Malta is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and it seems that a local operator has come up with a good idea to generate more tourism business in the quieter winter months.

Britishjet – Malta’s own self-styled low-cost carrier – last week launched two-stop holidays for the winner. The concept itself seems to be quite an attractive proposition. The company would basically sell holidays to British nationals, bringing them over to Malta for a couple of days before ferrying them off to Sharm el-Sheik, an all-year sun destination.

Robbie Borg, Britishjet owner, says that Malta simply does not have the weather to attract tourists in the winter, and tourists could leave the islands with a bad impression if they come over in those few weeks when it is rainy and cold.

He argues that people really need only a couple of days to see the island in winter. In this way, people will get to see Malta, spend some money, enjoy themselves and then jet off to the sunshine for another few days.

There are many who might not be in agreement with Mr Borg about the Maltese weather and what the country has to offer – some would even say that Malta is more beautiful in winter than it is in summer when at times the heat is unbearable, and that Malta has much more to offer than the sun and the sea, which attract many tourists in the summer months. Its rich history and culture can certainly be enjoyed more in the milder shoulder and winter months.

But the idea of offering British tourists the possibility to coming over for a couple of days before leaving for Egypt should help attract more visitors in the leaner months. It is a known fact that the authorities are working hard to persuade more tourists to come over between November and April, and therefore Britishjet’s proposition is one that should be commended.

Of course, other low-cost carriers that have started to fly to and from Malta recently are giving a helping hand in this. Likewise, our national carrier Air Malta has come up with several ideas – including new destinations and increasing the number of flights to areas where it is believed there could be more demand.

The national carrier has passed through some rough times over the past years, and it needs all the support it can get to remain competitive. It has itself realised that it must change its ways in order to continue competing in a growing market, and it has made good strides forward in this regard. Still, Air Malta must remain on the ball and possibly pre-empt changes in the market so as to be able to deal with different scenarios as they come along.

For their part, low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair, Germanwings, Britishjet and Meridiana, have all made an impact, in the sense that they are giving the opportunity to travellers to find their way to Malta, and at the same time giving the Maltese people the chance to fly to destinations that are not covered by the national airline. The number of passengers they have carried to the islands in their first months of operation are encouraging, and they are already considering expanding their business.

All this should go a long way to help a tourism industry that has encountered serious difficulties in the past years. The results for the winter have shown signs of recovery, and low-cost airlines, together with Air Malta’s drive in offering a wider and different product, have played an important role in all this.