Malta has become more and more popular as a tourist destination in recent years. One of the factors contributing to this is the many flight connections with budget airlines offering cheap flights to the islands. Over 50% of the people visiting the islands are from Europe, 23% are from Asia and the Pacific countries, 15% from the Americas and the rest from Africa and the Middle East. Overall the market had grown by 5% last year, and over 1.5 million people visited the island in 2013. This shows that tourism is a very important factor in the Maltese economy, contributing greatly to the GDP.
Most tourists come from the United Kingdom and Italy. Germany is at the third-place, and France at the fourth. The busiest months are between April and August. Naturally, most tourists are visiting the islands to enjoy the summer sun. But this is not all that Malta is to offer. Even though the island boasts the cleanest waters in the Mediterranean and offers great scuba diving and snorkelling opportunities, the importance of the cultural heritage should not be neglected.
Malta has a very diverse history, as they had been occupied by many different nations over the centuries, all influencing the culture in their own way. Even though the island is very small (316 km²), there are plenty of megalithic temple sites and prehistoric caves showing that life on the Maltese islands thrived thousands of years ago. The temples and many of the caves are being maintained, and they can be visited. However, the islands also has a few caves that are a little bit more hidden and not commercially used.
My favourite one is Ghar Il-Kbir which is located near Dingli Cliffs, where the old cart ruts of Clapham Junction are. They are interconnecting caves of different sizes and people even lived in them until some of the ceiling structures collapsed in 1835. Today, the Maltese people often go there for a picnic or a barbecue and to enjoy the tranquil area and shade, away from the buzz of the touristy areas.
Overall, the tourism industry in Malta is very stable and constantly growing. It is definitely worth visiting the island and to learn about its interesting history.
