“More than a million tourists, that is, 91 per cent of all the tourists coming to Malta, visit Valletta each year. This amount does not include the 400,000 tourists that come to Malta on board the cruise liners, the majority of whom visit Valletta.” said Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, while inaugurating the Christmas lights in Republic Street.

The decorations are put up by the Republic Street Business Community Association.

The minister said this year the number of tourists that would have entered Valletta shall be even bigger because the number of tourists that visited our country has increased as has increased the number of tourists that visited aboard the cruise liners.

The minister said the government is investing in Valletta in order to give the city a face-lift. He reminded the public how in the last few days the Resources and Infrastructure Ministry completed the paving project of Merchant’s Street, St Lucia Street, and St John’s Square and that the pedestrian area is much larger now. He said that other measures which are drawing more people to the capital city are the Park and Ride scheme, and the removal of the V-licence.

Minister Zammit Dimech said that the spirit of Christmas has begun early this year, and that the extension of the tourist season onto the months of October and November, have contributed to more commerce.