The cruiseliner The World is paying a second visit to the Maltese islands in less than a year. Following the success of its first visit in November 2007, the operators again included the Maltese islands as a port of call, notwithstanding the fact that normally this ship does not repeatedly call at the same ports on consecutive years.

The World is again carrying 165 passengers, who in their majority are coming from the United States, together with a 255 strong crew. Some of these passengers occupy apartments on this liner throughout the whole year. After having anchored in Malta for two days, The World made a day's stop off Mgarr Harbour in Gozo. A considerable number of passengers as well as some of the crew took the opportunity to tour the island for the day. Some of them opted to visit the island again in the evening prior to the liner's departure late at night.

This is the second call of such cruise ships in Gozo since August. Similar visits are expected to increase in the near future, following Minister for Gozo's recent announcement that the MEPA has issued relative permits in connection with the establishment of mooring facilities for cruiseliners in Xlendi. Through the collaboration of the Malta Maritime Authority, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Tourism and the Ministry for Gozo, these facilities are planned to be in place by the first months of the coming year.

During the current year, positive results were registered within the tourism sector in Gozo, with an increase in tourists both from the foreign as well as from the domestic market. During the past years the Ministry for Gozo continuously endeavoured towards the benefit of this important sector for the island. Apart from promoting Gozo as a distinct destination, particular attention was given to attract more visitors from the domestic market. The Ministry for Gozo collaborated with the Gozitan stakeholders involved, the Gozitan Local Councils as well as other entities in order to address the particular challenges faced by the Gozitan tourism industry, amongst which seasonality. Recent figures published by the National Statistics Office as well as by Gozo Channel Company demonstrate that these endeavours are bearing results.

Accommodation statistics show that during 2007 the Gozitan tourism market experienced a global increase of 15.5 per cent in the number of tourists who spent one or more nights on Gozo. This was composed by an increase of 10.8 per cent in arrivals from the domestic market and an encouraging 19.7 per cent increase in foreign tourists. During the first six months of the current year, more than 34,000 tourists, half of which foreigners, spent more than 114,000 nights in Gozitan hotels and guesthouses. This translates into a 7 per cent increase over the same period last year. Between January and August 2008, Gozo Channel ferries carried 2,739,151 passengers and 726,151 vehicles, an increase of 137,972 passengers and 41,409 vehicles over the same period of last year.