Released on = November 25, 2005, 9:47 am

Press Release Author = Roger Munns

Industry = Government

Press Release Summary = The Mediterranean island of Malta hosts the Commonwealth
meeting this weekend, and in attendance will be Queen Elizabeth II, Tony Blair and
the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 50 other countries, along
with the media from each country.

Press Release Body = Leaders of over 50 countries from the Commonwealth will be
meeting on the Mediterranean island of Malta from November 25 to 27, and for three
days the island will be enjoying the attention of hundreds of millions of TV and
online news viewers and newspaper readers worldwide.

Malta has often been overlooked by holidaymakers and second home owners in favour of
other Mediterranean islands such as Mallorca, Cyprus and Menorca, and hotels and
estate agents alike on the island are hoping that the three days of publicity will
boost tourist and property buyer numbers for 2006.

With good all year round weather and an English speaking population visitor numbers
from the UK, which make up about half of the island's tourist numbers, have been
surprisingly flat in recent years, and with cheaper holidays available in the new
destinations from Eastern Europe such as Bulgaria set to capture more of the UK
holiday and property market Malta could see tourist numbers remain level or even
fall in future years.

Malta Holidays

Malta missed it's own target of a modest increase in tourists this summer, and there
are worries on the island that the opportunity to increase awareness among potential
visitors will be missed.

Michael Johnson of Tribune Properties who specialise in property for sale in Malta
comments:

'Malta is ideally situated in the Mediterranean to attract tourists from all over
Europe and further afield but for a lot of people I speak to in other countries it
isn't an obvious destination of choice.

The island has a strong domestic property market and doesn't rely too heavily on
overseas property buyers like some of the Mediterranean islands do, but at the same
time those that do buy here play a good role in the economy overall.

The timing of the Commonwealth meeting is good as it's just before the New Year when
a lot of people decide where they will be going for their summer holidays, and next
summer's tourist could be next winter's property buyer. But they're only going to do
that if they visit the island first, and I'm hoping that Malta will see an increase
in tourists in 2006 - it really depends on whether the island takes this chance to
market itself in the months ahead on the back of the free publicity the Commonwealth
will bring..'

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting takes place very two years, and has its
roots in the British Empire, with 53 members who were former British colonies
belonging to the organisation.

Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the Commonwealth, and will be visiting with Prince
Philip for a two day trip to Malta to open the meeting on November 25 in Valletta,
the island's capital. It will be the royal couple's first visit to Malta since 1992,
and welcoming crowds are expected in similar numbers to their previous four visits.

In addition to the Queen and Prince Philip, among the attendees will be the United
Kingdom's Prime Minister Tony Blair, and the Prime Ministers of Canada, New Zealand,
India, South Africa, Singapore and Australia.

'Around half of Malta's tourists are from the UK' adds Michael Johnson, 'and it's a
similar figure for non islanders buying property here. As well as increasing
holidaymaker numbers from the traditional UK market we should be trying to appeal to
people in Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand and other countries who
take a holiday in Europe to consider visiting Malta for a few days to sample the
fine hotels, hospitality, history and culture that the island is so rich in. But it
remains to be seen whether the tourist board is capable of translating good free
publicity into visitors for the island.'

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For a guide to the island, including hotels in Malta, holidays, self catering
holiday villas and apartments, flights, the weather, car hire and details of Malta's
main towns of Valletta, St Julian's, Sliema, Mellieha, St Paul's Bay, Qawra and
Bugibba visit

Web Site = http://www.yourmalta.com

Contact Details = Roger Munns Tribune Properties Welbeck House High Street Guildford
England GU1 3JF

+44 1483 870340

welbeck36(at)hotmail.com