UK Media Boost For Malta Holiday Island 2007 Bookings

After some years of a declining tourist market,holidays in Malta is no coincidence.'
the Mediterranean island of Malta is seeing aMore TV Coverage
revival in her fortunes as a mainstream touristBut there could be a bigger boost for Malta this
destination.fall autumn if discussions concerning a British TV
The prospects for the island have improvedsoap comes to fruition.
dramatically over the last year. At one point inLocal media in Malta reported recently that talks
2006 there was speculation that a major Britishwere taking place with Britain's favourite TV soap,
tour operator was considering taking the holidayCoronation Street, about filming an episode on the
island out of its brochures, but this year, havingisland.
stared at the possibility of slipping to a nicheCoronation Street is the world's longest running
travel destination, Malta is enjoying an upswing insoap, and first broadcast in 1960. Viewing figures
visitor numbers.in the UK regularly top ten million viewers an
The danger of slipping to a niche travel status,episode, and as recently as April this year reached
and the subsequent economic consequences fortwelve million.
the Malta tourist industry, is thought to be part of'If it were to happen,'comment the Malta travel
the reason why the island was galvanised intoguide, 'It could be a major boost for the winter
finally accepting low cost flights from her main UKseason and for summer 2008 too. A half hour
and Irish markets, with Ryanair starting flightsepisode on Malta will reach more people over a
from London in November last year, and thislonger period of time than a tourist authority could
March from Dublin.hope to with a series of twenty or thirty second
In addition to the new Ryanair services, theadvertisements, it would be worth millions in
island's own airline, Air Malta, has run a successfulequivalent advertising.'
campaign of its own for cheap flights to Malta,In addition to reaching Malta's prime UK market,
and from May launched a new route fromadditional benefit for the Malta holiday industry
Liverpool to Malta. Further visitors are expectedwould come from Canada and Australia, where
from Spain and Germany, following agreementsthe show is aired some weeks after the UK.
with airlines to provide cheap Malta flights outsideIn conclusion, the holidays guide say that
of Malta's traditional market.increasing and sustainable tourism for Malta has to
The extra visitor numbers are being boosted bycome from repeat visitors who enjoy their first
more media coverage in Malta's traditional corevisit to the island, with good hotels in Malta being a
market of the United Kingdom, with daily andkey factor.
Sunday newspapers featuring Malta more as a'If Malta can achieve more frequent mentions in
suggested location for a holiday.the UK national press, travel programmes and
According to UK based travel site for Malta theother media it will influence the buying public when
number of enquiries from British journalists askingit comes to deciding where to go on holiday. The
for information about Malta in the first threemore Malta is mentioned the more likely it is that
months of 2007 is up significantly from 2006.the island will be considered. We don't expect
'Malta seems to have come back on travelMalta to start reaching top ten favourite
writers' radar', they say, 'We've been pleasantlydestination polls, or to become as related to
surprised at the number of national newspapersholidays as Majorca is for example - but to get
asking us for quotes. The same has happenedsomewhere close to what Cyprus has achieved
with journalist enquiries for property in Malta,could be an achievable aim.
showing perhaps that increased media interest for