The General Workers' Union is using its contacts with foreign trade unions to promote the island among members and offer them advantageous packages to visit the island.

Dubbed the Social Tourism Calypso National Project, the union used its links with its counterparts and with federations and confederations of international and European trade unions to promote Malta.

The union, through its subsidiary Untours Travel, offered the members of foreign trade unions discounts on trips to the island as well as on accommodation, land arrangements in Malta and other services.

The concept behind the project is to make travel within everyone's reach. The Parliamentary Secretariat for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority are supporting the project.

Tony Coleiro, the project coordinator, said the union wanted to offer an added service to its members while at the same time pitch in to bring more tourists to Malta.

It became an affiliate of BITS, the International Bureau of Social Tourism, and embarked on the project in March 2008 when it started meeting individual federations to invite them to come and experience the country.

Addressing tourism industry representatives, Mr Coleiro said special prices would be offered to about 50 million trade union members all over the world. Only hotels and service providers whose employees were GWU members could take part in this initiative.

Mr Coleiro said an online portal would be set up so hotels could upload their rates, which could be seen by members of foreign trade unions and booked directly with the service providers.

He said a MyMaltaCard will be launched in the coming weeks giving holders discounts and offers from various establishments in Malta and Gozo, including tourist attractions, museums and cultural sites, car rentals, bars and restaurants, places of entertainment, retail outlets and more.