Editorial

One of the most impressive sights, witnessed locally, of the year about to end surely was that of seven cruise liners berthed simultaneously in Grand Harbour last October. Going by forecasts made by VISET, plc, which manages the cruise and ferry operations in Grand Harbour, that sight will become more frequent in the years to come.

Last Wednesday, VISET officials told a media briefing session that 2006 has been a record year for cruise passengers arriving in Grand Harbour - they amounted to 394,567, more than making up for the 30 per cent loss experienced in 2004. In fact, a conservative estimate (since it is based on already confirmed bookings) is that the record will be exceeded next year, with 432,167 passengers expected to enter Grand Harbour. And outbound passengers, mostly accounted for by Virtù Ferries, have also increased.

It is a conservative estimate because talks are going on with other cruise lines to stop at Malta, while there is a strong possibility that a cruise ship carrying 3,000 passengers will use Grand Harbour as a home port as from 2008.

Just under a third of all passengers take pre-paid excursions by coach; others venture ashore on their own, taking taxis, buses and karozzini to get around. A few make it to Valletta on foot, while about seven to eight per cent stay aboard the ship. Whatever they do while here, passengers spend an average of Lm12.80 per capita during the few hours the ship stays in harbour. Estimated expenditure by cruise line passengers for the 12 months ending last September amounted to Lm3,386,500.

Clearly, the cruise liner business is experiencing a healthy growth and is becoming a money-spinner for Malta. It would generate even more income if VISET, which is investing considerable capital, human skills, energy and resources into the venture, is given the full co-operation it deserves from Government departments and other authorities, the police, taxi drivers, and all those who come into contact with these sea-borne tourists. One should keep in mind that 85 per cent of them, when asked, are interested in returning to Malta for a longer stay.

For, let's face it, Malta's fortification-lined Grand Harbour presents a stunning sight to visitors arriving by sea; it is one of the finest natural harbours in the world. Coupled with a temperate climate and glorious sunshine for most of the year, it is drenched in history - indeed, it is where much of Malta's chequered 7,000-year history has been played out.

VISET, a private consortium which took over cruise and ferry operations from the Malta Maritime Authority in 2001, has done a wonderful job with the impressive restoration of the derelict Pinto Stores, now superbly transformed into the Valletta Waterfront, with its string of restaurants, shops and offices, and the ongoing conversion of the old powerhouse and the planned transformation of the former MMA offices into catering outlets and office space, and of course the building of the terminal.

In fact the creation of more berthing facilities in Grand Harbour is being actively looked into, especially since passenger ships are getting bigger and bigger, and more bookings are expected in this growing segment of the travel market.

However, as Chris Paris, VISET's general manager, stressed at the media briefing, a number of areas cry out for improvement. The first is transportation. Although a bus service from the waterfront to Valletta has now started, and the taxi service has been improved, taxis are still without a meter, so that passengers who are unaware of the existence of pre-paid vouchers can easily be exploited. In this connection, one cannot see why taxi drivers insist on charging exorbitant fees, when moderate tariffs could bring them more custom, even from locals. The same, of course, applies to karozzin owners who, amazingly, are still not covered by insurance.

The Vertical Connections project, estimated to cost Lm1.5 million, announced by Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett a week ago, should considerably facilitate access to Valletta and offer disembarking passengers alternative ways to reach the capital.

And one must also mention the upgrading of the physical environment of Grand Harbour, with smoother and cleaner roads taking priority. After all, we cannot rely entirely on the undoubtedly excellent qualities of Grand Harbour; we have to keep in mind that, as a destination for cruise liners, Malta faces stiff competition from established ports in the Mediterranean and relatively new ones like Tripoli. Which is why VISET, which is doing an excellent job, needs all the co-operation it can get.