The Public Investments Ministry said yesterday that the low fares scheme on Gozo ferries is being extended to the end of June.

The scheme, introduced in January to encourage more people to visit the sister island, has been judged a success.

The ferries saw an increase of 3,248 passengers and 1,259 cars on cheaper trips. Two schemes are operated. The first, called Gozo Weekday Nights offers discounts of 75 per cent on passenger fares and 50 per cent for vehicles on trips between 7 p.m. and midnight Mondays to Thursday. Tickets are valid on the date of purchase but there is no return date restriction.

The second scheme, Gozo Weekend Breaks, offers fares at half price on Fridays between noon and midnight. The first yielded an increase of 1,718 passengers and 643 vehicles while the one for the weekend saw traffic increase by 1,530 passengers and 616 vehicles.

Passengers were able to have their fare refunded when they visited one of the 37 restaurants, hotels and other establishents which took part in the schemes.

Public Investments Minister Austin Gatt said this was investment which the company could afford to inject in Gozo now that its financial situation had been brought onto an even keel. The extension of the schemes is expected to cost Gozo Channel Lm24,000.

He said that in the two years since the company's restructuring started, administrative costs had declined by six per cent. The company now had 40 employees less that the 269 it had in 2003. The company made a loss of Lm1 million in 2003 and a profit of Lm273,000 last year.