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