Preliminary indications on the volume of tourism from the UK in October were "excellent", following a good summer, said Tourism Minister Michael Refalo, who yesterday attended the World Travel Market 2002 in the UK.
Dr Refalo, backed by tour operators represented at the Malta stand, said the feel at the 2002 WTM was positive, particularly as opposed to last year's event, held just after September 11.
Dr Refalo, who is attending a meeting of the World Travel Organisation's Tourism Recovery Committee today, described the atmosphere at the world's most important business-to-business global travel and tourism event as "cautiously optimistic", indicating "moderate growth".
Malta Tourism Authority chairman John Grech described the atmosphere at the WTM, which is the largest ever, as "much more positive and dynamic" than last year's sense of pessimism.
Meetings with tour operators yesterday showed that they were looking for moderate growth, rather than a "containment" of the situation. The WTM was an important opportunity to hold meetings with tour operators and the media and feel the pulse of the industry, he said.
The WTM opened yesterday and for the first time is being held at ExCeL, a state-of-the-art venue in London's Docklands, until Thursday. With more than 5,000 exhibitors from 183 countries, it is gathering the world under one roof. Exhibition space covers an area of 36,850 square metres and includes the participation of 17 countries who had not taken part before, and 157 new exhibitors.
The culmination of two years of detailed planning, the WTM was officially opened by the mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan.
Its seminar programme is tackling many of the industry's most pressing issues, including online distribution, e-commerce and sustainable tourism
The Malta Tourism Authority took the opportunity yesterday to launch its new UK TV and print advertising campaign.
Mr Grech said Malta has undertaken a major shift in its marketing strategy, moving away from sun and sea and allowing history and culture, activities, traditions and the Maltese themselves to take centre stage.
The change in the marketing strategy was due to a change in the market and the fact that, today, numerous destinations were offering sun and sea.
Nevertheless, the sun and sea image could not be completely abandoned - good weather always retained its appeal, particularly in a country like the UK, and remained a selling point, albeit not the only one, Dr Grech said. The campaign had to be tailor-made to suit individual markets.
In line with the authority's aim to reposition Malta as more than just a sun and sea destination, the subtle cultural dimension is present in the print campaign, which promotes Malta as a "relaxed environment, with plenty of activities".
The campaign is starting around Boxing Day for a four-week period in Manchester and London.
Dr Grech said the WTM provided a guaranteed audience and last year the MTA took the opportunity to launch its website, which had since been visited by 850,000 people, or over 3,000 a day. The website had since also been launched in other languages, including an abridged version in Chinese - a new and important market.
Next year, it is intended to be translated into Dutch, Russian, Polish and other languages.
The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, Hilton Malta and InterContinental Malta, the Malta Tourist Office and the Gozo Tourism Association - which yesterday launched a comprehensive Directory of Services for Gozo - and tour operators, among others, are also being represented at the Malta stand.
Malta and its commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Operation Pedestal convoy, held last month, featured prominently in the centre spread of the UK newspaper, The Sun, yesterday.