Malta

National holidays in Malta 2012

2011-12-25T02:12:00.000-08:00

In Malta, there are 14 public and national holidays annually. Below find the dates for 2012.

New Year’s Day - Sunday, 1st January

Feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck - Friday, 10th February

Feast of St. Joseph - Monday, 19th March

Freedom Day - Saturday, 31st March

Good Friday - Friday, 6th April

Worker’s Day - Tuesday, 1st May

Sette Giugno - Thursday, 7th June

Feast of St. Peter & St. Paul - Friday, 29th June

Feast of The Assumption of the Virgin Mary - Wednesday, 15th August

Feast of Our Lady of Victories - Saturday, 8th September

Independence Day - Friday, 21st September

Feast of the Immaculate Conception - Saturday, 8th December

Republic Day – Thursday, 13th December

Christmas Day - Tuesday, 25th December

malta.com

Ryanair Rules!

2011-11-29T13:41:00.001-08:00

Yes thatis right! They do exist, Ryanair fans, and I am one of them. It is true thatthey have taken away all glamour of flying, and I also agree with people whocompare Ryanair to Tequila (it brings out the worst in people), but the pointis that Ryanair does a great job at rule number 1 in flying: bringing peoplefrom point A to point B cheap and fast.

My jobforces me to travel a lot, and I estimate that I have taken about 200 ryanairflights over the last 10 years. And I agreewith the stats: 88% of all Ryanairflights land on time. It does not necessarilymean that they leave on time (the exaggerate flight times), and we only haveRyanair’s word on their punctuality (they are not a member or IATA), but allthat does not bother me, I only care about rule number 1 in flying: gettingfast and cheap from point A to point B.

Valenciaairport, Thursday 17^th of November: Ryanairflight 1919 betweenValencia and Brussels Charleroi. We are queuing to board the plane and thestewardesses escort us to the stairs of the plane. At the very last moment,just before entering the plane the captain stops the boarding process becauseof a problem with the interior lightning of the plane, and after 15 minutes hedecides that the plane was not in conditions to fly. What happened then wassurreal… With any other airline this would have been the end of the trip, butnot with Ryanair. The crew simply brought us to a different plane, we boarded,took off, and arrived in Brussels Charleroi with only 10 minutes delay!!

It wasthe most bizarre travel experience! And it raised a few questions such as “whywas nobody using the other plane?”, “did the pilot have the keys?”, “they didnot forget to load the luggages (and fuel) did they?”, etc. but it displayedagain the no-nonsense approach of Ryanair. And… all the passengers were extremelysatisfied. Ryanair scored twice that night: first they showed that a planewhich is not 100% perfect does not fly, (even if the problem is only theinterior lightning), and secondly they came up with an instant solution,ensuring even an almost on time landing.

Welldone Ryanair! And the best moment of the evening occurred when we were walkingfrom one plane to the other: We could hear a public announcement for the Iberiaflight to Madrid: “Due to technical reasons the flight is delayed, moreinformation in 50 minutes”. Eat this Iberia, and Spanair, and Brussels Airlines,and Air France, and all you other almost bankrupt airline monsters.

That isright folks, I love ryanair!

Just followthe basic guidelines for taking a Ryanair flight (see below), and I am sure thatyou will slowly change your mind about O’Leary and his unique Irish crew aswell.

Cheers,

Lodewijk

Guidelinesfor taking a Ryanair flight.

1. Ifyou have the choice book the earliest flight of the day. The earlier the flightthe more probable an on time departure.

2. Avoidluggage, and I mean, doing an extreme effort to avoid bringing more than 10kgto the airport, the maximum allowed as cabin luggage. Travelling withoutluggage is not only cheaper but it saves you the frustration of queuing atcheck-in. You print out the boarding pass at home, show up 45m before theflight and walk straight on the plane.

3. Ifyou do bring luggage to the airport, come early. Ryanair personnel open thecheck in counters pretty late so by that time a large queue of angry passengerswill be there.

4. Buypriority boarding. For only 5 euro you feel like a business class passenger andyou save yourself the humiliating endless queue for the “other row” passengers.

5. Switchoff your brain. People tend to act nervous and strange when they have to fly,especially when they have to queue for a long time at check-in and boarding.And iPod does miracles in terms of not getting annoyed by other passengers.

Malta Enterprise

2011-10-30T03:09:00.000-07:00

The Corporation

Malta Enterprise is the agency responsible for the promotion of foreign investment and industrial development in Malta. Its mission is to sustain Malta’s overall competitiveness to create the right environment for successful enterprise in Malta. It offers assistance and advice to those who seek to learn more about the multitude of business and investment opportunities available on the island. Likewise, Malta Enterprise offers investors the best possible service before, during and after they decide to do business in Malta.

