Malta International Airport is forecasting that passenger numbers for 2011 will be the same as those in 2010, namely a consolidation of the record number of 3.29 million passengers who visited Malta last year, according to MIA’s 2010 Business Report.
The report highlights that the unrest in North Africa is expected to leave an impact on the travelling patterns of visitors to Malta.
It points out that there are a number of local considerations one has to factor in when discussing the company’s outlook for 2011. These include the fact that 2010 achieved an absolute record which is consequently more difficult to exceed; Air Malta’s restructuring process; the known new destinations for 2011; and the cruise and fly operation kicking off in May.
The report says the World Tourism Organisation forecasts a four to five per cent growth in world tourism for 2011, with the forecast for Europe envisaged at a more discreet two to three per cent growth.
“Moreover, ACI (Airport Council International) Europe, in its forecast for 2011 states that while the first weeks of 2011 saw strong passenger traffic growth at an increasing number of European airports, it ‘remains cautious on the outlook for the full year. The dynamic and sustainability of air traffic growth in Europe is likely to be affected by several external factors, including the ability of the EGU to tackle the continent’s debt crisis, inflationary pressures and in particular further surges in oil prices’,” the report says.
The report describes the opening of MIA’s SkyParks Business Centre as the main drive behind its diversification strategy in 2011, “thus consolidating the contribution of the retail and property segment to the company’s overall operation in the future”.
MIA said that in 2011 the company will be carrying out restructuring processes in various areas of its operations “in its efforts to continue enhancing service levels whilst maintaining efficiency”. The first such restructuring will be within the technical department which is currently divided into airside and terminal.
“The new setup will be merging these into one unit, whilst creating a small unit which particularly focuses on projects,” it said.
The report also said that last year 11 MIA employees had opted for early retirement schemes. Seventy five per cent of MIA’s revenue in 2010 came from airport fees, while 24 per cent came from the retail sector and properties and one per cent from “other” segments.
MIA chairman Andreas Schadenhofer said in his introduction to the report: “Having been in the airport business for almost 20 years, I can honestly state that the service offered at MIA is surely one of the best. 2010 has also been a significant year in this regard, with Malta International Airport winning the ‘Best Airport of the Year’ in its category at the 6th ACI Europe Awards as well as the ‘Best European Airport’ across all categories in ACI’s Airport Service Survey.”