The smart phone generation?

Local news has been informing us that tourism has never seen better days here in the sunny islands. But the type of tourism has seen drastic changes hasn't it? I am informed that now its all about last minute bookings with a very low percentage of tourists planning their holiday the traditional way.

Perhaps this new type of customer came about due to less liquidity and less stability. But it is more likely simply the result of a 'new' generation of tech savvy travelers. The ones with the smart phones who refer to social networks and who click their way to hotels and entertainment spots on the fly depending on what facebook suggests as nearby locations.

Smart phones are definitely making headway in Malta with Bank of Valletta, a major bank in Malta just launching its really cool Mobile Banking app for iPhone (from App store) and Android (from Google Play). Be sure to visit bov.com for the latest news about this really convenient product. A must-have if you're staying for a week.

So ... are you the smart phone kind of traveler? Here are two really useful sites that also work nicely on smart phones. For fun things happening in Malta visit manicmalta.com and for bargains and deals visit mcn.com.mt You might meet someone special while having the time of your life and who knows, you might even find yourself a bargain gift that looks like its worth a million!

Happy Holidays!

Malta. Third in the world for quality of life!

Hey this is an interesting bit of news!

Times of Malta - Wednesday, 12th January 2011

Malta is the place for a holiday every day - International index rates island third in the world for quality of life. Article by Fiona Galea Debono

If you are seeking the best quality of life in the world, you won’t be missing the mark if you head for Malta.

The island has nearly topped International Living magazine’s Quality of Life Index for 2011, ranking third in the world, hot on the heels of the US and New Zealand, particularly for its sizzling temperatures, but not only...

To come out ahead, a country must be an all-around good pick, not just a standout in a couple of areas, and that explains why the top finishers are developed nations.


An English-speaking population is an asset for the expats in Malta.“...warm, dry, Mediterranean climate, low crime rates, good medical facilities...” – 2011 Quality of Life Index of International Living magazine. Photo: Jason Borg
The index identifies places where people live well on the cheap, pay less tax, enjoy better weather and take advantage of emerging markets; where they can best escape, retire, start over or take off on a grand adventure…

Published annually, the league table rates 192 countries in nine categories, including cost of living, culture, economy, environment, freedom, health, infrastructure, safety and risk, and climate, to present overall ratings for their comparative qualities of life.

“And for the record,” says International Living editor Eoin Bassett, “we’re biased. Our sources, staff and contributing editors are all influenced by a Western bias. We have definite, preconceived ideas about what constitutes a high or low standard of living, what constitutes culture and entertainment, and what climate is the most enjoyable.”

The criteria for 2011’s Quality of Life Index, which is the only one of its kind and has been produced for the last 30 years, have been revised and updated, he said.

Official sources and statistics are scoured so it is not surprising that the US, with the world’s biggest economy, tops the index – on a strictly statistical basis, it is hard to beat.

But several satisfied expats are living proof that, in return for sacrificing some of the convenience of the US, a truly healthy, happy and more affordable life overseas is possible, the index finds.

“Our Quality of Life Index cannot tell you where to find a midnight steakhouse, a 24-hour convenience store or a mall with everything under one roof. What it can tell you is that with a warm, dry, Mediterranean climate, low crime rates, good medical facilities and English-speaking population, Malta is a good place to start looking for a life overseas,” Mr Bassett says.

The first-world retirement haven is New Zealand; Iceland, Switzerland and Costa Rica top the environment category; while Zimbabwe and Malta tie for first place in climate, although they are not considered cheap.

Malta also beats the US and New Zealand when it comes to leisure and culture, and the environment, the index shows.

Barbara Bode, who lived in Malta for several years and grew to love its lifestyle, food and quality of life, maintains that “every day is like a holiday” here.

Highlighting assets such as its “history, sunshine, serene sailing and crashing waves along rocky shores”, she adds that communication is easy.

Real estate may be pricey and upscale stores too, but she has found ways of saving money – and making new friends – by shopping at the green grocers and butchers early in the morning


http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110112/local/malta-is-the-place-for-a-holiday-every-day

Out and about...

