Study gauges impact of low-cost airlines on Malta

Low-cost carriers may have brought more tourists to Malta but a study suggests that those using the cheaper mode of transport in 2007 were not seeking history and culture.

"Unfortunately, it does not appear that passengers flying in on low-cost carriers are more interested in Malta's history and culture," aviation specialists Anne Graham and Nigel Dennis said in a paper published in the Journal of Air Transport Management.

Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco, however, insists the government would not change its promotion strategy, which emphasised Malta's history and culture, apart from the traditional sun and sea.

"Heritage is a unique selling point for Malta," Dr de Marco said, adding that many tourists visited for different reasons.

Although the island traditionally promoted itself as a sun and sea destination, the government has been focusing on improving cultural attractions.

The Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim temples have been covered with a tent and a visitors' centre is being built close by and near the Ġgantija temples in Xagħra. Moreover, the government is investing heavily on renovating Valletta's City Gate through a project by renowned architect Renzo Piano and has voted €36 million to restore the bastions.

British passengers travelling on low-cost carriers were less likely than those arriving on other airlines to cite history and culture as a key reason for choosing to visit, the researchers have found.

The two specialists argued that British tourists - who make up the lion's share of tourists to Malta - were still visiting the island for sun and sea holidays.

Dr de Marco pointed out that the paper was based on statistics for 2007, which was when low-cost airlines had just started operating in Malta.

In fact, the researchers themselves said it was difficult to draw "any firm conclusions" about the impact of low-cost carriers since the development was so recent.

The researchers quoted the Malta Tourism Authority's 2005 figures, which show that only 16 per cent of tourists cited the island's history and culture as the motivating factor behind their visit. Such tourists are more likely to visit during the shoulder months.

Malta's traditional focus on promoting itself as a sun and sea destination puts it in competition with other EU countries, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece as well as Tunisia, Turkey and Morocco.

"As a result of the high dependence on the sun and sea product, the tourism demand is highly seasonal," the researchers said.

On the other hand, tourists who previously visited Malta for its sun and sea could be returning for cultural reasons, the researchers argued.

The paper found that tourists arriving on low-cost airlines did not tend to take shorter trips or travel more in off-peak months.

However, low-cost carriers are expected to take over some of the traffic reaching Malta on other airlines. In fact, the paper states that traffic on Ryanair flights from the UK was likely to include a mix of passengers who had chosen to switch from another airline but still wanted the sun and sea product.

"The exact split is difficult to estimate," they said.

Dr de Marco pointed out that Malta's reliance on air transport made it very important to have a vaster route network in a bid to build capacity. "Irrespective of whether they were low-cost or not, whenever we increased seat capacity, we had an increase in the number of tourists," he said.

The study also shows a drop in reliance on tour operators, with more tourists buying their flight and accommodation separately. Data from 2006 and 2007 showed tourists flying low-cost tended to be younger and more affluent.