NEW AIR ROUTES
EasyJet is to introduce a new direct flight to Malta from February 2011. The flight will operate from Belfast, Northern Ireland. This is in addition to Easy Jet's new route from Liverpool to Malta, which launched in June 2010. Easyjet currently operates a year round full service from London Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle Airports.
Ryanair kicked off its two new routes to Malta from Bournemouth and Leeds-Bradford Airports last year and introduced direct flights from Birmingham Airport to Malta in December 2010.
BMI Baby offers flights from East Midlands year round.
The national flag carrier Air Malta continues with its existing schedule of flights London Gatwick and Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and some smaller regional airports including Exeter and Cardiff during the summer. Malta’s accessibility from the UK is set for continued growth.
PODCASTS
The Malta Tourism Authority has created a series of podcasts, which aim to give listeners a local flavour and offer insight that wouldn’t be available in a traditional guidebook. The first episodes focus on Malta’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, consisting of interviews with local experts in the subject at hand, ensuring a very authentic and personal encounter with Malta and its people. The second series centres around Malta’s numerous movie locations. The podcasts can be downloaded from the MTA website http://www.visitmalta.com/podcasts
MALTA ON YOUR SMART PHONE
The Malta Tourism Authority has been hailed as an E-pioneer after releasing not one but two iPhone applications. The Malta Cultural Guide and the Visit Malta App offer visitors the most up to date information to have at their fingertips.
Both applications are designed to make the user’s stay on the islands easier and more relaxed and offer a comprehensive destination guide and attractive images in an effort to lure more visitors to the Maltese Islands. Both apps are free to download and free to use due to online and offline options.
The VisitMalta App
The English “Visit Malta” application can be downloaded for free in the Apple App Store on http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/visit-malta/id384601563?mt=8 (iOS 4.0 or newer version required) and is available for Apple iPhones, iPod Touch and the iPad.
Malta Culture Guide
The ‘Malta Culture Guide’ app is one of the first destination applications made available by a tourist board in the UK. The Malta iPhone app is available to download from:
http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/malta-culture-guide/id403105694?mt=8
RENZO PIANO PROJECT
World-renowned architect Renzo Piano is set to re-design Malta’s capital Valletta by reconstructing the city’s historic sites that were destroyed during the Second World War bombings. The much awaited drawings include re-building the entrance to the city, a new outdoor performance venue at the Opera Site and a new Parliament building. The regeneration project is worth approximately 60 – 80 million Euros and is set to be finalised by 2014 when Malta celebrates 50 years since its Independence.
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