season next year, Island Travel Trader Online has learned.

The 42,000 gross tonne vessel is being deployed to Malta for three months this summer; she is scheduled to arrive in Grand Harbour on Tuesday and leave on her inaugural, seven-night cruise in the evening. This first deployment will run until September.

And before even sailing on her first cruise this season, Malaysian-based Star Cruises has already decided that the 1,480-passenger liner will use Valletta as a homeport from June to September 2007.

The Superstar Libra is the first ship in Star Cruises' Asian fleet to operate in Europe. Star Cruises, the third largest cruise line in the world, is represented in Malta by SMS Travel & Tourism.

Meantime, although the starting-off point for cruises this year is Valletta, "holidaymakers on SuperStar Libra also have the flexibility of embarking the ship in Rome, Venice or Istanbul via a choice of flycruise options", says Chong Chee-Tut, Star Cruises chief operating officer.

SuperStar Libra's 2006 season in the Mediterranean offers a range of seven to 13 night cruises to a host of destinations along the east and west coasts of Italy, the Greek islands, Croatia, Turkey and Egypt.

Air Malta to fly 3,000 students from Reggio this summer

Reggio Calabria, 03/06/06 - This summer Air Malta will operate 10 flights between Reggio Calabria, in southern Italy, and Barcelona and plans to bring to Malta "an increased number of students from the Reggio Calabria region to study English".

The new service and the increased number of students to Malta are the result of "close collaboration" between Air Malta and the municipality of Reggio Calabria. This began last year when Air Malta introduced a frequency to Reggio.

Last year some 1,000 students from the Reggio region travelled to Malta to learn English. This year about 3,000 are expected.