A Malta Tourist Board survey shows what the Malta travel industry has suspected for some time - Malta holidaymakers are happy holidaymakers!

Globally the holidays industry, much like any other business, thrives on repeat customers, in other words people who have been happy with a product or service enough to buy it again, and if repeat customers can be built up it leads to a successful business.

And in a recent survey of tourists who had visited Malta for a holiday, the results were good and shows that Malta is an ideal Mediterranean holidays destination.

The sample base was large at nearly 2000 tourists, and a remarkable 86 per cent of those who participated said that their time in Malta had met or exceeded their expectations.

While good, other figures revealed in the survey give hope that Malta is building itself as a holidays destination, and once the economy improves will see year on year increases in visitor numbers again.

If holiday destinations can impress visitors enough to want to visit again in the future, it helps to give those investing in the Malta holidays trade confidence to go ahead, while the extra revenue gained by the government through employment and sales taxes give it the ability to spend money on the infrastructure expected by holidaymakers.

No less than 87 per cent of those surveyed who had just had their Malta holidays said they would recommend Malta to others - not just an impressive figure but a vital one for a destination trying to compete with countries like Spain with massive advertising budgets and a rich history of tourism who can rely on repeat visitors to use as a base every year when drawing holidaymakers to their shores.

Word of mouth and a recommendation from someone trusted is worth far more than any advertising campaign for a destination like Malta which many people might not have considered before, hopefully enough to pique curiosity to look at Mata what has to offer for a holiday.

So what areas of Malta do holidaymakers typically head for - and what can Malta offer that’s a bit different from other holiday destinations?

For a taste of the more modern side of Malta, there is the St. Paul’s Bay area and the seafront at Bugibba, the hub of nightlife in the area. Here, there are a selection of trendy boutiques and restaurants. When the sun sets, Malta can go down market as well as up market and there are karaoke bars in Bugibba, but there is also the casino and a cinema.

From the nightlife of Paceville to the view of the sea, Malta has much to offer every age group. Even though the visitors to Malta used to be retirement age, a great set of clubs, discos and bars has developed over the years.

Paceville is the nightlife capital of Malta. Most of the venues of Paceville are located on four main streets that spread out from the main square. These streets are Dragonara Road, Wilga Street, St. Georges Road and St. Rita Steps. A police presence is always nearby, keeping the denizens of the clubs safe and orderly. A taxi rank is also located in the main square, for those who need a lift.

For those who prefer a more genteel holiday, Wherever you go you will find something wonderful to see in Malta. The ruggedly beautiful coastline of Malta offers some fantastic views. It’s an island of culture and history but with the incredible beaches and secluded coves it can be a romantic setting for a honeymoon or a great place to simply get away from it all as well.

You have an 86 per chance of having a fantastic holiday in Malta after all!

More details about Malta are available with yourmalta.com - travel resources include flights to Malta and Malta hotels.

Here are some news stories and articles we have seen recently about Malta we think are good, and worth reading:

The first one concerns hotels in Malta, and how some of them might become all inclusive resorts for those thinking of taking their holidays in Malta

A number of hotels in the north are looking at the possibility of transforming their property into all-inclusive resorts, Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said this morning.

Addressing a press conference about an initiative bringing over 1,000 German travel agents to Malta for five weeks to promote the island, Dr De Marco said the government wanted to affirm its commitment to the German market, the second most important to the local market.

It had brought over 212,000 tourists in 1999 and although the numbers dropped to 128,000 in 2003, the market was again improving and 150,000 German tourists had visited Malta last year.

Dr de Marco said this winter saw…

To read more click through to the Times of Malta here

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The second article is a very good that appeared in The Daily Telegraph about the Fortina Spa, already one of the best Malta hotels

It might have been a three-day break, but the impact has lasted nearly three months… and counting. At the end, 4lb and an unimaginable number of inches had slipped off. Having made a decision to keep it off, after 10 weeks Spa Spy is a further five pounds lighter and determined to keep going.

To read the full article click here

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And the final article was in the Malta Independent, commenting on Malta flights

Ryanair believes that MIA costs are too high and it wants a substantial discount, accessible to all airlines, according to the volume of passengers carried. On the other hand, it also feels that where no growth is registered, there should be no support forthcoming.

Funds to seed the base and the new routes, Mr O’Toole insisted, could come from the existing market spend, since, according to him, present advertising is clearly not working.

