MTA gearing for more Chinese tourists

The Malta Tourism Authority is hoping to attract 25,000 tourists from China by the year 2007, Tourism Minister Michael Refalo told parliament yesterday.

Replying to questions by Mrs Dolores Cristina and Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici (PN) and Mr Noel Farrugia (MLP) the minister said the fact that Germany, like Malta, was recently designated a preferred tourist destination by China was advantageous for Malta in view of Lufthansa's direct flights to China and Malta.

He said the MTA had recently opened an office in Beijing and was planning to translate its website into Chinese.

Unfortunately Malta had a shortage of tourist guides who were fluent in Asian languages, including Chinese. To date there were two people married to Maltese who had a tourist guide's licence. Other Chinese speakers would be welcome to follow an intensive course in guiding.

Dr Refalso said that since group leaders usually spoke English, what was being done was that a guide explained the sites to the group leader in English and he translated into Chinese.

The minister said Chinese people wishing to learn English were becoming regular visitors to Malta.

Dr Refalo also told Mr Leo Brincat (MLP) that a Tour Operators Margin Scheme would be applied once Malta joined the EU. This was a tax on the profit margin of packages sold by tour operators at 17.5 per cent. It was applicable to all European tour operators who sold a package for a destination within the EU.

Dr Refalo said that as from November 1 there would be a reduction in the Air Passenger Duty ranging from 75 per cent in the case of economy seats to 50 per cent in the case of premium seats.