MALTA - Head Office

Malta Enterprise
Enterprise Centre
Industrial Estate
San Gwann SGN 3000 - Malta
Tel: (+356) 2542 0000 Fax: (+356) 2542 3401
E-mail: info@maltaenterprise.com
Website: www.maltaenterprise.com

Location Map

Malta Industrial Parks Ltd

Industrial Estate

San Gwann SGN 3000 - Malta

Tel: (+356) 2541 0000 Fax: (+356) 2541 2541

Incubation Centre

Kordin Business Incubation Centre (KBIC)
Kordin Industrial Estate
Paola PLA 3000 - Malta
Tel: (+356) 2398 0000 Fax: (+356) 2167 6649
E-mail: info@kbic.com.mt

Website: www.kbic.com.mt

Location Map

Gozo

Malta Enterprise Gozo Office
Industrial Estate
Xewkija XWK 3000 - Gozo
Tel: (+356) 2156 4700 Fax: (+356) 2156 4825
E-mail: gozo.office@maltaenterprise.com

info@investingozo.com

OVERSEAS OFFICES

GERMANY
Am Steinberg 34
D-82237 Worthsee b. Munchen
Tel: (+49) 8153 8879 45 Fax: (+49) 8153 8879 47
E-mail: germany.office@maltaenterprise.com

LIBYA
Malta Commercial Office – Libya
Tripoli Tower (ex - Al Fateh Tower),

Floor 19
Office No. 195
Tripoli
Tel: (+218) 21 335 1462 Fax: (+218) 21 335 1464
E-mail: libya.office@maltaenterprise.com

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Malta Trade Centre – Dubai
The Fairmont
Sheikh Zayed Road
PO BOX 73664
Dubai
Tel: (+971) 4 331 1015 Fax: (+971) 43324368
E-mail: dubai.office@maltaenterprise.com

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

Malta Enterprise Office

Suite 4, Level 10,

31 Market Street

Sydney, NSW 2000

Phone: 02 9264 4922

Mobile: 0423 577 799

INDIA

Malta Enterprise Office,

13, Business Centre, 1st Floor,

Centre One Building,

World Trade Centre,

Cuffe Parade, Mumbai-400005

Phone: +91-2266387350

Fax: +91-2222188175
Email: india@maltaenterprise.com

Malta & Gozo Office Hours

January to July

September to December

Monday to Friday (excl. Public Holidays)

8.00 am to 4.45 pm

August

Monday to Friday (excl. Public Holidays)

8.00 am to 1.30 pm

Summer shutdown: 16th to 20th August 2010

For assistance on specific services, contact us directly on the following e-mails

Investing in Malta: info.bd@maltaenterprise.com

Investing in Gozo: info@investingozo.com
Incentives & Schemes: customer.relations@maltaenterprise.com
Business Start-ups: kbic@maltaenterprise.com
Internationalisation & Trade Promotion: internationalisation@maltaenterprise.com

Business Support: customer.relations@maltaenterprise.com
Publications & Audio-visual material: info.communications@maltaenterprise.com

Enterprise Europe Network (Malta): info@enterprise-europemalta.com

Dubai Office: dubai.office@maltaenterprise.com

Germany Office: germany.office@maltaenterprise.com

Libya Office: libya.office@maltaenterprise.com

Director

The Chemical Brothers (Dj Set)

2011-10-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

The wait is soon over. The Superstar DJs are finally coming…. to you!

The Chemical Brothers have forged a career by pushing boundaries. Reflecting upon Tom and Ed’s success is impressive to say the least. ‘Further’, their seventh studio album - released last year - was a groundbreaking audio/visual release. In conjunction with long-time collaborator Adam Smith, each of the 8 tracks on the album was accompanied by a unique short visual piece. The album was released to widespread critical acclaim and showcased at four sold-out performances at London’s legendary Roundhouse, performed in its entirety against a backdrop of Smith’s visuals. Anyone who has witnessed the band, either at festivals or at their own shows, will be familiar with the sensory overload of their live experience.

In 2010 The Chemical Brothers headlined Sonar and numerous Eastern European festivals before appearing at iconic venues around the USA, including the 18,000 capacity Hollywood Bowl in August of last year.

The Chemical Brothers ended 2010 by being honoured with the prestigious Q Magazine “Hero” award for their ‘longstanding commitment to music’. They have penned three exclusive pieces of music for the Oscar nominated Darren Aronofsky film ‘Black Swan’ and composed the musical score for the highly anticipated Joe Wright directed ‘Hanna’, due for release later this year.

The band unveiled their remarkable new live show, which has been heralded as their most spectacular yet, with a sold out show at the Paris Zenith. The tour continues in Australia and New Zealand in March, and the band are soon to announce a series of huge world-wide festival appearances this summer.

Looking over the facts and figures of their success over the seventeen years since the release of their first single (Song To The Siren ) is quite staggering. To highlight just a handful, The Chemical Brothers have sold millions of copies of their seven studio albums - five of which consecutively hit number 1 in the UK. The band played to the biggest crowd ever seen at Glastonbury’s 30th anniversary festival back in 2000 before the fence went up. They have won multiple Grammy awards over the course of their illustrious career and were the first band to play at London’s Olympia (chosen as it was the location for the cover shot on the band’s Surrender album) in over a decade. The band are renowned for their vocal collaborations and have worked with a dizzying array of handpicked artists, from Noel Gallagher to Beth Orton, The Flaming Lips to Midlake, Q-Tip to Kele Okereke.

