Expensive Malta

I have just returned from a short holiday in Spain, and the only reason we did not come to Malta was the amount of travelling we have to do to get there. From Cork we have to get a flight to Dublin or London to get the connection to Malta. On the return flight to Ireland, as the flight is an evening flight, one would arrive late in Dublin, so one has to book a hotel and get ready to catch the flight back to Cork early the next morning.

When talking to some friends in Spain I was told that Malta is much more expensive than any other country within the EU, and of course there are no direct flights from Cork, while there are four flights to Marbella at weekends alone and of course to other destinations, but unfortunately not Malta.

It will be a pity, once we join the EU, to be billed as the most expensive country in the Union, especially when Malta changes over to the euro.

We were also told that hospital fees in Malta are exaggerated; we heard about a lady, who a year ago came to Malta on holiday with her sister. She was unfortunately taken ill on a Monday, taken to a private hospital and died the Thursday after. The family received a bill for £6,000. No operations or transfusions were done, and the only extra was that her sister slept at the hospital for two nights. And then of course there was another bill for the undertakers, which is better not discussed.

When all this is heard, it makes one wonder why not so many tourists visit Malta. Something to think about - 40 million tourists visit Spain every year. But then consider as well retail prices over there.