Pullmantur Cruises is expected to bring over to Malta around 30,000 passengers between June to September of this year. Pullmantur’s TSS Sky Wonder, which is the company’s flagship, shall call at Valletta 21 times. The ship carries 1,550 passengers and weighs 47,000 tons.
Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech announced the re-introduction of Pullmantur Cruises to Malta on a regular basis during a press conference at the Valletta Waterfront.
Mondial Holidays and VISET Malta were represented at this press conference together with Sam Mifsud, Chairman MTA.
He said Pullmantur Cruises is returning to Malta after an absence of three years. He said that this will contribute towards VISET’s target of between 420,000 and 425,000 passengers this year.
Minister Zammit Dimech said that the cruising industry is a fast growing sector. He said that last year 408,046 passengers came to Malta aboard cruise liners – 87,740 more passengers, or a 7.4 per cent increase.
The minister said that cruise passengers also had a direct bearing on our tourism sector. He said that according to a survey undertaken by Malta Cruise Network, 85.5 per cent of cruise passengers are interested in returning to Malta in the future.
Minister Zammit Dimech said that this would not have been possible if the Cruise Liner Passenger Terminal had not been realised by VISET, which had originally earmarked Lm10 million for this investment. He said that this investment went up to Lm15 million, adding that the old ferry terminal is now being developed further, providing a lounge below, retail outlets and 300 square metres of terrace upstairs.
He said that cruise liners are also contributing to the economy to the tune of about Lm13 million yearly. He said that this contribution would not have been possible if there were no synergy between all stakeholders in this industry – VISET, the Malta International Airport, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Malta Maritime Authority – all of which are working hard to attract more cruise passengers to our country and to turn Malta into a home port for cruise liners.
The minister thanked Mondial Travel for their initiatives and for contributing towards Malta’s tourism sector. He also thanked VISET for their investment and for their continuous initiatives towards the cruise industry.