Malta’s festival scene makes it ideal for a short break, according to a feature in British business magazine Travel Weekly that is full of praise for the island’s tourism industry.

Writer Katie McGonagle highlighted the Malta Jazz Festival, Isle of MTV festival and carnival in her spread, stating: “Malta know how to put on a good show.”

Other events included in her report ‘Malta: It’s Party Time!’ are the “atmospheric” Valletta International Baroque Festival, Għanafest and the Delicata wine festival, one of many such vineyard-themed evenings held across the island.

She was also impressed by Gozo’s Festival Mediterranea, which “recounts the smaller island’s history through opera, classical music and crafts”.

Feasts and fireworks ­– an integral part of the Maltese and Gozitan summer calendar – are not left out and McGonagle notes the pull of the Malta Arts Festival in July and August.

Yet “cultural events make a great excuse to maximise off-peak sales”, so Valletta’s Notte Bianca and Birgufest in October also get a mention.

Travel Weekly provides news, analysis and destination articles for travel agents, tour operators and tourism employees about the UK outbound and domestic holiday and travel markets.

Hotel Phoenicia was singled out for holding a jazz performance and art installation during the Jazz on the Fringe event in July.

“Malta has had very encouraging results again this year and I am particularly pleased that Jazz on the Fringe and Charles Gatt’s exhibition here were singled out for such positive coverage,” said general manager Charles Azzopardi.

“The Phoenicia is an ardent supporter of Malta’s art and culture. We are delighted to host events and support the development of this emerging area.

“It’s great to see that these efforts by the industry to make Malta more interesting are resonating with the leading travel writers in the UK.”