Cruise liner passengers have become a familiar site in Malta, perhaps even more noticeable in the winter months, as they seem to make up the bulk of tourists in Valletta on the morning.

During the Seatrade Winter Cruising Forum, held last week, Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said that the industry was contributing about e100 million to the economy, which is certainly not peanuts.

To put matters into context, Malta registered 144,064 cruise passengers in 1998. In just short of 10 years, that number increased to 483,257 – an increase of over 235 per cent.

In 2007, Viset, which runs the Cruise Liner Terminal in Valletta, estimated that it would receive 432,000 passengers. The number was in fact over that and the terminal registered an increase of 20 per cent over the corresponding period last year, which already was a record year.

These figures are certainly encouraging and it’s good to know that the government already has plans for more cruise liner terminals in the Grand Harbour. In addition, the government is also planning to build cruise liner berths in Marsamxett and has also proposed for another terminal to be placed at Fort St Elmo.

The latter batch are dependent on the construction of a breakwater in Marsamxett Harbour and we hope to see the projects come to fruition while the cruise liner business is still booming.

Also interesting is the fact that about 80 per cent of tourists who arrive in Malta by cruise liner have expressed an interest to return to Malta in the future. It seems that we do indeed whet people’s appetites if we can entice them here in the first place.

Another important piece in the puzzle is that, on the whole, Malta enjoys mild winters. This means that we can promote our destination as being an all-year round one, especially to cruise liner passengers.

Of course, a large part of the success registered is down to the restoration of what we now call the Valletta Waterfront. The old Pinto and Forni Stores, coupled with the old power station and the imposing bastions make for a unique arrival zone, it is modern and vibrant, while at the same time steeped in history.

What is certain is that we need to build on this. What the terminal needs more than anything is a physical, vertical link to the capital. Not every tourist on board is willing to shell out on guided tours and once this link is finally in place, tourists will have an easier route into the capital.

This brings other matters to a head. Valletta is a unique city, it has its history, its historical beauty and is also the stuff of legends. But we really should go up a gear in a bid to restore it to its former glory. Granted, there have been many initiatives taken – the various chapels and frescoes that have been restored, the paving of various streets and many more. But there are some big eyesores in Valletta, and none of these springs to mind more easily than the gutted Royal Opera House.

It truly is a shame that the entrance to our capital city has been neglected for so long in spite of the many plans that have been drawn up. You enter Valletta and you are greeted by a 60-year-old ruin. It is embarrassing and something should be done about it sooner rather than later. How successive governments can continue to ignore the problem is beyond anyone’s comprehension.

We are onto a good thing here, but we must make the most of it ... while we can.