Last year approximately 2.3 million people visited Malta,equal to more than 80% of pre-pandemic numbers. Tourism performance in 2023 has been even better and is forecast to surpass the record year for visitors set in 2019. These numbers are music to the ears of Malta Tourism Authority’s CEO Carlo Micallef and boost his belief that Malta can now turn its attention to attracting more high-end tourism.
Malta certainly has the potential. Its beautiful beaches and the clear Mediterranean waters have long made the country a popular destination for sun-seekers and the yachting and scuba diving fraternity.
Malta also boasts a wealth of historical and cultural attractions, ranging from ancient Megalithic temples and fortifications to several other UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The island is perhaps best known as the former headquarters of the Knights of Malta, though not many are aware that one of the most celebrated members of the Order was the artist Caravaggio, who spent some of the last years of his life in Malta. While there he painted two of his most famous late works: The Beheading of St. John the Baptist and St. Jerome. Tourists have for many years been flocking to the Oratory of the Co-Cathedral of St. John to admire these masterpieces.
Partly because of Malta’s reputation as a former British colony that predominantly attracted British tourists seeking sun and sea, it had been caught in something of a bind. “When we were only attracting a million tourists each year, tour operators considered us too small to give us space in their brochures, and budget airlines didn’t believe there was sufficient demand to include us on their schedules,” says Micallef.
Now things have changed. Malta and Gozo, part of the Maltese archipelago of islands,
have been repositioned as year-round destinations attracting tourism from all over
Europe and beyond. Malta’s rich heritage and diversity mean that the islands can be
marketed to different segments and demographics. The winning combination is sun, sea,
culture, and the genuine hospitality of the locals. These days Malta’s International
Airport connects the islands to more than 120 routes, including almost all the primary
cities across Europe. All the main budget airlines in Europe fly to Malta, and then
there are the legacy carriers led by Air Malta that connect the islands to the rest
of the world. Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France, ITA, Swiss and BA
-- to name a few --
operate daily flights bringing visitors to and from these islands in the h
