One of the first things we look out for when deciding to travel is a place where to stay. Initially, we think about the destination and purpose of travel, and when that is decided, we begin to search for that place to call our 'home away from home'.

For students coming to Malta to study English, this phrase rings particularly true, as many of them choose to live with host families. While some people would not even consider sharing their house with an outsider, many others willingly open up their homes and welcome these students with open arms.

Providing accommodation for students, like owning a hotel, requires rules and regulations, and licensing has been enforced, which aims to establish quality standards.

Students choose to stay in a family because, unlike living in a hotel, they can practise their English all the time through interaction with family members, and the experience is more intimate and personal.

Host family accommodation in Malta has earned itself a particularly bad reputation abroad. More and more students are looking for alternatives to this type of accommodation due to bad experiences they've heard about from their peers, and the often exaggerated horror stories published in the media.

This bad publicity has a negative impact on the industry as a whole. It adds another element of struggle for language schools in Malta to overcome when competing with other English as a Foreign Language (EFL) destinations.

A few months ago, we conducted an exercise whereby we asked our highest rated host families to share their student-hosting experiences, to gain an insight into the service they provide. These families, who are praised by students, have shared tips and ideas about what students expect and appreciate while living with them.

• Be a friend to your guests. Take the time to talk to your students and get to know them. They will appreciate the genuine interest, and the daily interaction not only makes them feel welcome but also helps them practise their English. Do not have long conversations in Maltese in their presence.

• Make sure that the accommodation is clean, tidy and well maintained.

• Offer good quality, varied meals and be generous with portions. Students often complain about the lack of variety as well as poor quality and meagre portions. Discuss their dietary requirements and try to accommodate them as much as possible within reasonable limits.

• Set rules that apply to the rest of the family. This will help them adapt to your way of life and will make it easier for you to keep the household running smoothly. Students must be made aware of the fact that they are not living in a hotel and should respect and fit into your family routine.

• Take the time to explain things to them and offer advice and information that is helpful and useful during their stay. Remember, you are their first point of reference and they look to you for guidance.

• Their first impression of Malta is usually formed after meeting you and a positive first impression will generally set the tone for the rest of their stay.

The current financial situation has forced many businesses to pull their socks up and work harder at providing an improved service to clients. Therefore, diversification and catering for your clients' needs have become priorities.

The demand for school residences has increased dramatically. Students over 18 prefer independence during their stay and this type of accommodation is perfectly suited for a student budget.

However, the comfort and intimacy of living with a host family remains a popular option with younger students as well as some older ones, providing them with a sense of belonging and security. By working on improving this aspect of the EFL industry, we can only strengthen and improve the sector as a whole.

It is times like these that serve as an eye-opener not only to what we are offering our clients, but more importantly as to what is being offered by others. This is an opportunity to look around us and work on the overall package being offered to students following a language course.

It gives us the chance to build on our strengths and work on our weaknesses. It is important that students are happy in all aspects of their holiday, not just the quality of the teaching.

Kindness and hospitality can go a long way in making their time spent in Malta a positive and memorable experience.

Ms Darmanin Demajo is marketing executive at Inlingua Malta - www.inlinguamalta.com.