Gloomy English weather benefits Malta

The gloomy English weather is having a positive effect on Malta's tourism industry with giant travel website Expedia registering an increase in bookings by sun-deprived Britons.

A spokesman for the travel website said the number of Britons booking holidays to Malta between June and August climbed by 13 per cent over the same period last year.

Searches for holidays in Malta on Expedia's UK site went up by a staggering 67 per cent last month alone compared to July 2008.

"Malta is definitely benefitting from last-minute interest," the spokesman said.

This weekend is expected to see tens of thousands of Britons making the most of Monday's bank holiday and travel abroad, with the Association of British Travel Agents saying the Mediterranean and Turkey were the most popular destinations. Although a spokesman for the association was not able to say whether Malta was among the Mediterranean countries benefitting from a surge in bookings by Brits fed up with bad weather, Thomas Cook confirmed an increase in bookings.

The dismal weather has been a contributor to a rush for bookings. "Some people have already taken a break in Britain itself this month but are looking for a holiday somewhere with guaranteed good weather," a Thomas Cook spokesman said.

Last month, the UK's Met Office made a gloomy summer forecast with near or above average rainfall across the UK for the rest of the season. This prompted the Malta Tourism Authority to keep its advertising campaign going through the summer months following a surge in late bookings.

Londoner Craig Moran booked a trip to Malta earlier this month in the hope of better weather. "The British summer has not shown much promise this year but Malta is a guaranteed retreat for people wanting to see blue skies, crystal clear oceans, a warm and friendly atmosphere, excellent cuisine, rich history and a buzzing night life," he said.

Mr Moran said the prices of hotels seemed to have dropped since he last visited the island two years ago, making Malta an economical destination during a recession. The sterling's rise against the euro has been considered a contributor to the increase in bookings as Britons see their money go further.

According to the MTA, although UK outbound travel surges have been reported from time to time, the British travel market was probably one of the hardest hit by the recession. It said the continuation of advertising through the summer months could have contributed to steady loads from the UK.

Meanwhile, an Air Malta spokesman said last-minute bookings have increased from all over the world and not solely from the UK. He said September, October and November were becoming popular with Britons looking for good weather in autumn.