MMM presents : The Chemical Brothers (DJ set) at MFCC in association with FRESH EVENTS

Event Details :

• Date: 5th November 2011

• Venue: MFCC , Ta Qali , Limits of Rabat , Malta

• Duration: 20.00 - 04.00

• General Entrance Fee : € 35/40

SOURCE AND MORE INFO: http://www.mydestination.com/malta

HOTEL JULIANI

2011-10-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hotel Juliani is Malta’s only Small Design Boutique Hotel, and it is enviably located in the heart of St Julian’s. In fact, you’re never more than 25 minutes away from most parts of the island, including the beautiful baroque capital of Valletta.

Originally a traditional seafront townhouse, the hotel has been meticulously converted to provide 44 rooms, an intimate setting and very personalised service to its guests. Today it remains a family-run establishment, and the management is committed to ensuring their guests feel at home and well looked after.

As a frequent traveler I reckon that this hotel is certainly worth a visit. It has the same luxury standards as the well known 5 star branded chains, but the experience of staying in a boutique hotel is just different. Just check out the views from my room, and the video I shot at the roof terrace. Amazing!

Number 1 on TripAdviser!

review by Lodewijk Cuypers, Resuinsa

Drop in tourist arrivals in August

2011-10-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

Tourist arrivals in August decreased by 1.9 per cent, the first drop in more than a year and an apparent indication that financial woes in Malta's source markets are starting to have an impact.

A total of 191,583 tourists came to Malta in August.

The National Statistics Office said Malta saw a decline of 5.1 per cent in total nights spent by tourists in August, bringing the average length of stay down by 0.3 of a night.

The NSO said first-time visitors accounted for 72 per cent of inbound tourists. In line with previous months, 87 per cent of inbound tourists came from EU Member States, and in particular from the euro area. Tourists coming from countries outside the EU increased by 11 per cent. The main markets for inbound tourism remained the UK and Italy, despite a drop in Italian tourists (-18 per cent). On the other hand, the German and British markets experienced increases.

Total nights spent during August were estimated at 1.9 million, down by 5 per cent when compared to last year. Decreases were reported in the number of nights spent in private and in other collective accommodation.

The average length of stay was estimated at 10.0 nights, down by 0.3 of a night when compared with 2010. Moreover, the number of tourists choosing short stays of up to three nights increased by 17 per cent, while tourists staying for more than seven nights went down by 4 per cent.

Total tourist expenditure was estimated at nearly €210 million, resulting in a slight increase in comparison with 2010. Decreases were recorded in package and non-package expenditure categories and an increase was registered in other expenditure.

January-August 2011

Inbound tourists during the first eight months this year totalled 972,014, an increase of 7 per cent over 2010. In absolute terms, this growth was mostly attributable to an increase in holiday visits, mainly from the UK market. On the other hand, decreases were recorded in the Italian, Libyan and Spanish markets. Increases were recorded in both the number of repeat tourists and in the number of first-time visitors. The majority of tourists opted for non-package travel; yet an increase in package trips was registered.

The largest proportion of inbound passengers were aged between 45 and 64 and were closely followed by those within the 25-44 age bracket.

Total nights spent between January and August increased by 4 per cent, reaching nearly 8 million nights. Guest nights in collective accommodation went up by 3 per cent, while nights spent in private accommodation, increased by 6 per cent.

Meanwhile, Malta International Airport reported having achieved a record in passenger movements last month.

Passenger movements at Malta International Airport in September reached 382,389, an increase of 2.4% over September 2010.

This increase was achieved with a seat capacity of 459,425 seats, 7.8% less seats than in the same period last year.

In September, aircraft movements decreased by 10.6% over the corresponding period last year, whereas the average seat load factor increased by 8.2 percentage points to reach 83.2% - up from the 75% registered in September 2010. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) was 7.4% lower than that registered in September last year, whilst cargo and mail was 7.1% higher than that recorded during the same month in 2010.

In this same month, the German, French and UK markets grew by 22%, 10.2% and 3.1% respectively, whereas the Italian and Spanish markets registered a decline during September – in fact, passenger movements in these markets were respectively 5.6% and 1% less than the same period last year.

January – September 2011

The results for the first nine months of the year, in terms of passenger movements, show an increase of 7.6% when compared to the same period last year, totalling 2,781,802 passenger movements. The increase of 4.7 percentage points in the seat load factor – which for the period January to September 2011 stands at 76.1% - together with the marginal increase of 1.1% in seat capacity was the main driver of this result.

Results

	*1 Sept –* *30 Sept 2011*	% Change*	*1 Jan –* *30 Sept 2011*	% Change*
Passenger Movements	382,389	2.4%	2,781,802	7.6%
Aircraft Movements	2,767	-10.6%	22,164	-1.4%
Cargo and Mail (in tonnes)	1,299	7.1%	11,749	-4.8%
Seat Capacity	459,425	-7.8%	3,657,052	1.1%
Seat Load Factor	83.2%	8.2 PPD	76.1%	4.7 PPD
MTOW (in tonnes)	228,090	-7.4%	1,822,370	-1%

Top Destinations (by Country)

