| With official tourism office statistics | | | | and other countries have been reports |
| showing a near ten per cent rise in | | | | placing Malta at the top of tourist |
| visitor figures for 2007 compared to | | | | safety tables. |
| 2006, a long period of decline has been | | | | An American journalist last year placed |
| reversed for people taking holidays in | | | | the small Mediterranean island of Malta |
| Malta. | | | | as one of the five safest travel |
| From a dramatic position in 2006 when a | | | | destinations in the world, and a new |
| major UK tour operator was considering | | | | report from the US this year confirms |
| withdrawing Malta from its brochures, | | | | Malta as one of the safest vacation |
| not only has Malta increased the number | | | | spots in the world. |
| of tourists visiting the island, but a | | | | This year's report bears more official |
| British newspaper has included Malta in | | | | weight than the previous one by a travel |
| its top 20 places to visit - a real | | | | writer, as it was compiled by the US |
| reversal in fortunes. | | | | State Department. |
| The British newspaper decribed Malta as | | | | Commenting on Malta, the report praises |
| a holiday 'honeypot'. | | | | the island for the non existence of |
| Malta has always been a likely spot for | | | | organised crime, especially surprising |
| the British, with nearly all Maltese | | | | perhaps given her proximity to mainland |
| speaking fluent English - and like the | | | | Italy - and closer still to notorious |
| British the Maltese drive on the left. | | | | Sicily. |
| Malta used to be governed by the | | | | A surprise for many who have driven in |
| British, until 1964 when Malta became | | | | Malta is that the report considers the |
| independent. | | | | island's roads to be safe. But this is |
| But outside of the UK holiday market, | | | | backed up by official EU figures showing |
| Malta hasn't enjoyed the same levels of | | | | Malta has the lowest road related |
| visitors from other European countries | | | | fatalities in the EU. |
| such as Italy and Germany, compared to | | | | Last year's report helped to promote |
| her competitor Spanish islands of | | | | Malta's image as a safe destination to |
| Mallorca and Tenerife. | | | | potential tourists considering different |
| But that is now set to change, with a | | | | holiday destinations. |
| further boost for the Malta holiday and | | | | Malta ranked as one of the top five |
| hotel markets, vital to the island's | | | | locations for safety in the world, |
| economy. | | | | according to American travel writer |
| A low cost airline in Germany, | | | | Laura McKenzie. |
| Germanwings, started flights from | | | | In her report Ms McKenzie said of the |
| Germany to Malta in late March, and with | | | | Mediterranean holiday island 'In Malta |
| good bookings is looking to increase the | | | | there is no such thing as a dark and |
| number of flights to the island. | | | | uninviting alley, while the police force |
| Safe Holiday Destination | | | | is one of the oldest in the world'. |
| Helping Malta's image in the UK, Germany | | | | |