Its not easy being a tourist. Well unless you're the adventurous kind I mean. But if you're the type who likes to plan it all out the last thing you'd want to face are surprises and setbacks.
This is particularly true when booking tours and excursions. Holiday accommodation, particularly hotels, enjoy considerable reviews from which one can be guided. But excursions differ from season to season.

My only advice in securing a good tour is to shy away from sites provided too much automation. You want to be able to exchange a few emails and, why not, even a few phone calls with your guide/s before parting with your money. Let them earn your confidence. An excursion is not (well should not) be an off-the-shelf product. The best ones are more often than not practically tailor made for what interests you most.

A good place to start off exploring the best tours currently on offer is this Malta Tours and Excursions website.

Happy exploring!

Figures are Down but Hopes are Up!

Lets face it. Europe-wide tourism was really not so good with the credit crunch and all. Unfortunately many establishments suffered poor business and some even down-sized considerably or even closed. Most travel and car hire websites also experienced the bitter taste of a very slow moving market.

But hey we're soon getting out of this and once its over only the best would have survived .. which is good news for travellers. So after all this gloom is over expect to be served by the best Hotels, Car Hire and transport companies!

Here are some movers and shakers that you kindly recommended to me:

Hotel Accommodation Direct Bookings
Malta Apartments and Villas
Excursions for Malta & Gozo
Gozo Lodgings & Holiday Accommodation
Fun e-cards from Malta
Things to do in Malta
Maltese Bargains
Hotels Malta
Malta Tourist Information
Map of Malta

Send in more useful sites any time!

DO VISIT US! MALTA & GOZO ARE GREAT HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS.

Check your change! Some coins may not be what they seem

Lately I paid EUR10 for a EUR1 coffee and rightly got my EUR 9 change in return ... or did I?? Well I'm sure I took a fleeting glance at my change and all was in order. I had a EUR 5 note and two Euro coins...

Later during the day I specifically needed to pick out a EUR 2 coin. The one I picked out looked exactly like a 2 Eur coin at a glance but I suspected foul play when I couldn't spot the number 2 on either side.

However believe it or not its NOT a fake. It just happens to be one of Thailand's official currency coins!

To learn more about coins that look like Euro coins you can visit this interesting forum

http://www.eurobilltrackerforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10008

So please be on the look out. Check your change COIN by COIN or you might get an unwanted surprise. The Thai coin is worth a fraction of a Euro roughly 25 euro cents!

Public Transport in Malta

Lately I was invited to attend an exhibition launch in Valletta on a Friday at 8pm. I figured it could take till 9pm for the event to warm up, till 10pm to really get going and to fizzle out around 10:30pm

So I decided to take a bus to Valletta thinking I should be able to catch some 11pm bus on heading home. Unfortunately on arriving I confirmed with the driver that the last bus was scheduled to depart at 10:00pm !

This is naturally a huge setback for any tourist but also for us locals. It is also in contradiction to Malta's recent publicity encouraging people to make more use of public transport in order to safeguard the environment. If bus schedules can't even cater for a simple event in Valletta can you imagine how even more impossible it becomes to try and attend something in Mellieha!

Thankfully some kind tourists recently put pen to paper about this frustrating disservice. You can read their letter at this Times of Malta link "No night bus for major tourist attraction"

No small wonder that most tourists prefer malta car hire or making their own airport transfer arrangements!

Big loss of Kudos for Malta - RUBBISH RUBBISH

I'm very proud of Malta but please teach her to wash at least once a week especially in the sticky and stinky summer months. Oh and do make sure she cleans those hard-to-reach bits like under the pavement and outside communal buildings (which tend to become no-mans-land)

And rubbish bins become so hard to use when the filth piles up three feet or higher. If you can get to them that is ... mostly inaccessible when totally surrounded by bag after bag of domestic rubbish ... tsk tsk ... now is that the right place to dispose of domestic rubbish ??

And can whoever delivers unwanted junk mail please refrain from dumping stuff on doorsteps. If it won't fit the letterbox just don't deliver it. There's no point in littering the streets with your junk. Why don't the authorities fine this blatant littering. It can very easily be traced back to the polluter and the polluter should always pay.

Certainly people need to do their bit and learn some good manners and good habits. But the authorities also need to clean their ears and their acts ... No we are not doing enough. More cleaning, more bins and more maintenance and upkeep are required. Come on Malta you can do it!