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