New hotel hosts boat show

Boat lovers are in for a treat this weekend at the first Valletta Boat Show which opened yesterday at the marina of the new Excelsior Grand Hotel, in Floriana, now partially open.

The soft opening of the hotel was held last week. A spokesman for the hotel said 120 of the 426 rooms have been completed and the official opening is expected to take place at the end of this year or early next year.

Over 40 exhibitors are present at the boat show, which was opened by Investments Minister Austin Gatt.

The Valletta Boat Show is being held under the official patronage of the newly set-up Yachting Services Trade Section of the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise and of the Royal Malta Yacht Club.

Various boating-related products, such as navigation equipment, furnishings, clothing, dinghies, safety equipment, will be on hand.

Most of the boats on show are moored within the hotel's marina. There will be daily entertainment and other activities at the show.

Today at 7.30 p.m. there will be music by Pete and Papps. Tomorrow there will be sailing by the Malta Young Sailors from 10.30 a.m.; Maltese artistes will be in attendance also from 10.30 a.m.; a display of model boats by the Malta Model Boats Association from 2 p.m., Flamenco and Spanish dancing by the Central Academy of Ballet at 7.30 p.m. and music by the Quacks, a group of professional medical specialists reminiscing the 1960s era, at 7.30 p.m.

On Sunday there will be sailing at 10.30 a.m.; Autumn Series Races by the Malta Model Boats Association from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; a canoe tournament by the Malta Canoe Federation also between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and music by Pete and Papps at 7.30 p.m.

The opening hours of the Boat Show today are 5.30 to 10.30 p.m. and tomorrow and Sunday from 10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.