	Country	*1 Sept –* *30 Sept 2011*	% Change*	*1 Jan –* *30 Sept 2011*	% Change*
1	UNITED KINGDOM	118,275	3.1%	846,191	5.1%
2	ITALY	63,197	-5.6%	495,182	-2.2%
3	GERMANY	55,821	22%	395,422	23.2%
4	FRANCE	24,005	10.2%	164,943	10.9%
5	SPAIN	20,555	-1%	149,093	5.6%

Top Destinations (by Airport)

	Airport	*1 Sept –* *30 Sept 2011*	% Change*	*1 Jan –* *30 Sept 2011*	% Change*
1	LONDON - GATWICK	31,689	-1.3%	217,494	-4.6%
2	FRANKFURT	21,182	21%	158,553	14.6%
3	ROME - FIUMICINO	21,177	-3.5%	175,347	-2.3%
4	MANCHESTER	19,732	-0.7%	131,013	-9.1%
5	LONDON - HEATHROW	18,140	-2.7%	152,878	2.7%

* compared to same period last year

Note: With the exception of cargo and mail and MTOW, all figures relate to scheduled & non-scheduled movements, excluding General Aviation.

timesofmalta.com

celebrating 7000 years of culture on Gozo

2011-09-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

This is an annual celebration of culture let off at the very heart of the Mediterranean, on the history laden island of Gozo.

Mythology has it that the charm of this island aided the most beautiful nymph Calypso to halt Ulysses on his journeys and hair-raising quests, to lull him, lure him away from his travels for seven mystical years. Today, Gozo's charm seeks to lure its visitors into a kaleidoscope of events, a celebration at that time of year that is in itself magical in this part of the world. Through Festival Mediterranea's diverse events, visitors will embark on their very own cultural adventure surfing through the island's seven thousand years of known history.
The festival uncovers the island in all its aspects, without eliminating the thrills of exploration and discovery. Festival Mediterranea offers all that Gozo boasts of in the cultural and artistic arena. Opera. Classical and symphonic music. A wealth of archaeology and history that is Gozo's heritage. Folklore and cuisine. The creativity of the Gozitan people who are islanders, a true and genuine people ... as are their products. And the backdrop to this festival is Gozo's sheer, natural beauty in warm autumn, October and November.

Festival Mediterranea unveils Gozo as a mosaic of Mediterranean civilisation, heritage and art. It is indeed a showpiece of a hundred things our own, an opportunity for a break from the routine of conventional life; a chance to immerse oneself in the mellow world of Gozo's autumn, and explore and live the cultural tradition of its 7000 years of history.

Live the Mediterranean.

...celebrating 7000 years of culture on Gozo.

source: mediterranea.com.mt

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

2011-09-29T03:30:00.000-07:00

English language teaching is well established on the Islands so schools have a pool of experienced teachers for all age and ability ranges. There are over 40 language schools in Malta and Gozo each with its own special learning and leisure-time atmosphere and range of courses.

If you need some help finding a school use the list below or view the official list of schools licensed by the Ministry of Education, which can be found here. If you need advice on any aspect of English language learning here contact FELTOM the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations in Malta. FELTOM works with the Education Ministry’s monitoring board in overseeing professional standards in language schools.

find the list here: http://www.visitmalta.com/language-schools

Globexs launches an Affiliate program

2011-09-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

Globexs Guests are expatriates, travelling professionals, explorers and frequent travelers.

But our main question always is: Why are our Guests coming to our destinations? Are they opening a branch of a foreign company? Attending an event? Learning a language? Touring with a theatre group? …. Or perhaps they are just travelling around Europe, free as a bird?

If you know the answer to these questions we would love you to affiliate with us. You can make a 10% commission on any booking that your friends or business contacts place with Globexs. And our local Globexs agent will make sure that your Guests will receive the true Globexs Experience, whether that is in Belgium, Valencia or Malta.

Register by sending us an email (affiliates@globexs.com), and you will receive a login and password. On your own personal page you will be able to check the booking of the people you directed to Globexs and your commissions earned.

Do not hesitate to contact us for more information or click here to get redirected to our Affiliate page.

Maltese (Malti)

2011-09-05T01:34:00.000-07:00

Maltese is a Central Semitic language spoken by about 350,000 people on the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo. The Maltese language developed from the Siculo-Arabic or Sicilian Arabic, a form of Arabic that developed in Sicily and Malta between the 9th and 14th centuries. Siculo-Arabic was extinct in Sicily by about 1300, but continued to be spoken in Malta and evolved into Maltese. The first reference to Malta having a distinct language dates from 1364, and the language is first referred to as lingua maltensi in the will of a certain Pawlu Peregrino from 1436.

There is also a theory that Maltese developed from Carthaginian or Punic, the language of Carthage, which was a form of Phoenician. This theory was endorsed by Giacomo Bosio in his book, Dell'Istoria della Sacra Religione et Illustrissima Militia di San Giovanni Gierosolimitano (The History of the Sacred Religion and Illustrious Militia of St John of Jerusalem), written between 1594 and 1602. As Carthaginian and Arabic are both Semitic languages that developed from the same roots, it is difficult to be sure whether Maltese words arrived via Carthaginian or Arabic.

The first known literary text in Maltese, II Cantilena, appeared during the 15th century, the first Maltese dicitonary was published in 1649.