MIA’s charges are equivalent to three times what it costs Ryanair to fly to Malta, Mr O’Toole contended – e25 per passenger against e7.

To read the full article click here

International recession has forced a major re-think of tourist numbers for most holiday destinations - and the island of Malta in the Mediterranean is no exception.

The number of holidays being taken in Malta - nearly always by Europeans - has increased impressively in the last three or four years, as low cost airlines have made the island more accessible.

But a new prediction of the fortunes of the Malta holidays industry for 2009 will make painful reading for those employed in the tourist industry, and by those businesses and individual entrepreneurs who have invested their time and money in the hope of serving a good number of tourists this year and beyond.

The travel company, who have internet sites for various locations around Europe including their resource for Malta, have seen when Malta was struggling to make an impact on the tourist industry transformed in recent years by the arrival of low cost flights, and the number of holidaymakers increase each year to set new records with cruise ship passenger arrivals as well as traditional holidaymakers making their way to the island by plane.

But they are predicting that the island’s visitor numbers could drop by as much as 20 per cent in 2009 - sending a chill down the spines of many of Malta’s business community involved in the Malta holidays industry and peripheral businesses such as bars and restaurants who have a mix of both local and international customers throughout the year.

Malta’s economy isn’t entirely dependent on tourism like some holiday islands, but it does form a good percentage of her GDP, and with a 20 per cent drop in visitor arrivals unemployment would be bound to rise in the coming months, and salaries for those involved in the travel industry frozen in all probability for 2010 as the island looked to recover.

Malta

‘The prediction we are making of a 20 per cent drop in holidaymakers to Malta this year is based upon our own figures comparing 2008 directly with 2009,’ commented YourMalta.com recently. ‘These figures will undoubtedly surprise many in the travel industry who are forecasting a lower drop in the number of Malta holidays being taken this year, but we think if hotels and Malta flights bookings are refelected in what we are experiencing the prediction could be an accurate one.’

One saving grace could be that people thinking of booking holidays to Malta are returning time and again to the travel site before making a decision - perhaps indicating that potential tourists are being more careful than usual this year and are checking regularly to see if there are any bargain holidays in Malta to be had, with tour operators offering good deals on both vacations and flights to Malta.

Britain is a very important market for Malta holidays, and adding to the island’s problems in attracting the British visitor because of their own economic woes is that the pound is weak against the Euro, making Malta holidays more expensive than in previous years, with those Brits who are taking an overseas holiday often opting to take a holiday outside the Eurozone in locations like Egypt, Morocco or Turkey.

But Malta does have one important travel resource going for it that could mean those booking last minute holidays and putting together their own package of flights and hotels together - regular cheap flights to Malta from not only the UK but other European airports too.

Malta held out against the low cost carriers for some and it was only in the last few years that they were finally allowed to fly to Malta - and the turnaround in Malta’s fortunes as a holidays destination was as quick as Malta was slow to see the tourism potential that low cost flights gives a destination. The hotels in Malta have been thriving with some of the spa hotels regularly featured in the European press as among the best in Europe, boosting further the number of people visiting Malta for a break.

With Malta’s hotels providing first class service, the travel site hope the end of year figures show a different story!

The BBC’s Saturday evening Strictly Come Dancing has given rise to more dance holidays. One popular tourist area that is benefitting from the show is Malta. Some travel groups are actually packaging dance holidays in their itinerary. For those who don’t want to buy a package deal, they can visit when there is a dance festival taking place.

In June Malta will be home to the Summer International Dance Festival. Held from June 5-19, this entertaining event offers dance classes by international dancers. For those who like to mix and mingle with celebrities, this event is the ideal place. Visitors to Malta during this time will be able to dance the night away on the beach. They can also attend dance concerts and even take place in casting calls for dancers.

One hotel in Malta has scheduled guest appearances by two of the show’s dancers for 2009. Guests can interact with the pair, James and Olga Jordan. There is a question and answer section and a workshop where they teach dance moves and techniques. This is part of a seven-day dance vacations promotion. These new dance holidays are geared towards beginning dancers as well as experienced ones. The workshops are ideal for helping holidaymakers improve their moves.

Dance holidays are not age specific either, as everyone is getting into ballroom dancing. Young people and senior citizens are taking up the activity. Most of the dancing is of the social variety and suited for any formal occasion. Dance holidays are varied so that different groups will find the ones more suited for their age group or interest. These holidays can help anyone find their inner dancer who can twirl and spin with the best of them.

