| Malta is set for her annual international air show to be | | | | tourists already on the island, but also as part of a |
| the best ever this year, with tens of thousands of | | | | package of other attractions to draw new tourists to |
| islanders and tourists attending the event over the | | | | the island. |
| weekend of September 23 and 24. | | | | The first half of the year has been a disappointing |
| Making the event a truly international one, as well as | | | | one for the holiday to Malta industry, with a drop in |
| the Armed Forces of Malta participating, the French, | | | | tourists for the first six months of the year |
| Italian, Dutch Swiss and Spanish will all have planes | | | | compared to the same period last year. |
| and crew in attendance, plus the British Royal Air | | | | Commenting on the recently released figures showing |
| Force and US Air Force. | | | | a drop in visitors, one independent travel guide for |
| Among the planes taking part are two Alpha jets | | | | Malta believes that events like the air show should be |
| from France, one of which will be doing an aerial | | | | promoted more. |
| display, six F-16's with two Dutch F-16's flying, and | | | | 'Malta needs good news', they say, 'and if potential |
| from the RAF two Harriers and two Tornados, with | | | | tourists could see on a Malta map of events quality |
| one of the Harriers expected to do an aerial | | | | displays such as the air show it would be a good |
| demonstration. | | | | reason to visit the island. |
| Ticket prices for the Saturday or Sunday are low | | | | The island needs to compete against other |
| compared to many international air shows, ensuring | | | | destinations in the Mediterranean, but while most of |
| access is available to many of the Maltese population | | | | them are seeing an increase in visitor numbers, Malta |
| as well as enthusiasts and veterans who travel from | | | | is showing a drop'. |
| around Europe for the weekend. Prices this year are | | | | Many hoteliers and others in the holiday industry are |
| 4.5 Maltese (around US $12) for either day, with | | | | hoping that cheap flights to Malta might become a |
| public transport to the show available throughout the | | | | reality in the near future. There has been talk of low |
| island. | | | | cost carriers from the UK and Ireland providing |
| With the tourist season beginning to slow down, | | | | services to the island for some time now, but no |
| many of the Malta hotels see the air show as a | | | | deals have been struck yet. |
| tourist attraction and organise transport to and from | | | | Unemployment on the island is high at over 8 per |
| the event. | | | | cent, and tourism is a major employer, but many feel |
| An advantage of holding the show in the second half | | | | that the government is reluctant to see the national |
| of September is that the Malta weather can almost | | | | carrier Air Malta face potentially subsidised |
| be assured to be good, with the all important clear | | | | competiton. But by doing nothing the island faces the |
| skies allowing viewing of the participating planes. | | | | danger of the whole tourist industry suffering. |
| Malta Airport | | | | 'Malta can be a high quality destination with low cost |
| The air show is seen by many in the Malta holidays | | | | fares', comment the travel guide. 'We already have |
| industry as evidence that Malta can produce events | | | | good accommodation like the Qawra Palace Hotel, so |
| which will not only prove an attraction to those | | | | potentially we can do it'. |