Major Maltese events planned

New figures show that Malta has remained a very popular holiday spot for British holidaymakers and a host of upcoming events mean that the island's popularity looks set to continue.

Data released by the Malta Tourism Authority shows that British and Irish visits to the island increased by 10.4 per cent in the first seven month of the year.

In total, 633,242 British and Irish holidaymakers have travelled to Malta since the beginning of 2007.

"The overall growth can be attributed to a combination of increased awareness of the variety Malta has to offer, year-round events and low-cost carriers entering the market," explained Chris Fenech, a director at the Malta Tourism Authority.

A pair of major events are sure to attract even more Brits to Malta in the coming months.

First up is the spectacular Caravaggio exhibition being hosted by Heritage Malta. Around ten painting by the Italian painter will be on display at the Museum of Archaeology in Republic Street between September and November.

The exhibition is celebrating the 400th anniversary of Caravaggio's arrival on the island in 1607.

Then, in November, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh will pay a short visit to the island.

The royal couple are well acquainted with Malta as they lived on the island intermittently between 1946 and 1953.

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