Gozo ferry company unveils schemes to boost traffic

Gozo Channel Co. Ltd is offering schemes whereby passengers can actually travel for free on certain dates between now and April.

The schemes are in line with the government's strategy to stimulate domestic tourist activity to Gozo, mostly in the quieter winter months.

The Immorru Ghawdex (Let's go to Gozo) campaign includes two promotions: one encourages people to visit Gozo during the week; the second is aimed at boosting travel over the weekend.

Gozo Winter Nights offers a 75 per cent discount on passenger tickets and a 50 per cent discount on car tickets on a trip between 7 p.m. and midnight from Monday to Thursday.

The promotion applies on particular dates between January and April and the tickets need to be used on the day they are purchased because they are only valid for one day. Passengers, however, have no restrictions as to when they can return to Malta.

The Winter Weekend Breaks offer a 50 per cent discount on Fridays between midday and midnight on specific dates between January and April.

Moreover, in collaboration with a number of Gozitan establishments, those who take advantage of Gozo Channel's winter offers will have the possibility to travel to the island for free.

About 37 restaurants, hotels and other establishments in Gozo have agreed to reimburse the fare of passengers who use their services and have bought their tickets under the Gozo Channel schemes.

The initiative was worked out by the Gozo Channel Traffic Promotional Forum, set up by the Investment, Industry and IT Ministry.

An increase in Gozo Channel passengers did not only mean an economic improvement for the company, but, more importantly, was beneficial to Gozo's economy, Investment, Industry and IT Minister Austin Gatt said.

Following the restructuring of the company over the last two years, its finances are now allowing it to invest more to attract passengers on days and at times when less voyages are normally carried out, he said.

The restructuring process has managed to get the company back on its feet to be able to operate on acceptable commercial lines, allowing it to invest more in such schemes, Dr Gatt added.

Gozo Channel, he continued, should be registering a profit from its operations between October 2004 and September 2005, meaning that the company finances have made a turn-around from the consistent losses before the 2003 reform, which was carried out while maintaining the number of passengers.

In the 18 months since the restructuring programme started, the company is operating with 40 fewer employees when compared to the original 269 in 2003, Dr Gatt said.

Despite the fact that the price of fuel used by vessels increased by 20 per cent, the rise was absorbed by the company, which also introduced measures to ensure lower fuel consumption.