Frank Salt at property fairs in Belgium, UK

Frank Salt Real Estate Ltd has just returned from three property exhibitions in Belgium and the UK. Despite the fact that most of the clients who visited the stand in Belgium have never been to Malta, considerable interest was shown in purchasing property as an investment or retirement home.

"It is a pity that there is no sufficient awareness in Belgium and in other EU countries of Malta's attractiveness to retirees, particularly due to its favourable rate of tax." said managing director Joseph Lupi.

"Our country will benefit tremendously if these people come over and settle here." he added. Particular interest was also shown by Belgians in Gozitan properties.

Grahame Salt, who managed the two exhibitions in the UK, together with one of the company's UK associates, reported a good attendance at both fairs.

"While in the UK, we reported that unlike other competing countries, there was a lack of awareness of Malta and Gozo. Some visitors actually came across Malta by accident," said Mr Salt.

"The Maltese Islands have to be marketed constantly as a holiday and retirement destination by all operators in the market, and these include the government, as well as the developers who spend millions on these developments and hardly anything on marketing them. There is a limit as to how much we can do as agents," he added.

Generally, the company registered enquiries for all types of property throughout Malta and Gozo and a number of inspection visits have also been set during the exhibitions.

Other countries participating in the fair included Spain, Turkey, Portugal, France and Cyprus.