SPECIALIST operators to Malta are suffering from a shortage of top-end five-star hotel beds this summer as mainstream operators switch-sell clients away from the Balkans and Turkey.
Allocations are being squeezed as clients opt for holidays clear of the war-torn Balkans region and are put off visiting Turkey by threats from Kurdish terrorist group, the PKK.
The pressure on hotels has been heightened by film crews and casts working in Malta on productions that include the new Steven Spielberg epicGladiators.
Malta Tourist Office UK director Jeffrey Cutajar said:”There has been an overbooking problem and as a result some hotels are on stop-sale.
“Operators are seeking extra capacity because of the Turkey situation and the German market in particular is booming. There’s also the fear the Balkans conflict will spread to affect the immediate area.”
Cadogan Holidays managing director Gary David confirmed: “There’s serious overbooking. We’ve had 14 hotels on stop-sale this year and that’s 40% of our Malta programme.
“We saw it in the Gulf war and now it’s happening again. The big operators strong in Greece and Turkey are putting pressure on Malta and we’re having to switch clients to other destinations.”
Belleair general manager Martin Zahra said: “Some four and five-star hotels are under pressure at the moment and we’re in a stop-sale situation. But it’s in hoteliers’ interests to look after the specialists, who unlike the mainstream operators don’t have the luxury of being able to move capacity from Malta to other destinations if hotels are full.
“Experience tells me the situation won’t resolve itself as Malta is on a roll this year. With availability tight on four and five-star beds, my message is to book early.”
However, Cutajar expects the top-end bed shortage to resolve itself in the next few weeks, by which time Malta should be well on course for a second successive record tourism year.
This year’s first-quarter figures showed a 13% increase over 1998, with UK numbers up 2% at 78,560.
“Last summer I was looking at 1% growth for 1999, but we should improve on that – winter has performed better than expected and summer is looking extremely positive,” said Cutajar.
Malta hosted a total of 448,763 UK visitors last year, 38% of the 1.18m total but still down on the British record of 557,620 set in 1980. The second strongest market was Germany, with 203,199.
Maltese promotion this year focuses on tour operator roadshows with the tourist office again co-hosting a series of shows with Cadogan. Some 15 events are planned for this autumn, when the destination will resume its Maltese Islands trade and consumer advertising campaign.
“I’ve been disappointed with the overall lack of funding available for marketing and hope that when the Malta Tourism Authority comes into being, there will be a greater injection of cash,” said Cutajar. The bill for the creation of the Malta Tourism Authority, tourism’s new umbrella body, is currently being processed through parliament. The MTA is due to be phased in before the autumn.
Between 1,500 and 2,000 agents will be hosted on educationals to Malta this year, travelling in groups of up to 100.
Around 800 Going Places agency staff are also visiting Malta as a follow-up to last year’s conference staged by the multiple on the island.