Air Malta 'the driving force' behind rise in tourism

Air Malta said yesterday that it continues to be the driving force behind the rise in tourist arrivals registered this year, contributing 57 per cent of the 77,000 additional passengers who have flown to Malta in the first six months of the year.

National Statistics Office show that inbound tourists for the first half rose by 15 per cent to 577,313 over the same period last year.

Air Malta said that in June it continued to register the same double digit growth recorded over the last eight months. Traffic in June increased by 13 per cent.

"We are building on the positive results registered last winter when, for the first time in its history, Air Malta transported over half a million passengers. In the first half of the year, the airline has yet again consolidated its position as the preferred airline among visitors from all European countries of origin.

"Figures released this month by the Association of European Airlines also confirm that Air Malta was one of the few European airlines that registered double digit growth from January until June," Air Malta CEO Brock Friesen said.

Air Malta is actively pursuing other off-line markets. Existing code-sharing agreements with airlines such as Lufthansa, Air One and Turkish Airlines will be further consolidated with other airline partners in the next few months, leading Air Malta to further expand its network.