As well as the Arabs who began taking over Malta in 870 AD, Malta was occupied by Norman-speaking Normans from 1090, and between 1530 and 1798 by the Knights Hospitaller of St John who spoke French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Latin and German. In 1800 Malta became a British colony and the British tried to replace Italian with English as the local language. As a result, about half of the vocabulary of Maltese comes from Sicilian and Italian, and a fifth comes from English. Maltese also contains quite a bit of vocabulary from Norman and French.

After Malta become independent in 1964 both English and Maltese were given official status and Maltese became the national language of Malta. Today Maltese is used in most sectors of public life, including parliament, the church, the press and other media, and in general conversation. English is generally the preferred medium of instruction in schools, especially at the higher levels of the educational system.

Sample text

Il-bnedmin kollha jitwieldu ħielsa u ugwali fid-dinjità u d-drittijiet.
Huma mogħnija bir-raġuni u bil-kuxjenza u għandhom igibu ruħhom ma'
xulxin bi spirtu ta' aħwa.

Listen to a recording of this text by Sami Kleit

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.

(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

(onmiglot)

Mdina - the old capital of Malta

2011-08-31T23:21:00.000-07:00

Mdina is the old capital of Malta. It is a medieval town, with narrow quiet streets, situated in the centre of the island. It is also known as the "Silent City" and commands a magnificent view of the Island. Today, no cars (other than those of a limited number of residents) are allowed in Mdina and there is a calming atmosphere as one walks along its narrow streets and ways. The city displays an unusual mix of Norman and Baroque architecture, including several palaces, most of which serve as private homes. The Cathedral is worth visiting and is fronted by a large square.

Air Malta August update

2011-08-13T00:52:00.000-07:00

Schedules for Winter 2011 – 2012 and Summer 2012 to be announced this month
Air Malta CEO Peter Davies has informed all employees of the national carrier that the management is making good progress on concluding agreements with each of the unions involved in the process on key issues, including the Voluntary Redundancy Schemes and the new organisation structure of the airline. No agreement has yet been reached and discussions are ongoing.
In an internal communication issued to employees, Mr Davies explained that the discussions with the respective unions have continued and that he was envisaging that announcements could be made in the “next few weeks.”
Mr Davies also updated the employees on progress being achieved as part of the restructuring process. He explained that the airline is making good progress in a number of critical areas and that there are over 150 improvement projects to be implemented. Some of these projects have already started and these include the negotiations of the MIA contract, the review of the catering contract, the negotiations with the airline’s ICT provider, a number of initiatives to exploit the cargo segment, and reviewing of costs related to the ground handling aspect of the business.
The CEO added that the airline will be focusing – as a priority - on the improvement projects that will have the biggest impact on cost, productivity and revenue enhancement.
Peter Davies referred to the recent appointment of Philip Saunders as the airline’s new Chief Commercial Officer and explained that for the first time the Commercial Department will also incorporate cabin crew and ground services. He also announced that the management has just completed the planning of the schedules for winter 2011 – 2012 and summer 2012. These will be published later on this month. This exercise is critical in providing the foundations for the restructuring plan and keenly anticipated by sales partners including tour operators and travel agents.
Air Malta has also just appointed Nicholas Xuereb as the new Chief Financial Officer of the national airline. He will be handling the airline’s financial management, corporate financing, revenue accounting and supporting the implementation of the restructuring plan. With this appointment the airline has significantly strengthened its finance department.

Corinthia Hotels 'at the leading edge'

2011-08-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

Corinthia Hotels has been awarded a prestigious Leading Edge Award in the Editor's Pick category of American Express Publishing's Executive Travel magazine, in recognition of leadership within its properties.

The annual Leading Edge Awards acknowledges industry leaders that are taking business travel in new directions, changing the way that executives experience travel.

Executive Travel in its July/August 2011 issue, praised Corinthia Hotels for combining historic restoration and dynamic modern design, noting that its properties in London, St. Petersburg, Tripoli, Budapest, Lisbon, Prague and Malta, highlight local architecture and cultural traditions.

Executive Travel added that more business travellers want to experience their destinations fully, and the hospitality industry has begun to respond with distinctive properties that give guests a truly indigenous experience.

The announcement of the Leading Edge Award follows the opening of Corinthia Hotel London in Whitehall Place, in May of this year. Corinthia's new flagship is an intricately restored grand hotel with a 21st century approach.

General Manager Matthew Dixon said, "The Hotel has a modern elegance that is defined by a blend of classic Victorian architecture with outstanding craftsmanship and contemporary art, mirroring the energy, style and history of the area. Guests are offered all the modern luxuries whilst enjoying an authentic experience in a hotel and location with heritage." Corinthia Hotel London is ideally located in the heart of London, a short walk from many of the city's major attractions.

"It is a great honour to have Corinthia Hotels' craftsmanship of care design and operating philosophy endorsed by such a prestigious American business publication," said Alfred Pisani, founder and Chairman of Corinthia Hotels. "Since starting Corinthia in Malta in the 1960s, we have delivered caring service to our guests at the highest possible standards. In a world of mass produced experiences, we offer to our guests the made-to-measure. We believe the attention to detail that elevates a craftsman can elevate the experience of visiting one of our hotels. This is our mission, it is embedded in everything we do, and everything we say."

