Cruise liners are expected to bring 400,000 passengers to Valletta Waterfront this year, Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said yesterday.
This is up from last year's 320,000 tourists who visited Malta on cruise liners, an increase of almost 10 per cent over 2004.
The cruise industry has taken a huge step forward in the past decade. In 1996, only 69,240 passengers visited Malta on cruise liners.
An addition to the list of cruise liners - Star Cruises' SuperStar Libra - made its maiden visit to Malta yesterday, and will be using the island as home port in 18 of its cruises between June and October.
The Hong Kong-based Star Cruises is the leading cruise liner in Asia Pacific and the third largest cruise liner in the world. It owns 20 cruise liners and will be operating two more by next year.
The 216-metre long SuperStar Libra carries 1,900 passengers. The liner is the company's first ship based in the Mediterranean. Star Cruises' executive director Chong Chee Tut said Europe was becoming more and more popular for cruise destinations.
Dr Zammit Dimech stressed the importance of cruises using Malta as a base, saying it was a very important breakthrough for this kind of high-yield tourist activity.
"When you have a cruise liner based in Malta you are not only talking in terms of cruise passengers, but also those who fly to Malta and even stay for some time here," he said, adding that most of the foreign guests were in fact spending two to three days in Malta before the cruise and another two to three days afterwards. He added that the Malta Tourism Authority was doing its utmost to support this venture.
Dr Zammit Dimech described the cruise industry as a very successful one, accounting for nearly 14 million cruise holidays in 2004. A staggering 2.8 million bookings - 21 per cent - came from Europe. The minister said the Mediterranean was one of the most sought after areas for cruising. Malta's strategic location in the centre of the Mediterranean, the newly inaugurated Valletta Waterfront, with the bastions as a natural backdrop, give it the advantage of serving as a base for cruise liners.
Michael Abele, general manager of Mondial Holidays, which together with SMS are selling the ship locally, told the media the cruise liner offers a novelty by travelling in the East Mediterranean. He said about 3,000 tickets have already been sold for this summer's cruises solely from Malta, and the numbers were expected to go up even to 5,000.
Mr Abele said there seem to be plans in the pipeline for the ship to return next year.
The SuperStar Libra will be visiting Italian ports, the Eastern Mediterranean and Egypt.