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