The big stars for the Isle of MTV concert have this year arrived in Malta early to be able to enjoy the island's attractions, Antonio Canto vice president of MTV said today.

Among them was Nelly Furtado who arrived on Friday and this morning was on board a boat off Comino for a photoshoot.

Tomorrow's concert starts at 8.30 p.m. and features  Will.I.Am, Flo Rida as well as grammy award winner Nelly Furtado.

The MTV vice president for Events, Jane Fraser said that this year the organisers had opted for a technological 3D set design to add to the spectacle.

A scene from last year's show.

Mr Canto said the concert will not only be covered by MTV in Europe but the show will be broadcast on MTV's 63 different stations to 153 countries on a programme called World Stage.

"Malta is the only country to have its name featured as part of the brand name Isle of MTV on stage, he said. A small montage about Malta will feature before the programme starts.

Tourism and Culture Minister Mario de Marco said that 288,000 young people (under age 24) visited Malta last year, an increase of 115% over the previous year. The figures excludes the 70,000 to 80,000 language students.

The partnership between MTV and the Malta Tourism Authority had been very successful, he said. The very aim of the concert is to promote Malta among the the younger generation.

In the UK, he said, Malta had been known as the place where one's grandparents went, but this is changing.

The Isle of MTV, he pointed out, is the largest open air free concert in Europe with more than 50,000 attending.

MTV, he said, has brought over several foreign journalists and tour operators who will be promoting Malta.

He appealed to the public to respect the Floriana residents and observe traffic arrangements.