“The increase in tourism last year is the best since 1987 when this industry registered a growth of 171,745 tourists in one year. Following 1987 the tourism industry had its ups and downs but managed to more than double arrivals from 574,189 in 1986 to about 1,240,000 last year – the highest tourism figure ever.” This was stated by the Minister for Tourism and Culture Francis Zammit Dimech when he inaugurated The Travel Shop by Globalair.

Globalair Travel was established in 1982 for incoming and outgoing Tourism with only two employees. In 1985 the company was taken over by the Bugeja family and since than evolved as a leading player in the local tourism industry employing 36 persons, a multi-lingual staff complement that includes Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, English and Maltese speakers, thus allowing for efficient communication with its clients, locally and overseas.

The incoming department of Globalair Travel caters for Conference and Incentive Groups locally and overseas, for specialised groups and FIT transfers, handling and reservations in hotels of all categories in Malta and Gozo, including five-star deluxe hotels, private villas and apartments. Globalair have a partnership office in Moscow and the Chamber College, an English Language school in Gzira.

The Minister for Tourism and Culture said that Globalair Travel grew up into a multi purpose tourism organisation catering for incoming and outgoing tourists, conference and incentive groups, transfers and handling and reservations in hotels. He said that Globalair are now opening a Travel Agency in High Street, Sliema – The Travel Shop by Globalair – to enhance their outbound department which has been established within their offices in St Julian’s.

Minister Zammit Dimech said that Globalair Travel is a success story and a reminder that those who have faith in the tourism industry succeed. He added that during 2007 Malta witnessed an impressive growth both in incoming and outgoing tourism. He said that 2007 was our best year ever for the tourism industry, with a record number of tourist arrivals and a record number of passengers that came to Malta aboard cruise liners. He said that last year’s figure for cruise passengers should be close to half a million, which is more than what was envisaged.

The Minister for Tourism and Culture said that this year we should build on the 2007 results. He said that figures released by the MIA up to last Sunday show that there was an increase in passengers of 22 per cent and an increase in flights of 16 per cent. Minister Zammit Dimech said that tourism arrivals should also be boosted as a result of a number of new routes which will be operated after March. Easyjet is to operate 10 flights weekly from Gatwick in London, Norwegian Air Shuttle two flights weekly from Oslo in Norway, Vueling.com three flights weekly from Madrid in Spain and Volare is to operate four flights weekly from Italy.

The Minister for Tourism and Culture congratulated Globalair Travel in their new venture which he said should further enhance our tourism infrastructure.