The winter months are not known for attracting many tourists to Malta. And this is perhaps because, as a country, we still do not offer enough incentives to attract more tourists to spend some time during winter here.

Malta is known predominantly as a country of sea and sun, which is why the majority of tourists come here during the summer months. Others prefer the shoulder periods, probably to avoid the stifling heat of summer.

The weather could, however, also come to our aid in winter. Maltese winters are normally rather mild compared to those of other European countries, and when we do have what we call a tough winter, it does not last that long anyway.

And so, while most European countries have to grapple with the cold, the snow and the rain, Malta’s winter weather is in itself an incentive for those people who would like to visit somewhere a bit warmer.

It seems, however, that not enough is being done to market Malta’s mild winters in a bid to push up tourist figures during this time of the year.

Added to this, no special activities which may attract such visitors are scheduled. A quick look at the What’s On section on the website of the Malta Tourism Authority gives one a clearer indication that such events are hard to come by during the winter period.

Apart from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which, after all, was not a tourist attraction, all that is listed for November and December are a Challenge Marathon and the World Premier Beatles Show scheduled for New Year’s Eve. There is nothing happening in January, there is Carnival in February and, for March, there is the Malta marathon and the Mediterranean Food Festival.

Other activities, including re-enactments, are listed elsewhere on the MTA website, but one has to ask if they being promoted sufficiently outside Malta to bring in more tourists.

Activities that have started being held in the so-called shoulder months – such as the Fireworks Festival in late April and the Historic Cities Festival in October – were intended to put Malta on the tourist map outside the summer months.

Again, these activities are held in the shoulder months – not during winter. It is believed that a concerted effort should be made to increase the number of events both during the shoulder months and during the winter season – and to market them well.

For example, Malta has many traditions during Christmas, but are these promoted enough? Do foreigners known about the cribs they can visit and the processions that are held with the Baby Jesus? The MTA, quite rightly, feels it fit to market Holy Week activities on its website. Would it not also be appropriate to inform foreigners about what they can find in Malta during Christmas Week?

Malta could also be marketed as a Christmas shopping destination. As from November, all shopkeepers present all their wares in the best possible way to attract buyers. Malta does not have as many shopping complexes as there are abroad, but we do have the advantage of shopping areas such as Valletta, Sliema, Hamrun, Mosta, Paola and San Gwann where there are many shops close to each other.

Our milder winter makes Malta an ideal destination for winter shopping, and we should therefore make the most of it.

It would be good to know what plans the MTA has to promote Malta as a tourist destination, in particular in winter but also for the rest of the year.

The number of tourists who will have visited Malta by the end of the year is not expected to reach the figure targeted, apart from the fact that per capita expenditure is not increasing. But that’s another story…