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