Coordinated efforts by Malta International Airport, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association,hoteliers and the Malta Tourism Association have ensured that inconvenience caused by the transport strike to arriving and departing tourists was kept to a minimum.

The Department of Information said a number of private coaches, chauffeur-driven cars and transport provided by hotels provided a shuttle service between the airport and hotels.

Officials from the various organisations and Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco were at the airport for most of the day to coordinate the operation.

Some 6,000 tourists were expected to arrive in Malta today.

A further 3,000 tourists arrived on cruise liners. Their excursions were cancelled and hundreds ended up walking all the way up to Valletta.

Dr de Marco said the government would continue to do whatever was necessary to reduce inconvenience to tourists. He also urged everyone to appreciate the importance of the tourism industry to the economy and people’s livelihoods. Illegal actions such as those ordered by the Transport Federation were hugely detrimental to Malta, he said.