Janet Libert, Editor in Chief of Executive Travel stated, "'Editors Picks' are an insightful way for us to acknowledge companies that are impacting the travel industry and changing the experience for travellers. Very frequent business travellers, like our Executive Travel readers, drive a significant portion of a travel company's revenue, therefore our readers' opinions and travel habits are critical to the success of many hotels."

source: timesofmalta

Invest your time in Malta

2011-08-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

Malta makes divorce legal

2011-07-31T04:25:00.000-07:00

In an historic vote, Maltese MPs passed legislation to legalise divorce this week (25 July), after a small majority voted in a May referendum to change the law.

The law was passed with 52 members in favour and 11 against amid five abstentions. Back in May, Maltese citizens backed the change despite the opposition of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and his Nationalist Party. Apart from a brief period when the island fell under Napoleon's rule for some two years, divorce has never legally existed there. Malta is the only EU country to have banned divorce. Previously Maltese citizens could only obtain divorce abroad. In the last 30 years, 785 couples divorced this way, with numbers gradually rising from seven in 1981 to 47 in 2010.

"The amendments to the original Divorce Bill had improved the law but this does not mean I'm happy with it," Gonzi told reporters after the vote, in which he allowed MPS to vote according to their conscience. He added that he would feel "uncomfortable" about the introduction of divorce in a country where 95% of the population is Catholic. Valletta's Archbishop Paul Cremona had warned churchgoers in a letter that they faced a choice between building and destroying family values. In addition, priests reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who voted 'yes'. Abortion is still banned in Malta.

Malta participates in the EU's cross-border divorce agreement. Last year, fourteen EU member states used a pioneering cooperation mechanism to press ahead with plans to simplify divorce rules for couples of different nationalities. European Union governments gave the 14 states the go-ahead on Monday, a moment described as "historic" by EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding. Couples in these countries will be able to choose which country's law applies to their divorce, helping them to avoid potentially long and expensive proceedings. The countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain.

After the rules were approved, the Maltese government said that despite its position against divorce, the island wanted to take part in the new mechanism as "it feels its interests will be better represented inside the mechanism than outside". Malta can now be involved in all future negotiations on the directive.

Source: euractiv.com

Malta is officially a Globexs destination

2011-07-24T03:24:00.001-07:00

Malta is now officially a Globexs destination with the incorporation of 5 properties. On globexs.com our Guests can find a selection of 3 properties in Malta (flats in Marsascala and Sliema, and a villa in Santa Maria) and 2 properties in Gozo (villas in Zebbug and Munxar). The properties have been carefully selected based upon our experiences in Spain and Belgium. We know what our Guests are looking for: top quality properties in top locations, suitable for a professional experience in Malta.

Globexs Guests are expats, travelling professionals and explorers. Whether they are looking for peace and quietness in Gozo or a busy metropolitan lifestyle in Malta, Globexs.com offers the best options. All properties, flats and villas with private pools, carry the Globexs Quality Label.

As in our other destinations we offer an extensive range of destination services in Malta. 24h help line, language courses, bookings, weekend trips, translations, social orientation, legal assistance, etc. All these services enable us to offer you an exclusive Globexs Experience. We take care of the practical side of your stay in Malta so that you settle in immediately. After all, you are in Malta to work...

We thank in the first place our local agent, Debbie Vella, who spend a lot of effort and time in selecting the best locations and the best flats. With her experience in tourism she will also be the perfect host in the Globexs business environment. Thanks as well to the owners of the properties for their confidence in Globexs and for their willingness to comply with the Globexs Quality Label.

Welcome to Malta and enjoy your stay!

Tiscar Navarro,

GLOBEXS.COM

Malta properties on GLOBEXS.COM

2011-07-24T02:31:00.001-07:00

Zombies op Malta

2011-07-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

Wie deze zomer zombies en zon wil combineren, doet er goed aan een tripje naar Malta te boeken. Grote delen van het Mediterrane eiland worden momenteel overspoeld door zombies.

Al zijn de hongerige ondoden op het eiland (natuurlijk) niet echt. De productie World War Z is er neergestreken om de komende weken opnames te maken. World War Z zal de liefhebber van horrorverhalen ongetwijfeld niet onbekend voorkomen. Het door Max Brooks geschreven World War Z: An Oral History Of The Zombie War is namelijk al jaren een van de meest populaire en meest geprezen zombieromans. Dit onder meer omdat het verhaal, opgebouwd uit ooggetuigenverslagen van overlevenden van een zombie epidemie, een mooie kijk in de menselijke psyche geeft en ook nog eens vanuit verschillende nationaliteiten werkt. Dit waar reguliere zombieromans (en films) zich doorgaans in de westerse wereld (en met name Amerika) afspelen.

Brad Pitt heeft met zijn productiemaatschappij Plan B Entertainment de rechten gekocht van het boek en na enkele jaren vol problemen om de financiering rond te krijgen, zijn de opnames afgelopen weekend daadwerkelijk gestart. De eerste scènes die op Malta zijn gefilmd, moeten zich gaan afspelen in Israël. Dat land heeft in het boek de grenzen hermetisch gesloten om de epidemie buiten te houden. Op de website van de Britse tabloid The Daily Mail zijn de eerste foto’s te zien.

