Malta-based itineraries to be urged on cruise lines

A tourist information booth was opened at the Pinto Wharf cruise passenger terminal in Valletta yesterday as part of a long-term plan to improve operations for cruise liner tourists.

The day-to-day operation of this booth is managed by Viset Malta, the cruise terminal consortium, with the support of the Malta Tourism Authority, working together to improve the Malta experience.

Multilingual tourist information officers are already on duty at the booth.

Viset chief executive Chris Falzon said at the opening that one of the challenges ahead was the need to convince cruise lines to start and end their itinerary in Malta, by introducing for example a southern-Mediterranean cruise.

"So far this year, the number of cruise liner passengers coming to Malta was over 400,000 and it is expected to grow. The island's central location in the Med. gives us a potential to increase the number of passengers in the coming years," he said.

Mr Falzon said the booth was a temporary set-up and it was hoped that a permanent booth would be set up next July when the new terminal will be in an advanced stage of completion.

Cruise liners visiting Malta are provided with updated information collated by MTA on a weekly basis.

Brochures containing information such as current activities, special events and special discounted services are passed on to the passengers a few days before they berth in Malta.

Also present at the inauguration were Viset chairman Joseph Grioli, MTA chairman John Grech and MTA chief executive Leslie Vella.