Malta's Skyrocketing Tourism- Is It The Low Cost Flights?

Could low-cost airlines be to blame for the downfall of more expensive airlines? The news that XL Airways had folded was expected to cause quite a stir among the tourism-dependent areas it served. Malta did not receive as much air traffic from XL Airways as other, less expensive airlines. When XL Airways closed, they cancelled flights and immediately grounded all aircraft. Several thousand passengers were stranded abroad and seeking to make last-minute travel plans.

Today's economic woes stretch world-wide. The more expensive something is, the fewer people will be able to afford it. Airlines that offer lower cost airfare will ultimately carry more passengers and create more revenue than their more expensive counterparts. Low-cost airlines could be the underlying cause of the increase in tourism on Malta. In fact, some airlines claim to be more responsible for travel to and from the island than others.

Air Malta

Air Malta believes they are primarily responsible for Malta's increase in tourism. About 77,000 more tourists flew from points in Europe to Malta in the first half of 2008 primarily because of Air Malta's new pricing packages. A staggering 57 percent of those tourists traveled via Air Malta.

Chief Officer Commercial, Brock Friesen said, "We are building on the positive results registered last winter, when, for the first time in history, Air Malta transported over half a million passengers." He also said that tourism to Malta was strongly benefitting from Air Malta's increases in traffic.

Ryanair

In August, Ryanair reported carrying more than 40,000 passengers to or from Malta during the month of July. Ryanair spokesman Alessia Viviani said, "While Malta airport registered traffic growth of only 1.3 percent in July 2008 compared to July 2007, Ryanair has increased its traffic volume by 116 percent, making a vital impact on the Maltese economy."

easyJet

easyJet is another low-cost airline laying some claim on the increase in tourist traffic to Malta. easyJet offers inexpensive flights to and from Malta and a variety of hot tourist spots throughout Europe. Since the first flight to Malta in March of 2008, easyJet has seen an increase in traffic to the island as well. The airline plans to continue several flights per week to Malta in the coming years.

The Impact of Low Cost Flights to Malta

Because the Maltese economy is reliant primarily upon tourism, low-cost flights to the island have become just as important. The current state of the economy world-wide could cause people to reconsider vacations and weekend getaways. They may even cut them out of their budget entirely. The introduction of low-cost flights to and from Malta has actually increased the number of tourists the island entertains per year. Many tourists are repeat visitors who say they would not abandon their vacation to Malta, even if it means tightening the budget to accommodate it.

Some travel agents seek low-cost airlines and hotels to book more affordable travel packages for their clients. Clients often look toward professional travel agents to find the best cost for their favorite travel destinations. When resorts, hotels and airlines work together to combine great deals for their guests, travel agents promote those great deals to ensure more repeat business.

The impact of low-cost flights to Malta has been astounding. In 2003, about 1.2 million tourists visited Malta. In 2005, the island attracted nearly 1.5 million international tourists. Each year, Malta's tourism statistics jump as much as 13 percent. The first six months of 2008 have already seen more than half a million visitors, effectively breaking Malta's previously held record within the same time frame.

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