Natuurlijk gaat bij hen de meeste aandacht uit naar enkele van de kinderen van Brad Pitt en eega Angelina Jolie op de set. Pitt is namelijk niet alleen producent, hij is ook nog eens hoofdrolspeler in de film die hij heeft omschreven als ‘zombies ontmoeten The Bourne Identity’. Maar wie even voorbij de kinderschare van Pitt scrollt, ziet in ieder geval veel lijken, blinde paniek en een leger dat klaar staat om in te grijpen. Lang niet genoeg om nu al te oordelen of de film de moeite waard gaat worden, maar wel om te zien dat er in ieder geval veel budget tegenaan wordt gesmeten. De hele maand worden nog rond de Maltese hoofdstad Valletta opname gemaakt. In augustus verhuist de productie naar Glasgow. Marc Foster regisseert, de film moet in de zomer van 2012 af zijn.

source: http://denachtvlinders.nl

the Italian man who went to Malta

2011-07-10T01:17:00.001-07:00

Joseph Calleja presents magnificent concert

2011-07-10T01:04:00.000-07:00

Joseph Calleja gave a magnificent concert on the Granaries in Floriana yesterday, accompanied by New Zealand soprano Hayley Westenra and Italian legend Lucio Dalla.

The tenor paid tribute to Mary Fenech Adami with a rendition of Ave Maria and to the late President Emeritus Guido de Marco when he sang Caruso.

The concert was presented by NnG Productions.

The concert was the first of four for Calleja this month. On the 20th he will participate in a gala concert in Regensburg, Germany. On the 24th he features in the BBC Proms and on the 28th he will be in Jerusalem with soprano Renée Fleming and conductor Zubin Mehta at a concert honouring the legacy of American tenor Richard Tucker.

source: timesofmalta

Demonstration in support of Air Malta workers

2011-07-09T03:03:00.000-07:00

A demonstration in support of Air Malta workers is being held in Valletta next Friday at 4 p.m.

The four unions representing Air Malta employees told a news conference, organised by the Forum, this morning that the demonstration was aimed at saving the airline and not against it.

They appealed to all workers and other unions to take part. Air Malta wants to shed 511 workers.

Forum president John Bencini said that as the management was having talks with the four unions individually, the way forward was still unclear.

The four unions are the General Workers' Union, the Airline Pilots Association, the Union of Cabin Crew and the Association of Airline Engineers.

Pilots have voted to strike on July 16.

source: Timesofmalta

Malta Deputy Prime Minister meets Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister

2011-07-08T00:28:00.000-07:00

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Tonio Borg held a bilateral meeting with Minister Trinidad Jiménez.

During the meeting, both ministers highlighted the excellent relations between Spain and Malta, a country with which we share historical ties and interests in the Mediterranean.

Regionally, the Ministers discussed the inauguration of the new secretary general of the Union for the Mediterranean, Youssef Amrani and stressed the need to promote this initiative for regional cooperation and contribute to strengthening democratic processes in the bank Southern Mediterranean.

In the economic sphere, the Ministers stressed the considerable increase in the tourist trade thanks to direct flights from Spanish companies to Malta. Minister Borg expressed his willingness to further boost economic exchanges with Spain, especially in the financial sector, in renewable energy and the pharmaceutical industry.

Living And Working In Malta

2011-07-08T00:15:00.000-07:00

Area: 316 km2

Population: 413,609

Capital: Valletta

Largest city: Birkirkara

President: George Abela

Currency: Euro

Minimum Wage: €142.39 a week

Languages: Maltese, English

Main Industries: Foreign Trade, Manufacturing (Electronics And Pharmaceuticals), Tourism

Main Banks: Central Bank of Malta Bank of Valletta Plc. HSBC Bank Malta

Malta Economy Facts

Currently, Malta’s major resources are limestone, a favourable geographic location and a productive labour force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies and has no domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade (serving as a freight trans-shipment point), manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles) and tourism. Malta does not have a property tax. Maltese PPS GDP per capita stood at 76 per cent of the EU average in 2008.

Tourism

Malta is a popular tourist destination, with 1.2 million tourists every year.Three times more tourists visit than there are residents. Tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and a number of good-quality hotels are present on the island, although overdevelopment and the destruction of traditional housing is of growing concern. An increasing number of Maltese now travel abroad on holiday. Although they are still a net importer of tourism, the ratio of inbound tourists to outbound tourists is decreasing. Also the film production is a growing contributor to the Maltese economy, with several big-budget foreign films shooting in Malta each year.

Europe

The country has increased the exports of many other types of services such as banking and finance. The government is investing heavily in education, including college. Malta has recently privatized some state-controlled firms and liberalized markets in order to prepare for membership in the European Union, which it joined on 1 May 2004. For example, the government announced on 8 January 2007 that it is selling its 40% stake in Maltapost, in order to complete a privatization process which has been ongoing for the past five years. In 2010, Malta has managed to privatize telecommunications, postal services, shipyards and shipbuilding this year public transport was privatized in July.

Malta and Tunisia are currently discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for petroleum exploration. These discussions are also undergoing between Malta and Libya for similar arrangements.

