Category: Industry News

The relationship Sheffield United and the Malta Tourism Authority embarked upon in 2008, has continued to evolve and reach beyond the sponsorship it first started out as.  In fact for the past years the team has returned to Malta for its annual summer training camp.  This year will see the team on our shores between the 20th and 27th of July and the ‘Blades’ Manager Danny Wilson says the management team and squad are all looking forward to putting the players through their paces when the team tours Malta.

United will make their annual trip to the Mediterranean Island on Friday 20 July and will play friendly fixtures against BOV Premier League opposition, to be confirmed during the week-long stay at the Fortina Spa Resort.  Other than that the team will also take part in a community program on the islands, as has been done on every United visit.

The Blades boss believes the training camp is vital preparation for United and although the training becomes very challenging in a hotter climate than the players are used to in rainy Sheffield, Wilson sees the bigger picture of the Club’s relationship with the Island:

“It is tougher for the players because of relatively high temperatures throughout the day. I have never done a pre-season in such a different climate to Sheffield, but the players responded brilliantly last year and it is part of the Club, given the excellent relation with the island of Malta.

“It is a trip we all look forward to, even though the training tends to require more energy, in the end the benefits of the sunshine are felt all round and we’re also looking forward to meeting up with the many Sheffield United fans who are also making the trip. Everyone who joined us last year enjoyed the experience and there is no reason why it cannot be the same this time.”

United will play fixtures on the evenings of Monday 23 July and Wednesday 25 July, whilst there will be social events with travelling and Maltese based United supporters on the evenings of Tuesday 24th and Thursday 26th July.

Following reports on the growth in arrivals for May and June 2012, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) once again stressed that hotels should not reduce their rates because summer could promises to have the potential of another record number of arrivals.

“MHRA is working closely with the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), Air Malta, and the Malta International Airport (MIA) and other stake holders so that accessibility for the November 2012 to April 2013 period returns to at least levels achieved in period November 2010 to April 2011 which was one of the best winter period for tourism to Malta,” the MHRA said.

MHRA said it was also working with MTA to enable MHRA members to be more proactive in marketing jointly Malta for niche tourism markets.

“MHRA notes with satisfaction the focus of the various stakeholders including the Ministry of Tourism, MTA, MIA and Air Malta to ensure that tourism grows in spite of the economic turmoil that is being experienced in a good number of our source markets. It is therefore clear that when all the stakeholders combine their efforts together the results are very positive,” MHRA President Tony Zahra said.

Nature Trust raised €205 through its ‘Kayak against Vandalism’ event in Gozo last month.

The event was organised to raise awareness of repeated acts of vandalism in protected natural areas. Participants paid €30 each for a three-hour kayak trip, with a percentage of the money going towards supporting Nature Trust’s conservation projects.

Another kayaking trip – this time for donations for the Wildllife rehab hospital – will take place in the Dwerja Marine Protected Area in Gozo on August 17 from 5.30 till 8.30 p.m.

According to the Tourism Expenditure Survey (Egatur), compiled by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism’s Institute for Tourism Studies, in the first five months of the year the average daily expenditure of foreign tourists in Spain has grown by 11.1%.

International tourists spent a total of 4,804 million euros in the month of May 2012, representing a growth of 7.5%, according to the survey. This was due both to the increase in tourist arrivals, up 5.8%, as well as the increase in the average cost of the trip, up 2%.

The average daily expenditure for the month was 114 euros, an increase of 3.8%, and the average expenditure per tourist, which was 886 euros, registered a year-on-year increase of 1.6%.

The region which most benefited from this increase in spending was the Community of Madrid, up 29.5%.

Madrid Barajas Airport is located 12km (8 miles) northeast of Madrid. The Airport is one of Europe’s busiest airports and is the largest in Spain. The airport serves Madrid, which is a short distance to the southwest. Our Madrid Barajas Airport guide includes information on airport facilities, transportation options, and nearby hotels. A dedicated rail connection linking Madrid Barajas Airport directly to the city centre opened in September 2011.

Madrid Barajas Airport has more than 20 information counters, located throughout the terminals, with a team of more than 100 ‘Skycaps’ also on hand to assist passengers and provide information. Additionally, there are tourist information counters in the arrival areas of Terminals 1 and 2 and the baggage hall of Terminal 4.

A free 24-hour shuttle bus transfers passengers between the terminals and the long-stay car park. The T4 building is linked to its satellite building (T4S) through a monorail. There is also a free shuttle bus which connects T4 with the other terminals (journey time: 10 minutes).

Oozing opulence, the Ritz has been Madrid’s grandest hotel from the moment it opened 100 years ago. Review by Annie Bennett. Published in Telegraph today.

Next door to the Prado and a few minutes’ walk from the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia museums, this is a great choice for art lovers. The Retiro park and the tapas bars around Plaza Santa Ana are nearby too.

Despite ongoing renovations, the Ritz has managed to hang onto a lot of its original features, so expect classic luxury at every turn. Sumptuous carpets made down the road at the Royal Tapestry Factory ensure that every step you take is in cushioned comfort. There are 167 rooms and suites, and no two are the same. Some have balconies overlooking the square or the hotel’s gardens, others have chandeliers and silk canopies over the bed, and most are furnished with antiques and decorated with original artworks. L’Occitane or Bulgari products add to the “pamper” factor in the bathrooms. Free WiFi. There are 167 rooms and suites, and no two are the same. Some have balconies overlooking the square or the hotel’s gardens, others have chandeliers and silk canopies over the bed, and most are furnished with antiques and decorated with original artworks. L’Occitane or Bulgari products add to the “pamper” factor in the bathrooms. Free WiFi
This is obviously not a budget option, but you do feel you are getting your money’s worth.