| Malta ranks as one of the top five locations | | | | it's what the wealthy expect - and they get |
| for safety in the world, according to | | | | it'. |
| American travel writer Laura McKenzie. | | | | |
| | | | Malta Holidays |
| In her report Ms McKenzie says of the | | | | |
| Mediterranean holiday island 'In Malta there | | | | The two surveys with positive news about |
| is no such thing as a dark and uninviting | | | | Malta comes at a worrying time for the Malta |
| alley, while the police force is one of the | | | | holiday industry. |
| oldest in the world'. | | | | |
| | | | The number of tourists visiting Malta this |
| The report also praises New Zealand, | | | | year is down on previous years, and some |
| Switzerland and Singapore as safe | | | | predictions are that it could be 100,000 less |
| destinations. | | | | than 2005 - while the Malta Tourist Authority |
| | | | had hoped to see a similar figure in the |
| Top was Monaco, with one police officer for | | | | opposite direction. |
| every one hundred residents, and 24 hour cctv | | | | |
| coverage of the entire principality. | | | | But recent news of low cost airlines gaining |
| | | | permission to fly to the island has given |
| Commenting on the report, a local travel | | | | some hope in the Malta hotel and holiday |
| guide was not surprised that Malta reached Ms | | | | industry that next year will see the decline |
| Mckenzie's top five safest locations, nor | | | | reversed. |
| that Monaco was top. | | | | |
| | | | Hotel and resort owners have seen the Maltese |
| 'Malta has her problems with the state of the | | | | government drag the negotiations out with the |
| roads and some other infrastructure, but when | | | | low cost airlines for some time, with delays |
| it comes to the people it's doubtful if you | | | | in agreements losing Malta the potential of |
| will find a friendlier more helpful island in | | | | having extra tourists for this summer season. |
| the Mediterranean. This report from Ms | | | | |
| McKenzie has come at around the same time as | | | | Statements from Ryanair, the first low cost |
| another survey showing that Malta is one of | | | | carrier to be flying to Malta, indicate that |
| the best places in the world for retiring to. | | | | at one stage they were taking a booking a |
| The Malta people and weather make for a great | | | | minute for their new Malta route. |
| combination'. | | | | |
| | | | 'If the Malta government had the agreement in |
| Commenting on Monaco, who just beat Malta to | | | | place six months ago, the tourist industry |
| top spot for safe destinations, the guide say | | | | would be in a much better position today, |
| that the reasons for moving to Malta and | | | | after a good summer', add the travel guide. |
| Monaco are very different. | | | | |
| | | | Some of the anticipation of an increase in |
| 'Monaco is for millionaires and billionaires, | | | | hotel and holiday bookings for Malta has been |
| who often choose to live there because of the | | | | tempered recently after a survey in the UK - |
| zero income tax. Malta is a low tax island | | | | Malta's largest market - showed that package |
| and has her share of millionaires, but Monaco | | | | holidays in 2007 would be more expensive than |
| needs the security and does it well because | | | | comparable holidays in Spain and her islands. |