| Malta's reputation as a family holiday island was | | | | some time of delay by the Maltese authorities, and |
| boosted last year when an American journalist placed | | | | was too late to stop a further decline in 2006 of visitor |
| the small Mediterranean island as one of the five | | | | numbers. |
| safest travel destinations in the world, and a new | | | | Ryanair started flights from London's Luton airport in |
| report from the US this year confirms Malta as one of | | | | November, and from Dublin three months later. Other |
| the safest vacation spots in the world. | | | | countries with low cost airlines have also started to fly |
| The good news and publicity comes for Malta in a | | | | to Malta, notably from Germany and Spain. |
| year that has seen her fortunes as a holiday spot turn | | | | This year's report bears more official weight than the |
| around from one that had been in decline, to one that | | | | previous one by a travel writer, as it was compiled by |
| is returning to a mainstream vacation destination. | | | | the US State Department. |
| The first three months of 2007 all showed year on | | | | Commenting on Malta, the report praises the island for |
| year improvements in the number of tourists visiting | | | | the non existence of organised crime, especially |
| Malta. | | | | surprising perhaps given her proximity to mainland Italy |
| Much of the increase in visitor numbers has come | | | | - and closer still to notorious Sicily. |
| about since the Malta government reluctantly agreed | | | | A surprise for many who have driven in Malta is that |
| to allow low cost airlines to fly from the UK and Ireland, | | | | the report considers the island's roads to be safe. But |
| traditionally Malta's strongest market for holidays. | | | | this is backed up by official EU figures showing Malta |
| Malta has enjoyed a revival in the number of British | | | | has the lowest road related fatalities in the EU. |
| people visiting the Mediterranean holiday island since | | | | Last year's report helped to promote Malta's image as |
| low cost flights were introduced last year. | | | | a safe destination to potential tourists considering |
| Hotel and holiday bookings have been up for the first | | | | different holiday destinations. |
| time in a number of years, and Malta's traditional | | | | Malta ranked as one of the top five locations for |
| market has rediscovered the island as a holiday | | | | safety in the world, according to American travel |
| destination. | | | | writer Laura McKenzie. |
| Malta has always been a likely spot for the British, with | | | | In her report Ms McKenzie said of the Mediterranean |
| nearly all Maltese speaking fluent English - and like the | | | | holiday island 'In Malta there is no such thing as a dark |
| British the Maltese drive on the left. | | | | and uninviting alley, while the police force is one of the |
| Malta used to be governed by the British, until 1964 | | | | oldest in the world'. |
| when Malta became independent. | | | | Something the Maltese people have known for some |
| The decision to allow the low cost flights came after | | | | time! |