Exciting news! The team at Colours of Malta will be attending IMEX Frankfurt 2023 between 23rd and 25th May at stand number D120. If you’re interested in learning more about our creative approach to event planning and our commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences for our clients, we’d love to meet you!

Our team of experienced professionals will be available to answer any questions you may have and discuss how we can partner with you to create unique and authentic MICE experiences for your clients.

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the Colours of Malta staff at IMEX Frankfurt 2023. Come and visit us at stand number D120. We can’t wait to see you there!

Contact us via email at Steve@com.com.mt or directly on Imex portal on https://imex-frankfurt.com/newfront/exhibitor/colours-of-malta

Malta’s national airline, Air Malta will officially be replaced by a new flag-carrier and is expected to continue operating right until the new one takes over by the end of the year.

The fact that the country’s national airline was expected to wind down operations had become an open secret in recent months, especially following reports made that the airline was to undergo dissolution by the end of the year.

It is likely that the new airline will take on the Alitalia – ITA solution, which saw a new, debt-free Italian national airline acquire half of the original airline’s aircraft and a quarter of its staff and had an investment plan approved by the EU Commission.

The airline’s Executive Chairman, Mr David Curmi. explained that the new airline will have its own booking platform, and that the old company will operate right until the new one takes over, allowing a seamless transition. This is unlike what happened with Alitalia – ITA, which refunded flights booked for customers past the date of dissolution.

However, it is not yet clear how many of the routes the new airline will inherit from the original one.

The decision to start a new debt-free airline to replace Air Malta comes after Malta failed to receive permission from the EU Commission to give the ailing airline a capital injection of 290 million. Despite slashing headcount by 50 per cent and removing unprofitable routes, it was unable to convince the EU Commission.

Read the full article: https://whoswho.mt/en/air-malta-to-be-replaced-by-a-new-national-airline-by-the-end-of-the-year-exec-chairman-confirms

During November 2022, a total of 174,460 inbound tourists were estimated to have visited Malta. 144,631 of said tourists visited the island for holiday purposes whereas 23,615 visited the island for business purposes.

The largest share of inbound tourists were aged between 25 and 44 (ranking at 40.7%), followed by the 45 to 64 age bracket at 35.4%.

The United Kingdom, Italy and France had the most residents making up the number of inbound tourists, making up 42.4% of the total.

The total nights spent went up 36.3% when compared to the same month in 2021, surpassing 1.2 million nights at 1,203,802 nights.

The largest share of guest nights at 81.1% was spent in rented accommodation establishments, whereas the average length of stay for total inbound tourists stood at 6.9 nights.

€144.1 million was surpassed as the total tourist expenditure for the month, which is up 55.8% over the same month in 2021. The average expenditure per night was estimated to be around €119.7.

The first eleven month of 2022 saw 2,150,174 inbound tourists, whereas the total nights surpassed 15.6 million nights. The total tourist expenditure was estimated to be at €1.9 billion, with total expenditure per capita decreasing to €889 from €914 in 2021.

Last week in collaboration with our partners at Visit Malta, we invited a handful of top French agencies to experience a few days discovering the Maltese Islands from cover to cover. A mix of history, culture, adrenaline activities, top dining, and the most idyllic October weather, set the perfect backdrop for this French educational.

We thank all our preferred suppliers for supporting us with their hospitality and creativity in order to give our guests a memory of our islands that will never fade!

Due to its position in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta has been a crossroads of exchanges and peoples for millennia, which over time have formed the cultural and identity of the island. Different folk traditions will meet once again in Malta through this event for a mutual cultural exchange and enrichment.

The first two editions of this festival, organised by EuroArt Production and Leon Promotions, were a huge success with the participation of several groups from several European countries, such as Italy, Austria, Spain, Estonia, India, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia and of course from Malta and Gozo. This year the festival will be held between the 23rd and 25th September. During the 3 days of this International Festival, parades and performances will be held in various locations around the island of Malta.

Learn more: https://www.maltainternationalfoodfestival.com/

Whether you want to spend your golden years on a Caribbean beach or European village, the idea of retiring abroad sure is appealing. But how should you decide where to settle down? We suggest you check out the 2022 Retirement Index from International Living, an annual list of destinations where a retired couple can live comfortably on as little as $2,000 a month.

Now in its 31st year, the Retirement Index pulls information from hundreds of on-the-ground editors and correspondents around the world. Along with the editors’ personal accounts, the countries are quantified across 10 categories: Housing, Benefits & Discounts, Visas & Residence, Fitting In/Entertainment, Development, Climate, Healthcare, Governance, Opportunity, and Cost of Living. The goal is to find locations where retirees can spend less money, live happily and healthily, and experience a new country without straying too far from all that is familiar.

The top 10 countries for 2022 are a mix of cultural hubs in Europe and outdoor havens in Central and South America. View the full list here.

Why retire in Malta?

About 50 miles south of Sicily, Malta is the tenth smallest country in the entire world—but don’t let its lack of square milage deter you. The archipelago nation compares to the best of other countries: the beaches and ancient cities of Italy, the aromatic spices and seafood-focused cuisine of North Africa, the language and tea culture of England. It’s no wonder that 15 percent of the residents here are expats.

Much of the population is packed in the capital city of Valletta, which is a two-hour flight from most European capitals. The city is filled with museums and delicious tapas restaurants, with snorkeling spots, hiking trails, and ruins older than Stonehenge just a quick car or ferry ride away. The gloriously warm climate, abundance of activities, and aforementioned English-speaking locals make Malta a great place for retirees.

Cost of living: Malta is by no means the cheapest country in Europe, but it still offers lower prices than the U.S. and Canada. Modern, one-bedroom apartments in Valletta can reach up to $1,600 per month, but you can find options as low as $800 in smaller fishing villages. Factoring in rent, utilities, groceries, healthcare, and transportation, you can expect to spend around $2,330 per month here.

Healthcare: Unfortunately, expats cannot access Malta’s excellent public healthcare system, but the private insurance options are high-quality and inexpensive (some Maltese citizens even opt for private insurance over the free public healthcare). Premiums range from around $50-300 per month, but out-of-pocket costs are quite low—around $20 for a basic visit and $65 for a specialist, and medications at a fraction of what they cost in the U.S.

Visa requirements: The Malta permanent residence visa is the best option for non-EU nationals. To qualify, you must earn an annual income of at least $25,263, open a Maltese bank account, and either purchase a house worth at least $329,514 or pay $10,984 in annual rent. Residency permit applications can only be submitted in person at the Department for Citizenship and Expatriates Affairs in Valletta.

For more detailed information about residency requirements, click here.

The Ministry for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority are pleased to announce that the 21st edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival will be taking place on seven nights between Sunday 17th April and Saturday 30th April 2022. Each night promises to be a beautiful display of colour and coordination, and the closing night is bound to be a true spectacle.

The festival also has a competitive edge! Each year, the festival hosts a Pyromusical competition, which means that the fireworks are designed to match the rhythm of a musical number! Awards are then distributed to the most impressive displays.