The Minister for Tourism Edward Zammit Lewis this morning launched the new turnaround Malta to Malta cruise operation on board the Mein Schiff 2, which is due to commence in 2016.

During his address the Minister explained that this operation will build upon the already strong relationship which exists between our Islands and TUI Cruises.

The Minister also re-affirmed Government's firm commitment to increase efforts and investment, for further growth in home-porting operations as well as cruise-and-stay business.

The Minister remarked that 2016 will be the sixth year of TUI Cruises' home porting operations in Malta and since 2011 TUI Cruises shipped over approximately a quarter of a million passengers to Malta.

"It is primarily thanks to initiatives such as the TUI Mein Schiff Programme that Malta's cruise sector has been successfully evolving and growing from one which was exclusively a port-of-call, to one which now includes home-porting."

"Since the inception of this programme, and as a result of TUI Cruises operating out of Valletta, the Maltese tourism industry has been benefiting in various ways," said the Minister for Tourism.

He added that, the cruise-liner market in general has undoubtedly taken on a critical importance within the context of Malta's tourism industry.

The Minister for Tourism Edward Zammit Lewis emphasised that every year, cruise ships deliver to over half a million travellers the opportunity to have a first taste of what the Maltese archipelago has to offer. "Eventually a substantial number of these first time visitors also come back to our Islands for a longer stay, therefore generating even further business."

He also referred to cruise passenger data released recently. During the first nine months of this year, the number of cruise passengers increased by more than 33%, when compared to the same period in 2014, to reach a figure of more than 420,000.

"The number of calls made by cruise ships also rose by 16, leading to a total of 219 calls between January and September, marking an increase of 7.9% when compared to the same period last year."

"These results reflect the concerted and co-ordinated drive by all stakeholders to develop our product and promote Malta's increasing attractiveness and popularity as a leading cruise destination in the Central Mediterranean, in what is a highly competitive market," added the Minister for Tourism.

The Minister for Tourism Edward Zammit Lewis stated that Malta's success in this industry and in particular TUI Cruises' home porting operations, is the result of efficient collaboration between all parties involved, including the TUI Mein Schiff management, the crews and TUI's partners in Malta.

"I wish the Captain and crew of the TUI Mein Schiff 2 a successful 2016 season, and I look forward to our continued and enhanced collaboration in the many years to come," concluded the Minister for Tourism.

Photograph: DOI/Jeremy Wonnacott

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