Having “discovered” Malta by chance, (we were looking for a quick getaway) in November last year, I was interested to read your report of the upturn in the Maltese tourist industry.

Since November 2006 we have visited in April, and again in November, in all cases staying at the excellent Radisson SAS at Golden Bay. In fact, in April we purchased a timeshare at the resort.

So what is it that brings us back to Malta?

I suppose it’s a combination of many things – the weather certainly helps, the history, both ancient and modern, and the short travel time between here and the UK.

But a major attraction is that Malta hasn’t sold its soul to the tourist pound. At times it resembles a building site, its bus drivers invariably greet you with a grunt, and, with regard to the roads, your “highways department” would be considered a proscribed organisation if it operated over here.

The restaurants are invariably good with prices to match. We also like the fact that you drive on the “correct” side of the road and you follow the rules of the road with a degree of “interpretation”.

However, it has to be said that sometimes, public servants could be a little more helpful, and perhaps the employment of a few more garbage collectors might not go amiss.

There is no doubt however that talking to friends that have visited Malta, you are aware that there are definite opinions, you love it, or in some cases, hate it. And those that hate it do so with a passion.

“Dirty, unfriendly, no beaches,” are comments I have noted, and no amount of reconciliation would alter those opinions.

But for us, Malta has it all. So please just carry on as you are, and, with one or two tweaks your tourist industry will continue to climb. But please, don’t become too popular or else you’ll be over run with English people wanting nothing but fish and chips and “tea like mother makes”.

See you next year.

John and Sheila Laurence

Sibsey, Boston

Lincolnshire