Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis yesterday lauded Air Malta’s contribution to the tourism sector, at an event celebrating the air line’s 40 years of operations.

Dr Zammit Lewis said that the tourism sector contributed makes up 25% of Malta’s gross domestic product, and employs thousands of people.

“Airline services are crucial, both for bringing tourists to Malta and for allowing Maltese to venture abroad on work, for education purposes and on holiday. This link was, is, and always will be important for us Maltese,” Dr Zammit Lewis said.

The tourism minister said that Air Malta has a crucial role to play in all of this.