Language travel sector accounts for 5% of arrivals

Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said that a series of product clusters with a potential to develop a competitive advantage with other destinations have been identified by the Malta Tourism Authority.

They include language and education, he said.

Dr Zammit Dimech, who was addressing the annual general meeting of the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations (Feltom), said that figures released by Feltom show that the teaching of English as a foreign language in 2002 attracted over 60,000 persons, or 7.3 per cent of total tourist arrivals from non-English speaking countries.

This represented five per cent of tourist arrivals.

Dr Zammit Dimech said that the average length of stay of such visitors was 18.9 nights compared to the national average of 9.4 nights.

The estimated foreign earnings from this sector stand at around €31.5 million, representing about six per cent of the estimated foreign earnings from tourism. In 2002 this sector grew by 10 per cent over 2001.

Dr Zammit Dimech said the sector accounted for 40 English language schools, providing work for about 1,400 teachers, mostly on part-time basis, and additional revenue to over 1,000 host families that provide accommodation to students.

This sector, he added, was directly and indirectly responsible for 3,000 full time and part time jobs. The language travel sector was an important niche as the value of the money generated spread to families and teachers and exploited use of the English language.

Feltom represented well established schools that receive over 80 per cent of all student arrivals. Schools registered with Feltom receive students from all over the world, especially from Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Russia and Switzerland.

Dr Zammit Dimech said Malta was the only known country in the English foreign language world where educational and commercial activities were regulated by appropriate legislation dedicated to the licensing and operating of English language schools.

This legislation provided for an EFL monitoring board within the Ministry of Education that ensures the maintenance of standards.

He said membership of the European Union would benefit the English language schools not only because Malta would be part of an internal market of 450 million people but also because membership would surely attract to the island more people from the administrative and business communities in the European capitals who must meet the growing need of the English language.

The minister was presented with a copy of the brochure Malta An Exceptional Place To Learn English by Francis Stivala, president of the executive board of FELTOM.