The recently launched website paradisemalta.com, with it’s catchphrase “are you just a tourist? or a traveller?” is promoting Malta on the internet as the ultimate exotic vacation spot.

Visitors are taken on a virtual journey around the magnificence of the Maltese islands. They can explore hidden gems around Malta and Gozo and are given a feel of what they can find when they decide to visit the islands.

“The launch of this website coincided exactly before the summer and we are hoping that we will play an important role in helping attract more tourists to Malta” said a

paradisemalta.com spokes-man. “The website is completely privately owned. However, in the near future we would like to form a partnership with the tourism ministry” he continued.

Sixty per cent of visitors are spending more than 10 minutes on the website, indicating a high interest rate that means they will consider Malta as their next holiday spot. Of the online travellers, 39 per cent are from the United States, while 17 per cent are visiting paradisemalta.com from the United Kingdom. Efforts are underway to pull in visitors from central Europe and other countries.

Access to Malta by air is considered fundamental for the tourist industry. It is for this reason that paradisemalta. com has dedicated an entire section on this subject, covering frequent flyer programmes and low-cost flights.

Picturesque photographs of the Maltese islands can be found on the website, thanks to Maltese enthusiasts who upload these photos for potential tourists to appreciate. Various writers are also contributing weekly articles to the new website.