Malta links

Temporary Job Opportunities: www.anyworkanywhere.com

Government Immigration Service: www.foreign.gov.mt

Government Tax Service: www.ird.gov.mt

Government Employment Service: www.ect.gov.mt

Sources: Eurostat, Wikipedia

Belgian beer in Malta

2011-07-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

The small country of Belgium produces more beer styles than any other country in the world. The book "All Belgian Beers" lists 752 different beers and only 42 are lagers. The rest are top frermenting ALES.

The Belgian Tourism Agency promotes Belgium as "beer paradise" The Belgian Beer Shop in Malta brings a small part of Beer paradise to the Malese marketplace - including "Abbey" style blonds, dubbels and tripels, white (wheat, wit, wiezen) beers, amber ale, flemish brown ale, strong golden ale, very strong "barley wine" and fruit beers.

So whilst Belgium may be home to the worlds biggest brewing company (AB Inbev, owners of Stella, Becks, Budweiser etc), it also has a huge number of small independent and very traditional brewers. So what do these`small independent breweries produce?

Most concentrate on producing "ales" not lagers with alcohol strengths from 3% to 12%, with colours from nearly white to black.
There are 6 abbeys that produce beers to earn money to maintain their abbeys. And only these 6 can call their beers "Trappist".
There are commercial breweries who produce beers named after abbeys (paying them for the use of the name) or beers brewed to taste similar to the Trappist ales.
There are old brown beers - which are aged for several years.
There are beers that are brewed using wheat and barley rather than just barley that are naturally cloudy and are very refreshing.
There is a very old tradition in Belgium for using fruit, particularly cherries in the brewing proccess.
There are very strong beers, which are more wine than beer!
There are beers brewed by spontaneous fermentation - that's using yeast blowing around in the atmosphere
Some breweries use herbs and spices in their beers
And there are beers blenders who mix beers to get the tastes they want
And we could go on

The best bars or cafes to sample Belgian beer are of course in Belgium itself. The specialist beer cafes will have a huge range, the proper glasses , table service only and often very knowledgable waiters. But in other parts of Europe there are pubs, cafes and bars that offer a wide range of Belgian beers with very keen owners and staff. Here are some of our favorites both in Belgium and in other countries we have visited and now some in Malta too

Thanks Belgian Beer Shop for bringing us Belgian Beer!

Carmel Busuttil

2011-07-04T05:38:00.000-07:00

In my hometown, Genk, Belgium, there was a very good Maltese football player. Great memories I have from this guy! This is the information I found on the internet about him. Carmel Busuttil (born February 29, 1964 in Ir-Rabat, Malta) is one of Malta's most experienced football players. Now retired from playing, he is assistant coach of the Malta national football team.

Busuttil started his career with Rabat Ajax and won 2 titles there. He then went on to have a short one year spell at Verbania Calcio in Italy, where he was capped 20 times and scored 8 goals. He then moved on to spend 6 years playing for Belgian Club FC KRC Genk (322), four of them as captain, and finishing as the club's top scorer for three seasons. In 1994 he returned to play for the Maltese club Sliema Wanderers. He was capped 113 times for the Malta national football team and was their top scorer with 23 goals, until recently Michael Mifsud broke Busuttil's record.

I could not find a video on Busuttil, but I came up with this one. Globexs is a Spanish company, so I just have to show this video... no offence of course. We are going back in time to 21 december 1983. Entering the last qualifying match for the 1984 UEFA EUROPEAN CUP, Spain needed to defeat Malta by at least 11 goals. And they did... What a match!

Quality Coast 2011 - Gozo, Malta in top 10

2011-07-01T03:03:00.000-07:00

Tijdens de ceremonie voor de 'Quality Coast 2011 – Southern European awards' is Gozo, het groene zustereiland van Malta, verkozen tot één van de tien mooiste bestemmingen in Zuid-Europa. In totaal werden maar liefst 500 Zuid-Europese kustplaatsen beoordeeld.

Gozo mag dan wel kleiner zijn dan Malta, het rotsachtige eiland heeft heel wat te bieden. Zo is het een prima toevluchtsoord voor vakantiegangers die hun drukke stadsleven even willen inruilen voor het charmante platteland. Hier kan je onder meer genieten van ongerepte natuurpracht en onverstoord zonnen op een van de vele afgelegen zandstranden. Zit je liever in de schaduw, dan vind je vast een eeuwenoude boom waaronder je je kan installeren.

Hoewel Gozo vooral bekend staat als een rustige bestemming, hoeven avontuurlijke types niet te vrezen dat ze zich hier zullen vervelen. Integendeel, duiken is big business op het eiland. Langs de ruige kustlijn liggen immers enkele van de mooiste duikplekjes in de Middellandse Zee. Ook cultuurliefhebbers komen hier aan hun trekken dankzij de vele historische sites die Gozo rijk is.

Source: nieuwsblad.be

Opera in Malta

2011-07-01T02:59:00.000-07:00

Joseph Calleja - The Maltese Tenor - will perform at the Granaries in Floriana on Saturday 9th July, 2011 together with Italian pop star Lucio Dalla and soprano Hayley Westenra.

source: visitmalta.com