It is hoped that the 74 per cent drop in the number of cruise passengers registered in January – 4,157 fewer passengers when compared to January last year – would transform itself into hefty increases for 2007 to be a better year than 2006, when a record 400,000 visitors came to Malta by sea, Labour MP Evarist Bartolo said yesterday.

It had been estimated that the number of cruise passengers would increase by 37,600 (10 per cent) this year, he said in a statement.

He urged the government to see what improvements needed to be made in the Grand Harbour facilities, even considering that the ships being built were getting bigger. The Grand Harbour was not equipped to cater for such ships, Mr Bartolo said, and therefore Malta stood to lose part of the market as these huge vessels would be calling elsewhere.

Mr Bartolo also called upon the government to improve berthing facilities in Gozo.