Local language schools are expecting a “slightly poorer” summer this year, primarily due to an estimated 66 per cent drop in arrivals from the Spanish market, the strongest performer last year.

Spaniards are choosing competing countries such as the US, the UK and Ireland to study English after the Spanish government reduced the scholarship amount that students receive to study English in Malta by €500, while increasing the grant for these competing destinations.

Alex Fenech, the president of the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations Malta, told The Times the official reason given was that the cost of living in Malta was cheaper compared with the UK and Ireland, Malta’s main competitors in the English as a foreign language (EFL) industry.

Eligible Spanish students were offered €1,200 to pursue a three-week English course in Malta this year, down from €1,700 last year. On the other hand, they were offered €1,700 to go to the UK or Ireland and €2,200 to study English in the US. Destinations that offer more funding leave them with more spending money.

Thanks to the scholarships, which are being offered for the fifth year running, Spain was the strongest performer last year with about 33,000 student weeks.

Spanish students had kept the market buoyant in Malta since the scheme was introduced in 2007, making up for losses in other markets.

Bookings this year show students coming from Spain dropped drastically by 66 per cent, with only 12,000 student weeks booked.

Mr Fenech said a delegation from the Maltese EFL Monitoring Board will soon be travelling to Madrid to meet Spanish education authorities in an attempt to reverse the decision for next year. The plan is to invite a delegation to Malta to witness the top quality facilities it offers students.

Mr Fenech said schools were expecting a “slightly poorer” summer this year, both because of the situation in Spain and strong markets, such as Germany, were losing ground. They are, however, hoping to counter it with upcoming markets such as Brazil, Russia, Turkey and Colombia, which are growing steadily.

These markets are important as they bring long-stay students who often come in the shoulder months.

Mr Fenech said the situation in Libya had affected bookings for junior levels, particularly from the Italian market, because Malta was in the limelight when bookings were usually secured.

To make matters worse, the Italian government this year excluded Malta from the scheme for its employees to send their children to Malta. Last summer 2,500 Italians came to Malta to study English over a six-week period through this contract alone.

Asked about accessibility, Mr Fenech said low-cost flights to Malta had a tremendous effect on the EFL industry adding that the situation at Air Malta excluded the possibility that it would offer new routes.

Regarding the visa issue, a hot potato for the industry, Mr Fenech said schools were encountering problems obtaining visas for prospective students particularly in countries where Malta had no embassy or consulate. There are problems, for examples, for students coming from Algeria and Morocco, with officials simply “writing off” applications from particular countries.

“We are closing our doors but other European countries are opening up, so we are losing out on prospective students. It is easier getting a Schengen visa to Spain and then travel to Malta with that visa, for example. Malta has completely lost its reputation with Chinese agents because nine out of 10 visa applications are refused so they just don’t bother with us anymore. It’s a pity because it’s a strong market,” he said.

Nearly 73,000 foreigners studied at specialised English language schools in Malta last year, an increase of 5.5 per cent over recession-hit 2009.

On the perception that students harmed Malta’s image with rowdy and unruly behaviour, Mr Fenech pointed out that only 25 per cent of youngsters who came to Malta were actually EFL students.

He said Feltom was collaborating closely with the police on the matter and the monitoring board had this year issued a booklet containing guidelines and information for students. The guidelines are in the process of being translated to other languages.

Feltom is also in the process of holding meetings with councils of towns that see a concentration of students, including Sliema, St Julians, Swieqi and Pembroke.