Has the smoking ban hit tourism?

Is it just coincidence that tourism made a nosedive since the smoking ban was introduced? (As I wrote in my letter March/April 2004: "Please bear in mind that twice the population of Malta is coming for a holiday here, so we should know what they think about this law... It is not only the restaurants and bars, which will suffer if these tourists go somewhere else to relax. All the tourist-related industries, such as taxi drivers, souvenir shops, hotels, etc. will feel the drop. Or do you believe that Malta will be invaded by non-smokers? If yes, than go ahead without further delay. If not, then please think twice, and assess the impact this will have on the whole country...")

Do the ministries know what economical impact the smoking ban had for Malta? Are there any figures on how many bars or restaurants have closed down or changed owners or changed the use of them before the ban and after the ban (ex. bars into bottle shops)?

Did health costs decrease? Did heart attacks of non-smokers decrease? Are smoking rates down? Did anything of this happen, as this was the reason, why the ban was introduced? Everybody is whining about the decrease in tourism, but its seems we have to get used to it, like we (smokers and non-smoking friends) got used to staying at home in winter and only going to bars or restaurants in summer which have an outside area.

If the smoking ban would be relaxed, so that bars and restaurants can choose whether they want to allow smoking or not, as in other countries, then perhaps the lost tourists will come back.