Since Strictly Come Dancing first aired on the BBC in 2004, dancing took on new life. People seemed to develop a new zeal for ballroom and Latin dances. Various versions of the show are now aired in over 30 countries worldwide. In many areas of Europe, there are now dance classes available for all levels of dancers. In Malta there is also wheelchair dancing as everyone catches the dancing fever.

The winners of the 2004 season of Strictly Come Dancing”were partners Natasha Kaplinsky and Brendan Cole. Natasha was a popular BBC newscaster before joining Sky Television and has faded from the public eye quite a bit since her switch to the satellite television broadcaster.

 The 2008 series final saw dancers Tom Chambers and Camilla Dallerup taking the top honours. Each pair of dancers in the reality show has one professional dancer who is paired with a celebrity partner.

The reason given for the resurgence of dancing in relation to these shows is the desire to increase activity levels. In some cases, the dancers want to enjoy doing something different. An added bonus to dance holidays in Malta is that one can learn without feeling self-conscious. Just about everyone in the workshops and on the dance floors is at the same stage of learning to dance. Plus everyone is there for one thing, to do what their dancing idols do - have fun on the dance floor.

Most dance holiday packages are the complete deal. They include flights, and not necessarily in the Malta example cheap Malta flights but chaertered flights, hotel accommodation and sightseeing tours in addition to the dancing workshops and sessions. The current economic crisis is having little impact on these types of holidays. This is partly due to the uniqueness of the experience offered, as well as the fact that the holidays are reasonably priced given that they include both flights and for example on the Malta ones hotels in Malta too.

For Thomson Dance Holidays - Click Here and enter ‘Dance’ in their search box

The good old honey bee is essential for the pollination process. Luckily, Malta hasnt experienced the same decline in honey bees as the U.S.

There has been a drastic fall in honey bees and their colonies in recent years, especially in the U.S. While bees can seem like mere pests when they invade family picnics, they do serve an important role in agriculture and the economy.

The Importance of Honey Bees

Honey bees are responsible for honey production and helping with crops. They are essential in the pollination process. Big losses can occur without enough bees to pollinate plants and flowers. Honey bees are responsible for 80 percent of the flowering crops in the U.S. They help with fruits, nuts, olives, soybeans, cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts, legume seeds and cotton.

The Decline of Honey Bees in the U.S.

The bee population is in danger. Possible causes of the dying bees are the pesticides being used, cell phones giving off radiation and amateur beekeepers.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is another reason for the dying bees. This is when bees mysteriously leaves their hives and never return. It is believed that they become diseased and die off at this point.

Bees are social by nature, so it is strange that they would leave the hive and not return. No evidence of dead bees is found near their hives. Furthermore, they leave behind their young and the queen bee. Their disappearance is quick because there is usually storage of honey left in the hive as well.

Varroa mites are likely the cause of CCD. These are parasites that attack hives and suck out the honey bees’ fluids, leaving them weak and prone to infections.

The declining bee population and CCD could lead to the bee population to die out in as little as 10 years if measures aren’t taken. The problem is that without honey bees to help in the pollination process, the agricultural industry will suffer greatly. A lack of honey bees has a huge effect on farmers, produce and the economy in general. Honey crops reduced by just 20 percent results in 31 million pounds of honey lost. The impact is real and far reaching.

The Bee Population in Malta

Malta, nicknamed “land of the honey,” is home to a large bee population. The warm temperatures year round and the dense plant life make Malta an ideal environment for bees. Malta is known for its big bee pollination and honey production.

Luckily, Malta hasn’t experienced the same decline in honey bees as the U.S. Malta’s honeybees are slightly different than the ones that live in the U.S. They don’t have the yellow stripes. Instead they are mostly brown and black. They are very active and seem to have better immunity against disease than the American honey bees. They are also spared some of the pesticides that the American honey bees are exposed to.

Hope for Rebuilding Bee Colonies in the U.S.

Funds have been approved by Congress to research the problem with the disappearing bees in the U.S. Conservation and development of bee hives is encouraged as researchers look for answers for the declining bee population. It’s something to think about the next time you swat at a harmless bee that shows interest in your lunch. Awareness is the first step in making positive change in the honey bee crisis.